Hard drive help

[Guest]

I have an old computer that i wanted to start using again. Not knowing what
files or programs was on it i decided to re-install the windows software from
my windows xp disc. About half way through the installation the computer
screen goes blue with loads of righting then the computer shuts down. When i
re-start the computer the installation program restarts again but when it
gets to the same point the same thing happens. If the windows disc is removed
I’m unable to do nothing all i get is a message saying disc is removed. I
have removed the hard drive which was 120GB and fitted one that is only 20GB
just so the computer would work. When i replaced the hard drive i noticed
that there is two plugs that go into the back of the hard drive but there is
another plug available identical to the one used. Am i right in thinking that
this plug will fit into a second hard drive? Could i fit this 120GB hard
drive and reformat it and start again.

What i would like to do if possible is reformat the 120GB drive and use that
one but use the smaller one 20GB as a backup is this possible. I’m not an
expert by any means so im not bothered if i do anything wrong and i have to
start again because this computer is going to be one that i mess about with
and try and upgrade myself.
Regards
Alan

 

[Ghostrider]

I have an old computer that i wanted to start using again. Not knowing what
files or programs was on it i decided to re-install the windows software from
my windows xp disc. About half way through the installation the computer
screen goes blue with loads of righting then the computer shuts down. When i
re-start the computer the installation program restarts again but when it
gets to the same point the same thing happens. If the windows disc is removed
I’m unable to do nothing all i get is a message saying disc is removed. I
have removed the hard drive which was 120GB and fitted one that is only 20GB
just so the computer would work. When i replaced the hard drive i noticed
that there is two plugs that go into the back of the hard drive but there is
another plug available identical to the one used. Am i right in thinking that
this plug will fit into a second hard drive? Could i fit this 120GB hard
drive and reformat it and start again.

What i would like to do if possible is reformat the 120GB drive and use that
one but use the smaller one 20GB as a backup is this possible. I’m not an
expert by any means so im not bothered if i do anything wrong and i have to
start again because this computer is going to be one that i mess about with
and try and upgrade myself.
Regards
Alan

The information is really not good enough to help. After all, what are
these "plugs"? Perhaps it will help the readers if you provided the
make and model of the 120 GB and 20 GB hard drives. This would help us
better visualize what is being described.

 

[Paul]

The information is really not good enough to help. After all, what are
these "plugs"? Perhaps it will help the readers if you provided the
make and model of the 120 GB and 20 GB hard drives. This would help us
better visualize what is being described.

He could be referring to the 1x4 Molex power plugs. There is one of those
per hard drive.

This is the ribbon cable for an IDE (PATA) drive. It carries the data.

http://www.gshop.com.au/images/ide_133_cable.jpg

This is the power connector, a 1x4 Molex power connector with +5V and +12V.

http://www.computerhope.com/pictures/power/molex.jpg

There may be more 1x4 Molex power connectors and they can be used for
more storage devices.

This site has some info on jumpering, and it would make my post too long
to repeat all of it. If you click the "IDE/ATA Configuration and Cabling"
near the top of the page, there are more topics on other pages. Now, if
this site had pictures, it would be a winner...

http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/if/ide/confJumpering-c.html

And rather than blindly trying to reinstall the OS on your computer,
I would have started by trying to boot it up with the existing
software on it. The idea is, to look around at the install, and
see what is on the computer, and figure out how that stuff was
installed. For example, if you booted up my computer, it has a
directory with all the necessary driver files for the peripherals.
So there could have been some labor saving info on the drive,
that you had looked at it first.

HTH,
Paul

 

[Brian A.]

I have an old computer that i wanted to start using again. Not knowing what
files or programs was on it i decided to re-install the windows software from
my windows xp disc.

Why didn't you boot the machine to see what was installed first before attempting a
new install?

About half way through the installation the computer
screen goes blue with loads of righting then the computer shuts down. When i
re-start the computer the installation program restarts again but when it
gets to the same point the same thing happens. If the windows disc is removed
I'm unable to do nothing all i get is a message saying disc is removed.

Never mind the XP Pro mentioning, the requirements for Home and Pro are basically the
same.
System Requirements:
Windows XP Professional System Requirements
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/evaluation/sysreqs.asp

And to further the process, your hardware/software may not be up to date for XP. You
can check by using the upgrade advisor download indirectly here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/upgrading/checkcompat.asp

or here directly
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/upgrading/advisor.asp

However I would suggest you can run the advisor from the XP CD, the download is
approx. 32MB.

I
have removed the hard drive which was 120GB and fitted one that is only 20GB
just so the computer would work. When i replaced the hard drive i noticed
that there is two plugs that go into the back of the hard drive but there is
another plug available identical to the one used. Am i right in thinking that
this plug will fit into a second hard drive? Could i fit this 120GB hard
drive and reformat it and start again.

I believe that you are talking about the Ribbon Cable which has three connectors,
one connects to the IDE Controller on the motherboard and the other two can be
connected to hard drives and/or DVD/CD drives. When connecting two devices one must
be jumpered as the Master and the other as the Slave, most hd's have a graphic on a
sticker on the top of the drive on which pins need to be jumped. If it's a 80 wire
40 pin Ribbon Cable you could set both attached devices to Cable Select instead of
Master/Slave if the devices support it.

What i would like to do if possible is reformat the 120GB drive and use that
one but use the smaller one 20GB as a backup is this possible. I'm not an
expert by any means so im not bothered if i do anything wrong and i have to
start again because this computer is going to be one that i mess about with
and try and upgrade myself.

I'd use the 20GB for the OS and the 120GB partitioned for applications, data and
backups.

Regards
Alan

--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[GHalleck]

He could be referring to the 1x4 Molex power plugs. There is one of those
per hard drive.

This is the ribbon cable for an IDE (PATA) drive. It carries the data.

http://www.gshop.com.au/images/ide_133_cable.jpg

This is the power connector, a 1x4 Molex power connector with +5V and +12V.

http://www.computerhope.com/pictures/power/molex.jpg

There may be more 1x4 Molex power connectors and they can be used for
more storage devices.

This site has some info on jumpering, and it would make my post too long
to repeat all of it. If you click the "IDE/ATA Configuration and Cabling"
near the top of the page, there are more topics on other pages. Now, if
this site had pictures, it would be a winner...

http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/if/ide/confJumpering-c.html

And rather than blindly trying to reinstall the OS on your computer,
I would have started by trying to boot it up with the existing
software on it. The idea is, to look around at the install, and
see what is on the computer, and figure out how that stuff was
installed. For example, if you booted up my computer, it has a
directory with all the necessary driver files for the peripherals.
So there could have been some labor saving info on the drive,
that you had looked at it first.

HTH,
Paul

One of the bad things that can happen with a posting like this is to
screw up the OP more than necessary. While it is always possible for
one to instinctively re-connect the hard drive, especially there is
only 1 power socket and, presumably, 1 IDE 40-pin connector for each
the 2 hard drives, it is important to be positive for a novice. And
for an old 20 GB hard drive, it could be almost anything, including
the gamut from non-IDE to SCSI. I am sure that Ghostrider knows what
is being discussed...but the OP?

 

[Guest]

So much information my head is spinning trying to read it all. The other
cable i mentioned is a power cable (thanks for the links to photos) im sure
about that now. Im going to thank everyone for your help your all superstars
but before i ask anything else i think its best i read the info i have been
sent. That way i will have some idea of what im talking about.

Just one thing if i refit the 120GB drive could i start the instalation
again?.