Both drives have Windows XP installed and have partitions C: D: and E:. How can I connect them in my computer, boot windows from one of them and have the other one as well? See, I need to transfer files from the one to the other. How can I make my PC know which drive to boot from since SATA uses no jumpers?
2007-12-18 04:48:15 · 5 answers · asked by tr8or1000 1 in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Desktops
PS: will the computer be confused that both drives have partitions with the same letters?
2007-12-18 04:48:55 · update #1
Since you said both drives are SATA, ignore all previous advise on jumpers, C drive, and IDE cables. They are all thinking IDE, not SATA (sorry)
Each SATA controller is only able to handle 1 hard drive (unlike the older IDE that did two devices per connector). You should have a second SATA connector in your computer. Hook the second hard drive to that connector.
Within the BIOS is the computer there is a setting which tells it which SATA connector to boot from. Since it is already set to the hard drive you want to boot, you should not have to change anything. Just power up the PC and it should boot to the correct hard drive.
The "C" drive of the second hard drive will show up on your computer with a different letter. (As will the "D" and E" of that drive.) Depending on the BIOS setting, the "C" of the second drive may show up as "D", and the "D" and "E" of the regualr drive be pushed back to "E" and "F". Or the second "C" drive may become "F" (G and H).
Simple looked at the different drives until you figure out which is which. Then copy the files to the appropriate places.
Once done, power down and remove the second drive. All your previous partitions should return to their normal letters.
2007-12-18 05:16:25 · answer #1 · answered by dewcoons 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If you install another hard disk into your system you will have to import that disk in disk management. It WILL NOT recognize two C:\ drives. and it will not recognize that you have a dual boot system because your boot record was not overwritten or updated to show that.
You can put that disk into your computer import the disk then just transfer those files into a folder that you created on the other drive. You can also use the File and Transfer Wizard under the System Tools in Windows XP to do the same thing.
2007-12-18 04:54:18 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are some wire connected from power supply and from Main board (IDE wire). Try to connect the IDE wire and the other wire from power supply to the new HD. Make sure jumper from the new HD removed. Go to BIOS setup and check the configuration. After then you can copy files from one to another HDD. Good Luck.
2007-12-18 04:59:30 · answer #3 · answered by Atish Sarker 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No way your computer have no jumpers.Then how your computer before this detect your hardisk without the jumpers.one should be CS(cable select/Primary master) and one should be slave/Primary slave.
2007-12-18 05:03:31 · answer #4 · answered by Shadow_Guy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Here is a link
2007-12-18 04:52:58 · answer #5 · answered by vulcan 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋