Intalling a harddrive

  • Thread starter Thread starter AmyW
  • Start date Start date
Load what software? Unless you are replacing your existing drive with this
there is no software to install.
You ensure your current HD is set as master, install this as slave, re boot
your sys then go to Disk Management to partition/format the new drive
 
More info please. What do you really want to do? Install the new hard drive
and then install a fresh copy of XP onto it or install the new drive and
make it available to your existing install of XP?
 
If your old drive totally failed, remove it, install the new drive with the
jumper set to 'Master', then re-install Windows.
If you think there is a chance that the old drive still may be usable let us
know before doing anything.

JS
 
The drive is pretty much trashed. I've put the computer in the
corner for six months, until I had time to put in a new hard drive.
AW
 
JS

There is no need, nor is it recommended, to set the drive as master unless there
is a slave unit on the same IDE cable in a master/slave configuration.

WD drives have a setting for single drive configuration. This is what the OP
should use if she is simply replacing the existing HDD.

See this WD article for more detals:

http://wdc.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/wdc...mNoX3RleHQ9cGluIHNldHRpbmdz&p_li=&p_topview=1

| If your old drive totally failed, remove it, install the new drive with the
| jumper set to 'Master', then re-install Windows.
| If you think there is a chance that the old drive still may be usable let us
| know before doing anything.
|
| JS
|
| | > Could anyone tell help me?
| >
| > I finally ordered this model:
| >
http://www.westerndigital.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=32&language=en
| >
| > I know the web page has directions on how to install, but still not
| > sure how to load the software. Any suggestions? I have the original
| > cd's that came with my 2002 Gateway. It was one of the 700X models.
| > Here is info on the motherboard.
| > http://support.gateway.com/s/MOTHERBD/INTEL/2516016/2516016fp.shtml
|
|
 
Could anyone tell help me?

I finally ordered this model:
http://www.westerndigital.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=32&language=en

I know the web page has directions on how to install, but still not
sure how to load the software. Any suggestions? I have the original
cd's that came with my 2002 Gateway. It was one of the 700X models.
Here is info on the motherboard.
http://support.gateway.com/s/MOTHERBD/INTEL/2516016/2516016fp.shtml
Click to expand...

You don't need the software that probably will come with the drive.

You do need the install or recovery disks that came with the computer.
Put the drive in (make sure it's jumpered master) and boot with the
first CD.
 
I was hoping that the old drive was still useable enough to get any data
files transferred to the new drive. In which case a Master/Slave
configuration would have worked. Also the secondary IDE may have been fully
used forcing the use of the Primary IDE.

JS
 
Comments inline:

| I was hoping that the old drive was still useable enough to get any data
| files transferred to the new drive. In which case a Master/Slave
| configuration would have worked.

I agree with this approach, but that's not what you advised the OP to do. My
guess is that this user is inexperienced in this area and would need very
specific "how-to" instructions.

| Also the secondary IDE may have been fully
| used forcing the use of the Primary IDE.

I don't know what this statement has to do with this problem. Please clarify.

|
| JS
|
| | > JS
| >
| > There is no need, nor is it recommended, to set the drive as master unless
| > there
| > is a slave unit on the same IDE cable in a master/slave configuration.
| >
| > WD drives have a setting for single drive configuration. This is what the
| > OP
| > should use if she is simply replacing the existing HDD.
| >
| > See this WD article for more detals:
| >
| >
http://wdc.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/wdc...mNoX3RleHQ9cGluIHNldHRpbmdz&p_li=&p_topview=1
| >
| > | If your old drive totally failed, remove it, install the new drive with
| > the
| > | jumper set to 'Master', then re-install Windows.
| > | If you think there is a chance that the old drive still may be usable
| > let us
| > | know before doing anything.
| > |
| > | JS
| > |
| > | | > | > Could anyone tell help me?
| > | >
| > | > I finally ordered this model:
| > | >
| >
http://www.westerndigital.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=32&language=en
| > | >
| > | > I know the web page has directions on how to install, but still not
| > | > sure how to load the software. Any suggestions? I have the original
| > | > cd's that came with my 2002 Gateway. It was one of the 700X models.
| > | > Here is info on the motherboard.
| > | > http://support.gateway.com/s/MOTHERBD/INTEL/2516016/2516016fp.shtml
| > |
| > |
| >
| >
|
|
 
Secondary IDE may already have two devices attached, DVD-RW and CD-R, CD-RW
or a DVD-R combo. That only leaves the primary IDE as to only way to
attached the old drive, if it was still accessible. As a Slave or CS
depending on who made the original drive.

JS
 
Very True! Also the old drive is very unaccessible. These were the
error messages I got in January:

I keep getting booted out of Windows to the dos prompt, which says:

PXE-E61 Media Test Failure, check cable

PXE-MOF: Exiting Intel PXE Rom.

BOOT Failure: System halted

Gateway Tech had me put in the WindowsXP disk to repair windows, and
then all it did was keep trying to install it. Tech support won't
help me anymore, told me to buy a new hard drive.

Finally, it just quit. I couldn't even get a dos prompt.

AW
 
Amy,

You have three basic installation phases, first for the HDD itself and then,
second for the OS, and then the final phase consists of installing applications,
utilities, and backup data (if available).

Phase 1:
Western Digital normally supplies adequate installation instructions for their
drives. Be sure to follow all safety precautions concerning the proper grounding
steps during installation. Since you won't be able to utilize your old drive for
backup, the replacement drive should be installed in the same location as the
original and the drive pins should be setup to match also (either as Single,
Master, or Cable Select, as required).

Phase 2:
I don't know which type of software was supplied with your system. It could be
an OEM CD for the Operating System with supplemental CDs for drivers and apps,
or a Recovery CDs made for your system.

If it's the former, your going to need the Product Code during the
reinstallation of the OS. This should be on label attached to the side of your
computer case. The code will be in this format:
xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx
Your Gateway user's guide should detail the steps for reinstalling the OS, if
not here are a few links that should help:

How to install or upgrade to Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;316941&Product=winxp

How to activate Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;307890

If Gateway supplied a Recovery CDs, your life just became a lot simpler. Check
the Gateway user's guide for installation steps.

Phase 3:
If you were supplied an OEM CD for the OS, then you should have separate CDs for
the drivers, applications, and utilities. Again, refer to the Gateway user's
guide for installation steps.

If you have Recovery CDs, they will restore your system to the as-delivered
status. After you setup your internet connection, you'll need to make many
visits to the Windows Update site to bring your system up-to-date.

Footnote:
After you get back in business, you may want to consider purchasing a backup
utility like Acronis True Image. If you had such a utility, you could have
restored your complete system, including all data and updates, in less than an
hour. It's well worth the investment.

Good luck!

| Very True! Also the old drive is very unaccessible. These were the
| error messages I got in January:
|
| I keep getting booted out of Windows to the dos prompt, which says:
|
| PXE-E61 Media Test Failure, check cable
|
| PXE-MOF: Exiting Intel PXE Rom.
|
| BOOT Failure: System halted
|
| Gateway Tech had me put in the WindowsXP disk to repair windows, and
| then all it did was keep trying to install it. Tech support won't
| help me anymore, told me to buy a new hard drive.
|
| Finally, it just quit. I couldn't even get a dos prompt.
|
| AW
|
| On Sun, 4 Jun 2006 20:17:15 -0400, "David Webb"
|
| >. My
| >guess is that this user is inexperienced in this area and would need very
| >specific "how-to" instructions.
 
Very True! Also the old drive is very unaccessible. These were the
error messages I got in January:

I keep getting booted out of Windows to the dos prompt, which says:

PXE-E61 Media Test Failure, check cable

PXE-MOF: Exiting Intel PXE Rom.

BOOT Failure: System halted

Gateway Tech had me put in the WindowsXP disk to repair windows, and
then all it did was keep trying to install it. Tech support won't
help me anymore, told me to buy a new hard drive.

Finally, it just quit. I couldn't even get a dos prompt.
Click to expand...

Note that this means the data on the drive is probably mostly intact
unless it got nuked by their attempts to fix it.
 
Unless there is something important you need to get from the old drive I'd
forget about it, unless you want to try to recover files as a learning
experiment.

If experimentation is not your bag, then just do a fresh install of Windows,
this time however let Windows create two or three partitions during the
install process on that new 80GB drive. One partition (C:) for Windows (20GB
NTFS), second (D:) partition (20 to 30GB NTFS) for Applications and data
files and if you have image backup software the third partition (E:) for
storing the backup image files. If you had a second hard drive I'd recommend
storing the backup on the second drive.

Why put the applications on the second (D:) partition you are going to ask?
It keeps the Windows Image backup files smaller, makes defrag run in less
time and if you need to do a restore of the Windows (C) partition using an
image backup, the application's files most likely will still be intact on
the D partition. Besides you can always make of backup of the D partition
also.

When do I do backup's - Most of the time, just before installing the latest
'Patch Tuesday' files from Windows Update.

JS
 
Does WindowsXP make this task self explanatory? I've partitioned an
old computer with Window 98, but Gateway talked me through every step.
Since this isn't their hard drive, I won't get any help through them.
Wonder if WD helps with this?

Thanks
AW
 
It's somewhat explanatory, but read, think and then do. You should get a
message/display of the total drive size. You then need to decide
how much of the total to use for the first/boot partition and the format
type NTFS or FAT. Think binary if you want round numbers for partition
sizes.

You just need the first partition to install Windows, the remaining space
that has not be defined can be partitioned and formatted after you install
Windows.

JS
 
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