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Master, Slave and Partitioning

Discussion in 'Windows XP' started by derfsch, 2007/03/03.

  1. 2007/03/03
    derfsch

    derfsch Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Hi All,

    My computer has the WindowsXP Pro operating system and a hard disk partitioned with drives C,D, and E. The CD drive is labled as F. The operating system on C does not function, it powers up but there is no beep or no POST. This is not the reason for this posting.

    I intend to install WindowsXP on a new hard drive and partition the disk with drive letters of C,D, and E using the new system as a master. The old system hard drive will become the slave. The reason for the Master-Slave setup is that I'm hoping to gain access to the old D and E drives. I'm not sure how the non-functioning old C will affect the process. Maybe there is no answer until the process is tried.

    It is my understanding that Windows will cause the drive letters to advance from the C, D, and E. Is this correct? Another question, when should the old hard drive be assembled with the new drive, before the WindowsXP installation, or after?
     
    derfsch,
    #1
  2. 2007/03/03
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    I suggest that you disconnect the old hard disk and connect the new one as Master on the Primary Channel and leave the old hard disk out during the installation.

    When you proceed to install XP, start the computer with the disk in the drive and the computer should boot from it.

    During the initial stages of the installation, create C: only and full format it NTFS. (If you have specific reasons, FAT32 can be used for partitions smaller than 32 GB.)

    When up and running on the new installation, go immediately to Disk Management. You will find that the optical device has been assigned the drive letter D:. Start by right-clicking on D: and change the drive letter to X:. Now, the optical device is out of the way.

    Continue to partition the rest of the hard disk. Create an extended partition with two logical volumes within it. These two will become D: and E: respectively.

    Now, you can connect the old hard disk as Slave on the Primary Channel. These partitions will become F:, G: and H: respectively. When you have transfered your data from the old hard disk to the new one, you can reformat the old partitions or delete them and start over on the old hard disk. (Unless you want to keep the current data on any of the partitions, I recommend deleting them all and creating an extended partition of it all with the desired logical volumes.)

    About jumpering: I always jumper "Cable Select ". If the device is connected to the end connector, it will be master and if connected to the middle connector, it will be slave. "Cable Select" requires 80-conductor cables. The conductors are much thinner than on the 40-conductor cables. It is possible that you have an 80-conductor cable on the hard disk and an 40-conductor cable on the optical device. (Master/Slave is fine too but with CS you don't need to worry.)

    Christer
     
    Christer,
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  4. 2007/03/03
    derfsch

    derfsch Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    Christer

    Thank you for an excellent discussion of the procedures, it was just what I was looking for. One part confuses me, that having to do with the "Optical Device. " I'm not sure how that enters since I didn't mention it and I'm not sure if this will be part of the new hard drive configuration. Also, I'll get back with you about the "Cable Select Settings" once I have examined the existing equipment. I do have an eighty pin cable still in its packaging and it would be interesting to explore this further.
     
    derfsch,
    #3
  5. 2007/03/04
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    derfsch

    Optical Device refers to your CD-ROM/DVD drive(s)

    Doing as Christer suggested will ensure that your hard drive lettering will be concurrent and not bridge the drive letter(s) of the optical drive(s).
     
    PeteC,
    #4
  6. 2007/03/04
    derfsch

    derfsch Well-Known Member Thread Starter

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    PeteC

    Thank you for the clarification. Christer and you make a good point about moving the "optical" drive letter far enough from the other possible drive letterings and it is one that I would not have thought about. The advice from each of you will be implemented.
     
    derfsch,
    #5
  7. 2007/03/04
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    derfsch,

    Both cables are 40-pin. The 80-conductor cable has 40 pins with a grounded conductor between each live conductor for shielding purposes.

    I don't know if you use card readers and USB sticks. If you do, leave them out until everything else is done. When connecting a card reader, each slot will be assigned a drive letter of its own in sequence after the currently occupied drive letters. In the same way, a USB memory stick will be assigned a drive letter.

    (I have two opticals, X: and Y:. Any USB memory stick that I use has been assigned the drive letter U: based on my assumption that two USB memory sticks will not be connected at the same time.)

    Christer
     
    Christer,
    #6

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