Error Loading OS after swapping HDs

[Rick K]

On my Presario running XP, I removed my boot HD and the data HD.

Then, I used the manufacturer's CD to set up some additional HDs that I plan
to use alternately in a NexStar-3 USB2 HD enclosure.

I set them as master and set up each one separately using the master IDE
connector.

This appeared to work.

But, when I re-attached my original two HDs in their original positions, I
saw "Error Loading OS".

I replaced the relatively new IDE cable with a new one, in case I had
damaged it when pulling out the connector from the HDs.

Didn't help.

BIOS is set to boot from CDROM then HD. I changed it to boot first from HD,
in case that helped. No.

Two questions please ...

(1) How do I remedy the "Error Loading OS"?

(2) How do I remove ribbon cables from the HDs without pulling on the
cables? Long ago, I decided that pliers didn't work too well. The Presario
came with ribbon cables that had permanently attached straps to pull with. I
haven't seen that on other cables. Is there a tool that I can to pull with?

Thanks,
Rick

 

[Jan Alter]

Hi,

Check in your bios and be sure that for hard drives that IDE 1 and IDE 2
are set for AUTO. If the bios is reading the setting for the previous hard
drive then it will be surprised if it finds another with a different size.
Also, if your jumper settings on those original hdds were master w slave
then you need to have an additional component attached to the cable or you
would get an error as you reported.

I've usually just tugged at the cable slowly,alternating from edge to edge
upon the width of it close to the connector at the hdd.

 

[Rick K]

Thanks for your reply, Jan.

I looked for a way to set the IDEs to auto, but couldn't find it.
I did see "Local Bus IDE Adapter" which was set to "Both".
I don't know whether this is the same thing.

The good news is that while looking for a way to set IDE 1 and IDE 2 to
AUTO, I noticed "HD Boot Priority" which I hadn't seen before.
The boot priority was reversed ! I changed them, and it worked just fine.

As far as how to remove the cable, I guess I'll ask my wife to do it in the
future!

Thanks for your prompt assistance,
Rick

 

[Jan Alter]

Yes, some systems are set up that way so if you have to hdds with different
OS's you can choose the order you want to boot, like a simple boot manager.
Glad it got straightened out quickly.