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HDD Format Problem

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5 replies

by steve

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I'm using a 2.4ghz P4 with XP. I've installed a new HDD in a computer and had the old HDD connected as a slave. Everything worked OK until I disconnected the old drive. I now get the message "DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER". It will boot if I re-connect the old HDD or insert the Windows XP CD disk. I assume this is caused by the necessary boot files not being installed at the time of formatting because the XP install recognised the old drive. Is there any way to transfer/copy the necessary boot files to the new HDD?

5 replies

by hal 9000

It sounds as if the System is booting off the Slave Drive here and isn't seeing the new HDD.

Have you looked in Device Manager at the HDD installed and see if the new Drive is seen?

by steve

It will run windows from the new drive (C:), but only if the slave (D:) is connected and/or the XP CD is inserted. It must be picking up some boot files from them. If only the new C: drive is connected and no XP CD inserted it gives the error message mentioned previously.

by pcrx_greg

Steve:
The PC is not booting from the C: drive, it is booting from the D: drive. Windows XP can boot from any drive letter as long as the boot partition and boot files are on the drive. You need to either clone the old drive, i.e., copy everything from the old drive to the new drive, or install Windows XP on the new drive and then copy the files from the old drive to the new drive. As HAL9000 mentioned earlier, you can use Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image Home to move everything from your old drive to the new.

Greg

by hal 9000

When the old Drive was fitted to the unit?

If so there are files on the Boot Sector of the Old HDD that are being used to allow the system to Boot. If you want to completely remove the Old Drive you need to either install XP onto the New Drive without the old drive being connected or present or Clone the Old Drive with something like Ghost or as mentioned in the post above Acronis True Image.

Either will work but if you just want to swap drives you need to do a clean install without the Old Drive available to the System or it will remain the Boot Drive with all the necessary files to allow the system to boot correctly.

Col

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