[rgs5134]

I recently upgraded from a 40 gig hard drive to a 160 (both Western Digital). When I boot up using the 40 as the master, I can copy old files to the 160 by dragging and dropping with no problem. But when the 160 is the master and the 40 is the slave, the slave never shows up in Windows Explorer, My Computer, etc. Both have the jumpers set to Cable Select. Can anyone tell me why I can't see the slave when using the 160, and how to fix the problem? I'd really appreciate it, it's very annoying to have to keep disconnecting & re-connecting the drives.

 

[Doby]

Instead of using Cable Select try setting the jumpers to master on the 160 & slave on the 40.

Make sure drive jumperd as master is on the end of the cable and drive jumperd as slave is on the middle

 

[crazijoe]

Are you trying to make the 160GB drive your primary OS boot drive?

 

[rgs5134]

Replies

I tried using the master/slave jumper settings but get the same result. To answer the other question, yes, I am using the larger (160 Gig) hard drive as my OS boot drive now, and I just want to have the extra 40 gigs available.

I did determine one more thing this morning. When I went into Computer Management, the 40 did show up as a second drive, but without a drive letter, which is probably why I can't read it in Windows Explorer. When I right click on it, it doesn't give me the option of assigning or changing the drive letter. The drive also shows up in Device Manager.

Thanks Doby & Crazijoe for attempting to help me. I will probably just boot up with the 40 gig drive and copy the rest of the files I need over on to the 160, then switch them back. But what I was hoping to do was then format the 40 using Disk Management under Computer Management, and I don't see how I can do that without a drive letter assigned to it. If you have any insight on that, I would appreciate it.

 

[crazijoe]

In disk management, partition the drive first. This will give you the option to assign a letter to the drive.

 

[linderman]

hello


I suggest you use XXclone (free trial version) and clone your 40 gig drive to your 160 gig drive

then you will have the entire OS there and ready to use >>>> then afterwards you can always boot to the 160 gig drive then reformat the 40gig and away you go


here is an xxclone "how to" its kindergarten easy!

http://www.techsupportforum.com/f214/what-to-do-with-small-i-e-40-gb-c-drives-127590.html


print this out if you have any questions dont hesitate to holler

it sounds complicated but I have never seen anyone that couldnt "git-r-done"

 

[Kalim]

Linderman,

How can one change the programs dir you've installed on if it was to 'D' where your new clone HDD is to be 'C' instead?

Is it possible?

Thanks.

 

[linderman]

because each time the clone boots it swaps drive letters and the drive is thus named "C"


which ever drive is selected for booting is "C" drive

 

[Kalim]

You know why I asked?

I did an install on a HDD with the drive as slave (accidental) and because of my RAM being faulty back then, it was very difficult to bring to completion. When it did, I noticed the drive had been assigned to a D drive. When I changed it to Master, as present, it still retained this letter 'D'.

I have way too much on it now, but I always wanted to change it to a C drive. I boot off it as its my primary HDD. I've been told its not possible though, unless I format/reinstall which I won't.

 

[Tumbleweed36]

kalim,

Did you get a chance to take the old "C" drive out of the system to see if the new (cloned) drive would default to "C" with the old assigned C drive out of the system?

 

[linderman]

I would think; and expect; if you cloned your "D" drive the new clone would also appear as "D" drive; given the clone emulates the original drive


very good question & observation you threw out there! :spinning:

 

[Kalim]

kalim,

Did you get a chance to take the old "C" drive out of the system to see if the new (cloned) drive would default to "C" with the old assigned C drive out of the system?

Yes its been out for 4 months. This one is still D.
Makes me have to change paths for so much software, batch files i.e hijackthis, debugwiz etc.

I would think; and expect; if you cloned your "D" drive the new clone would also appear as "D" drive; given the clone emulates the original drive

Thanks. :wink:
I was wishing to be able to change this but I feel if you've buried all your mail dir (for instance Thunderbird profile), program dir and esp the registries keys to D rather than C, any copy would only also make them to the D drive.

 

[BuffaloChips]

If you were going to use the new 160 gig hard drive, why didn't you use the WD drive tools to just copy the primary partition or partitions from your original HDD to the new one, then set the old one as slave, the new one as master and repartition and format the old one?

 

[linderman]

Kalim:

FWIW: their is available a free software tool that will change all your registry D drive entries to "C" drive for you ????


I will look to see if I can find it again

 

[Kalim]

Kalim:

FWIW: their is available a free software tool that will change all your registry D drive entries to "C" drive for you ????


I will look to see if I can find it again

Wow, didn't know and haven't found one yet. Depending on its efficiency, linderman, that would be brilliant!!

Now that I've heard again, I'll do some searching too

 

[rgs5134]

After copying everything I wanted to save over to the larger hard drive, I figured out how to partition the smaller drive using disk management on my own. But thanks, Crazijoe, for suggesting that, it was exactly the thing to do. Someone else asked why I didn't just clone the smaller drive over to the hard drive, and there is a very good reason, in case anyone is reading and it will help them in some way. My system was apparently getting full of "junk files" or something that was slowing everything down a great deal. I wanted to start with a fresh install of Windows XP and the other programs I was using, then just copy my pictures, documents, music files, etc. Plus, I had just bought a copy of XP Pro to replace the Home Edition I had been using. My computer is running much, much faster now.

Thanks to everyone who offered suggestions, this is a quality site and a great community to be a part of!

 

[BuffaloChips]

Then it would have been easier to archive your files before you installed the new drive and gone ahead and repartitioned the old drive. You do have a cd burner don't you?

 

[rgs5134]

Yes, I do have a CD burner, and archiving to a CD first may work better for some, but for me it was just easier to drag and drop what I wanted to keep using Windows Explorer.