Hard disk problems

Clarifications

The only approach I would try would be to install a replacement drive and load the XP. Then attempt to recover the data from the drive that way. If that doesn't work you'll have to install the data drive into another viable win2k system and recover that way.

What I do in this situation is to temporarily install a third hard drive that has at least the same capacity as your secondary drive, then use recovery software such as EasyRecovery pro to recovery all data from the second drive. Because the data on that drive is still intact you should be able to recover it all without errors.

1 A security problem with the data
2 XP install wanting to reformat the drive to NTFS.

I don't know enough to check this, but others may.

How can you see the second HDD in what?

When the W2k Install crashed what happened?

Sounds like the Partition Information on the Second HDD was corrupted when the original OS crashed and you need to do something about this.

What Security did you have enabled with W2K?

You can try a Live Linux like Knoppix and boot off the CD to see if the Data Drive is actually intact or is blank you can download it from here

http://tinyurl.com/5lnzfx

Also you should test the HDD with the makers testing utility this should be a DOS utility that you can run off a floppy or if you don't have a floppy you will need to burn it to a CD and run from there. Seagate has Seatools which is a good universal testing utility but if you don't have a Seagate HDD any Fault Reports Descriptions of problems with a HDD may not be 100% correct. The Drive will be faulty if it reports as Faulty but the reason it is faulty may not be right. Seatools is available to download from here

http://tinyurl.com/yvq99t

Of course using the HDD Makers testing utility is always best.

If the Partition Information has been corrupted you need some form of Data Recovery Software to recover the Files or if you have a Backup of your Data you an just format the Drive and restore from the Backup.

Here is a short list of the better ones

http://tinyurl.com/273ay5

http://tinyurl.com/rmvrv

http://tinyurl.com/yvrsl

http://tinyurl.com/yyk8cm

http://tinyurl.com/382vm

http://tinyurl.com/ynwnel

http://tinyurl.com/nc4kx

http://tinyurl.com/2wox7l

http://tinyurl.com/374d8b

http://tinyurl.com/djw6u

http://tinyurl.com/f73se

http://tinyurl.com/8bd3f

http://tinyurl.com/afu2j

While the last 2 are from the same company they are very different products. Win Hex should only be considered foe use by someone who knows Hex Inside Out while Davory is a great cheap General Purpose Application.

Personally I prefer the On Track Option but it's anything but cheap. However because I use this type of software a lot it's paid for itself many times over by now, for a cheaper option Spin Rite from Gibson Research or Stella have both very good reputations by other TR members.

Col