Installing Harddrive

Jeremy · 11-24-2003, 11:18 AM

I want to install a new harddrive, what I want to know is:

1. Do I have to format it before I use it.
2. Can I install it as a slave first, then transfer the data from my old drive to the new one, and then switch
the slave for the master and use the new drive as the boot up drive.

If there's anything I've missed let me know.

Thanks. Jeremy

Steven Edwards · 11-24-2003, 11:38 AM

Formatting a drive is always the first step to using a new one.

What you would need to do for what you described is:

1) Install new hard drive as a slave [by the switch on the drive]
2) Format the drive [recommended: partition the drive, too]
3) Copy data from old drive to new drive
4) Cut off computer

5) Flip new drive to Primary
6) Flip the old drive to slave

At startup, you may have to adjust your BIOS settings and Windows may have trouble with drive letter assignments, but you can just change them if need be.

-Steven

Brad_D · 11-24-2003, 11:41 AM

1. Most likely, yes it will have to be formatted.

2. Yes, it can be installed as a slave. I would then clean install the OS, then move over your data. It really doesn't make much of a difference whether it's a master or a slave. Really no performance issues, just as long as the two drives are setup as master and slave.

Jeremy · 11-24-2003, 11:43 AM

Thanks Steve one more thing should I use the same cable or attach the new drive too an other IDE slot

Steven Edwards · 11-24-2003, 11:45 AM

You can use the same IDE cable if the other slot is available.

-Steven

krstofer · 11-25-2003, 01:00 AM

In my expierence, windows gets unhappy when it's got a newer os on a slave drive.

Should your new drive be bigger than your old drive, it may be unhappy with it as a slave as well.

But yes, you've gotta format it. I've never transferred files, just burned them to CD, incase something 'bad' happens, then install the new drive as master, format it, load an os, and reinstall all the files.

http://krstofer.org

rdf · 11-29-2003, 12:57 PM

Make sure your OS is new enough to handle the new hard drive. The sizes these days are incredible, and older versions of Windows sometimes don't recognize the huge disks we see these days.

There's a good tool named "partition magic" that will format and partition the new drive for you.

Also, you might think of a dual boot system if your new disk has a very large capacity. You can leave your old OS on your old drive, and install a new OS on the new disk, and at boot time, you'll be able to select which OS to boot to.

Good luck

11-24-2003, 11:18 AM	#1
Jeremy Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Canada Posts: 588	Installing Harddrive I want to install a new harddrive, what I want to know is: 1. Do I have to format it before I use it. 2. Can I install it as a slave first, then transfer the data from my old drive to the new one, and then switch the slave for the master and use the new drive as the boot up drive. If there's anything I've missed let me know. Thanks. Jeremy

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11-24-2003, 11:38 AM	#2
Steven Edwards Administrator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Acme Labs Posts: 13,971	Formatting a drive is always the first step to using a new one. What you would need to do for what you described is: 1) Install new hard drive as a slave [by the switch on the drive] 2) Format the drive [recommended: partition the drive, too] 3) Copy data from old drive to new drive 4) Cut off computer 5) Flip new drive to Primary 6) Flip the old drive to slave At startup, you may have to adjust your BIOS settings and Windows may have trouble with drive letter assignments, but you can just change them if need be. -Steven

11-24-2003, 11:41 AM	#3
Brad_D Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Florida Posts: 558	1. Most likely, yes it will have to be formatted. 2. Yes, it can be installed as a slave. I would then clean install the OS, then move over your data. It really doesn't make much of a difference whether it's a master or a slave. Really no performance issues, just as long as the two drives are setup as master and slave.

11-24-2003, 11:43 AM	#4
Jeremy Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Canada Posts: 588	Thanks Steve one more thing should I use the same cable or attach the new drive too an other IDE slot

11-24-2003, 11:45 AM	#5
Steven Edwards Administrator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Acme Labs Posts: 13,971	You can use the same IDE cable if the other slot is available. -Steven

11-25-2003, 01:00 AM	#6
krstofer Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Corvallis, Oregon Posts: 277	In my expierence, windows gets unhappy when it's got a newer os on a slave drive. Should your new drive be bigger than your old drive, it may be unhappy with it as a slave as well. But yes, you've gotta format it. I've never transferred files, just burned them to CD, incase something 'bad' happens, then install the new drive as master, format it, load an os, and reinstall all the files. http://krstofer.org

11-29-2003, 12:57 PM	#7
rdf Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Someplace between Nowhere and Goodbye Posts: 7,274	Make sure your OS is new enough to handle the new hard drive. The sizes these days are incredible, and older versions of Windows sometimes don't recognize the huge disks we see these days. There's a good tool named "partition magic" that will format and partition the new drive for you. Also, you might think of a dual boot system if your new disk has a very large capacity. You can leave your old OS on your old drive, and install a new OS on the new disk, and at boot time, you'll be able to select which OS to boot to. Good luck