maengdei Posted June 12, 2008 Report Share Posted June 12, 2008 Got a HP Pavilion 500mhz with Pentium III processor that has begun giving a message during startup. Message says the hard disk is going to fail, worn out I suspect after more than 10 years. I do have a second newer hard disk hooked up as a secondary. I have tried to use the setup menu but I can't figure how to make the newer hard disk the primary (with the menu). Help me make sure Windows will operate from the newer disk and do I have to install the newer disk as the primary hard drive? I'm self taught and usually do quite well, installed many different cards and memory chips and such. During the setup of the newest hard drive I did copy everything from the older drive using the program that came with the new drive. Unfortunately age is getting the best of my thinking...a little help is needed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maengdei Posted June 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2008 Well I really thought someone would have an idea...sure hope I can wait for an answer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarecrow Man Posted June 13, 2008 Report Share Posted June 13, 2008 You do not need to do anything as far as primary disk or active disk goes. You will, however, need to install Windows on that drive.Insert your Windows CD-ROM and install Windows. When asked the location, select the newer drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maengdei Posted June 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 I upgraded to XP from Windows 98 with a disk....running that upgrade disk again for the new drive will work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 If you have an upgrade version of WXP then all that is required during installation is to "show" the machine a qualifying version of Windows (W98, for example) then re-insert the XP disk and let it continue.Can you borrow a qualifying version? If not you should be able to buy a copy of W98 very cheaply from a computer fair or from eBay. Ensure that it is genuine as I doubt that pirate copies would do the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hb_Kai Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 I have tried to use the setup menu but I can't figure how to make the newer hard disk the primary (with the menu)Do you mean setting up hard-drives as Master / Slave? You set it up in the BIOS settings... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maengdei Posted June 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 I do still have the original disks for Win 98 and I know that route would work. The program that came with the new hard drive will install an operating system on the new drive but will erase everything. I need to backup the information (need tips on that) and let the program install the disk as the boot drive I think. setting up hard-drives as Master / Slave? You set it up in the BIOS settings...Tell me how to get there and I will take a look, and if it's the setup you access when first booting the computer I thought I looked it over...another look won't hurt. And thanks for the replies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davin Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Got a HP Pavilion 500mhz with Pentium III processor that has begun giving a message during startup. Message says the hard disk is going to fail, worn out I suspect after more than 10 years. I do have a second newer hard disk hooked up as a secondary. I have tried to use the setup menu but I can't figure how to make the newer hard disk the primary (with the menu). Help me make sure Windows will operate from the newer disk and do I have to install the newer disk as the primary hard drive? I'm self taught and usually do quite well, installed many different cards and memory chips and such. During the setup of the newest hard drive I did copy everything from the older drive using the program that came with the new drive. Unfortunately age is getting the best of my thinking...a little help is needed!You can make primary or secondary hard disk using jumper setting. Check connector panel of hard drive there u can find 6 pins and 2 pins are joined using jumper... remove this and check setting on hard disk front panel..Hope this help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarecrow Man Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 My previous post may not have been clear enough. You want to install a new copy of windows on a different hard drive than it is already installed on?The best method is to unplug the drive you do not want changed, leaving the one you do want installed in tact. This way you will not over-write any existing data. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maengdei Posted June 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 I now have a plan, given all the information you folks have helped with. I'll let ya know how it works out soon, I hope! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.