Re-Installing XP - Format / Partition Drives

[rjbarker]

Sugar..do you have 800 # handy?, I'll write it down "in Case"...yes same MOBO n CPU....just want to get my OS onto the Raptor is all.

[SugarJ]

No I don't have the number, but it comes up as soon as you click on phone activation.

Like I said, it shouldn't be a problem you because you're reactivating with same mobo and processor. If it tells you it can't reactivate over the net for some reason, go ahead and do the phone activation.

Edit: If you have less than 74gb on your current drive, you can shrink the partition to smaller than 74gb and clone the old drive onto the new one. No re-install required. Lot easier to do under Vista than XP though.

[rjbarker]

All completed....the only thing that is kind of odd is my Raptor Drive that I installed my OS on is designated D: Drive and my vacant Seagate Drive is the C: Drive ?? Also, I buggered up saving my Firefox Favorites :( ...wrong file evidentally!
Will this reversal of C: and D: affect anything?

Thanks guys

[SugarJ]

All I can suggest is make sure that the Raptor is plugged into a lower numbered SATA port than the Seagate, that may be the issue.

[1Tanker]

Originally Posted by rjbarker

All completed....the only thing that is kind of odd is my Raptor Drive that I installed my OS on is designated D: Drive and my vacant Seagate Drive is the C: Drive ?? Also, I buggered up saving my Firefox Favorites :( ...wrong file evidentally!
Will this reversal of C: and D: affect anything?

Thanks guys

Just shut it down, unplug the spare drive...then reboot. Windows will rename the Raptor as C: drive. Then shut her down again.. plug spare HDD in again.. reboot.. it should assign D: or the lowest letter available to it. I always unplug all drives, except the OS drive , when i do an install...that way the OS has no problems deciding where to install the bootloader...then i plug them all in after install is done.

[rjbarker]

All I can suggest is make sure that the Raptor is plugged into a lower numbered SATA port than the Seagate, that may be the issue.

Yep that must be what happened....Raptor in the 2nd SATA Port and Segate in 1st SATA....

Just shut it down, unplug the spare drive...then reboot. Windows will rename the Raptor as C: drive. Then shut her down again.. plug spare HDD in again.. reboot.. it should assign D: or the lowest letter available to it. I always unplug all drives, except the OS drive , when i do an install...that way the OS has no problems deciding where to install the bootloader...then i plug them all in after install is done.

I was thinking of that at the time...will try your trick thier Tanker....I'll know for next time....

Thanks again guys for your help.....hadn't done a Format / Install since my Mac Performa and OS 7....?.....whooa, that was a long time ago!

[rjbarker]

Just shut it down, unplug the spare drive...then reboot. Windows will rename the Raptor as C: drive. Then shut her down again.. plug spare HDD in again.. reboot.. it should assign D: or the lowest letter available to it.

Tanker...tried this, however when Posting BIOS I come to a line"Nvidia Boot agent 23.9543" PXE-E61 Media test Failure...then a string of numbers followed by the bottom line stating "Client Mac Address DHCP (with a revolving Cursor)
Doesn't Boot into Windows..
Now could this be a setting in my BIOS which I believe states to Halt on errors?..perhaps I have to change that?..

Sorry...

[1Tanker]

Originally Posted by rjbarker

Tanker...tried this, however when Posting BIOS I come to a line"Nvidia Boot agent 23.9543" PXE-E61 Media test Failure...then a string of numbers followed by the bottom line stating "Client Mac Address DHCP (with a revolving Cursor)
Doesn't Boot into Windows..
Now could this be a setting in my BIOS which I believe states to Halt on errors?..perhaps I have to change that?..

Sorry...

I don't think so, but you can try. I have a feeling that the master boot record is on the Seagate drive. I would set it back the way it was.. then try to reboot. If this works, then the bootloader is on the wrong disk. In that case, you'll have to put in your Windows disk, and do a repair of the MBR...typing the "R" option when prompted.

[sswilson]

The issues are probably because it's looking for boot information on "d" drive. The OS isn't smart enough to look for it on a drive with a different designation. There are programs out there that supposedly change drive references, but in all honesty the best (and most certainly quickest) fix would be to re-install the OS with only the raptor installed. (Would be a good time to make an nlite disk with SP3 incorporated.... :) ).

[rjbarker]

Thnkas Mr Wilson...got up this morning and did just what you said....figured it would be painless as I didn't have much installed prior and Formatting the 74 GB Drive was fairly quick....pretty much done...and yes, now the Raptor is recognized as my "C" Drive....will now plug my Seagate back in and "initialize Drive".....

Lessons Learned: When installing OS have only one Drive in the machine!

Thanks guys...