PowerQuest Drive Image

That is a good question to which the answer is that it MAY NOT if it were done after the initial install of said software.

But If a format and clean install of the OS is done then the software referred to will need to be re-install anyway.

Also even if the 2nd HD is added it will reletter the CDs anyway and may create the same problem(s)

This is why I suggested to make the change as soon as the OS is installed and before installing anything from the CDROMS.

I started this CRDOM letter asignment WAY, WAY back in the days of DOS6.2/Win3.1. And have just carried it right on through Various Windows installs.

In fact most everything will need to be re-installed in order for it to work properly.

hawk22

Seing that PQ Drive Image has been mentioned. If by any chance you have used it to make images DESTROY them BEFORE you format. Especially if they are on a Hard drive partition. They will no longer be usefull and in fact can be rather dangerous if one should get used.

BillyBob

 

I would not recommend ever destorying a good .pqi file, especially if it is saved to disc. Those files, although you may not want to use for restoration, still provide an excellent storage of dormant files.

Those files can be extrapulated from the .pqi file and used in the current setup. I now use Windows XP, and still go through old Windows 98SE .pqi files to find files and folders. And these were made on a computer I no loger have.

 

If they can be and/or are used that way then that would be OK.

I would like to suggest what I think is a better and/or a safer idea. Or at least the way I do it.

I myself do not depend on software alone to protect my stuff. Never have and never will. I did twice and got badly burned.

I do not trust just one HD in the machine. Or at least not one HD with one partition.

I NEVER store the things that RayH refers to on the same HD as the OS. All that stuff is stored in normal folders on a Slave drive where they can be used by either 95, 98, 98SE or XP even on another machine.

None of my Downloaded stuff is on the same HD as the OS. That is all on the slave drive.

And a lot of things are also on CDs which can be used by another machine.

That way if I had PQI or any other disk imaging software and it decided to go South for a vacation I got no worries. The things are where I can get at them with anything from DOS ( DOS for viewing mostly ) right on up and and including XP.

And if this XP HD should go haywire, all I go to do is change the plugs to my 98SE HD and keep going. Would just need to update a few thing like AV etc. Same slave drive and all. Both Masters are partitoned the same. CDROMS are lettered the same.

And everything is 32bit so I do not have that to worry about.

Imaging software is fine and may be a good idea. I say may be because I never used any.

But it also has its drawbacks. As far as I know and image made by one program is not accessable by another.

Some of this may seem old fashioned but I have still have things to use when some of the more modern ways fail.

BillyBob

 

Christer I have one DVD ROM, two CD RW drives, and three burning programs in my computer. The burning programs will find the drive by their physical presence in a computer, not by letter assignment.

I've rejumpered my drives, causing letter changes, and the programs have had no problems undestanding which drive I want to use. In burning, the drives also get listed in a menu by PHYSICAL NAME (ie. LiteOn, Yamaha, Toshiba, etc.).

I did reletter my Yamaha 8x CDRW to Y to get separation in my mind between it and my 52x drive for the SEND TO>Direct Drive.

But I also have USB drives that get plugged in and out. Depending upon what OS I'm running, those drives change letters all the time.

I find it more important to know the phyical drive or the physical partition I want. For hard drives I use VOLUME NAMES. The other drives will be obvious which has the information regardless of letter assignment.

I mean, if autoplay/run doesn't work, I just open MY COMPUTER to check which drive has the info.

 

Things to think about and questions that I need to ask.

That may work in XP. But will it work in 98SE ?

In XP I have noticed that if a program that needs a CD it does not seem to make any difference which drive I put it in. But in SE it does.

And I believe that 98SE is the OS that has been nemtioned for a possible reinstall.

The Burning software may do that, But will other installed software that may need the CD do that. ?

Mine were set to S: & T: before I installed XP and they stayed there. And did not move all over creation when I added the slave drive.

In other words set 'em and forget 'em.

BillyBob

 

I'm no loner using Windows 98SE and I don't run programs from CD ROMs.

All I know about burning programs is that they will seek the physical drive, regardless of location. But if you have patterns stored, the program will seek the specific location of the source material. That is, if you have a stored pattern for compliation of music, it looks for that source music to be in a specific location if you want to reburn that pattern. I've found that PM's mapping missed Easy CD 4. It was the only thing I needed remapped, and it failed at that.



But as for burning, it doesn't matter where you move the burner. It just seeks the physical presence of the burner.

 

This is what we need to be carefull of and make sure whiich OS is being used and how.

But if you have patterns stored, the program will seek the specific location of the source material.

That is what I was referring to. Even in XP and a larger HD I still have some programs that require the CD to be in a certain location. If it is looking for the CD to be in S: and I put it in T: I get a very firm message. " FILE NOT FOUND " or " Drive not ready " or something that means the same.

BillyBob

 

BillyBob, Ray; Hi

All those discussions here are very useful for me I may add.
In regards to Drive Lettering I always used to use "X" for Burner and "Y" for CD Rom but at the moment it is all messed up. I used to use my LS120 as my A: including Boot, but when I had a few problems I installed a seperate Floppy Drive for "A" Boot and my LS 120 became "H" Removable Drive. And yes I have more than once changed my Optical Drive Letters in Device Manager to what I liked and never experienced any ill effects for doing it. That is on 98SE.
I must say one thing though, what Ray is recomending to do, Name your HD's (Partitions) makes a lot of sense and as sure as hell that is one thing that I will do once I gather enough know how and curage to go ahead and do what I dearly would like to do. ( This new HD of mine has been sitting in the Drawer still wrapped up for 10 weeks now).
As it is on my PC at the moment is very confusing at times to say least C-D-E on the HD H the LS120 G CDRom I Burner
that is how Windows slotted it, not my idea.

Well I hope this Posting will provide some more very usefull dicussions and I thank everyone that is contributing.
hawk22