hard drive removal

solidbs · 03-07-2005, 09:14 PM

Hi,

I have intalled windows xp on the D: (primary slave) drive of a computer. I would like to remove the C: (primary master) drive in order to put it into another computer. When I took it out and booted up the screen read "please insert boot disk". How could this happen if windows was installed on drive D:? I tried changing the jumpers for D: to primary master and the BIOS recognizes it as that, but nothing works. How can set up the booting so I can remove drive C and still be able to boot up windows xp which is installed on D:? There is nothing on the C: drive.

boot.ini, ntldr and ntdetect are all on my D: drive.

I verified my boot.ini and it read

boot loader]
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn

I turned on the computer and it told me to insert a boot disk. So I put the drive back and switched the jumpres back to see if boot.ini was still wrong in some way. I changed the rdisk(1) value twice (it appears twice) from rdisk(1) to rdisk(0) to see if it would work. I changed the jumpers and removed the drive. Alas, still the same problem: insert a boot disk. I checked my BIOS and my desired hard drive is the primary master and it boots up :(... help?

TakumiKai · 03-07-2005, 11:03 PM

Make your external drives Primary Masters and slave and then put the hard drive as last because when they're problems you can boot directly from your CD or floppy NOT your hard drive if there is a problem with it.

solidbs · 03-08-2005, 01:36 PM

well that isn't my problem. I want to boot from my hard drive and run windows like normal.

limeyluke · 03-08-2005, 02:17 PM

Usually, your master drive carries your boot sector...you can go to bootdisk.com and get a set of XP boot disks that could repair it fine...and of course set your jumpers on your slave to be the master

**johnwill** · 03-08-2005, 02:51 PM

Actually, you currently have a problem. Not only are the boot files missing, but the Windows installation lives on D:, not C:. When you remove the C: drive and attempt to boot from the existing Windows installation after fixing the boot files, the boot will fail anyway.

solidbs · 03-08-2005, 03:57 PM

If I use XXCLONE to make C: the source and D: the target will that earase everything on the D: drive or make a new partition to "mimick" drive C:?

Also, is it possible to change the paths in D: to C: usning any utility such as diskmanager. What can I do anyone?

03-07-2005, 09:14 PM	#1 (permalink)
solidbs Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 3 OS: XP	hard drive removal Hi, I have intalled windows xp on the D: (primary slave) drive of a computer. I would like to remove the C: (primary master) drive in order to put it into another computer. When I took it out and booted up the screen read "please insert boot disk". How could this happen if windows was installed on drive D:? I tried changing the jumpers for D: to primary master and the BIOS recognizes it as that, but nothing works. How can set up the booting so I can remove drive C and still be able to boot up windows xp which is installed on D:? There is nothing on the C: drive. boot.ini, ntldr and ntdetect are all on my D: drive. I verified my boot.ini and it read boot loader] default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS [operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn I turned on the computer and it told me to insert a boot disk. So I put the drive back and switched the jumpres back to see if boot.ini was still wrong in some way. I changed the rdisk(1) value twice (it appears twice) from rdisk(1) to rdisk(0) to see if it would work. I changed the jumpers and removed the drive. Alas, still the same problem: insert a boot disk. I checked my BIOS and my desired hard drive is the primary master and it boots up :(... help? Last edited by solidbs; 03-07-2005 at 09:15 PM. Reason: spelling mistake

03-07-2005, 11:03 PM	#2 (permalink)
TakumiKai Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 90 OS: Windows XP Professional w/ SP2	Make your external drives Primary Masters and slave and then put the hard drive as last because when they're problems you can boot directly from your CD or floppy NOT your hard drive if there is a problem with it. __________________ For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

03-08-2005, 02:17 PM	#4 (permalink)
limeyluke Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 5 OS: XP	Boot troubles Usually, your master drive carries your boot sector...you can go to bootdisk.com and get a set of XP boot disks that could repair it fine...and of course set your jumpers on your slave to be the master Last edited by limeyluke; 03-08-2005 at 02:19 PM. Reason: More info

03-08-2005, 02:51 PM	#5 (permalink)
johnwill Manager, Networking Forums Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania, US Posts: 41,787 OS: Windows 7, XP-Pro, Vista, Linux Blog Entries: 1	Actually, you currently have a problem. Not only are the boot files missing, but the Windows installation lives on D:, not C:. When you remove the C: drive and attempt to boot from the existing Windows installation after fixing the boot files, the boot will fail anyway. __________________ If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience

03-08-2005, 01:36 PM	#3 (permalink)
solidbs Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 3 OS: XP	well that isn't my problem. I want to boot from my hard drive and run windows like normal.

03-08-2005, 03:57 PM	#6 (permalink)
solidbs Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 3 OS: XP	If I use XXCLONE to make C: the source and D: the target will that earase everything on the D: drive or make a new partition to "mimick" drive C:? Also, is it possible to change the paths in D: to C: usning any utility such as diskmanager. What can I do anyone?