Hard Drive Questions

[mpm32]

Sorry if this is a stupid question and, I could probably go to a computer forum with it but, I trust you guys more.

If I pull the HD out of my existing configured Mame cabinet PC and attach it to the ribbon cable of a newer PC as a slave, how would the new PC recognize it?

Both would be named "c" so, what should I do to transfer the files from the slave to the new HD?

I'm looking for the easiest way to transfer my mame files and configs to the new HD.  I thought something like this might work.  And, doing it with floppies would take forever.  I know there has to be an easier way.

[mrhowell]

Make sure the drive you're moving is jumpered as SLAVE and it will show up as drive letter D.  Copy from D: to C:

[mpm32]

Boy, that was quick.  Thanks!  I wondered if by jumpering to slave would change the drive letter.  Once again, this forum is great.

[SirPoonga]

Drive letters all depend upon a couple of things.  First the OS.  In windows the default is the drive letters go in order starting from C starting with IDE 1 Master partitions, then Slave partitions then IDE2 master then slave.

[Tiger-Heli]

Sorry if this is a stupid question and, I could probably go to a computer forum with it but, I trust you guys more.

If I pull the HD out of my existing configured Mame cabinet PC and attach it to the ribbon cable of a newer PC as a slave, how would the new PC recognize it?

Both would be named "c" so, what should I do to transfer the files from the slave to the new HD?

I'm looking for the easiest way to transfer my mame files and configs to the new HD.  I thought something like this might work.  And, doing it with floppies would take forever.  I know there has to be an easier way.

Both will not be named C,

There is a jumper on the drive for Slave and Master.  The Master is C and the Slave is D.

There is also a Cable Select mode in which (I think) the device on the end of the Cable is Master and the device in the middle is Slave.

The normal hierarchy is (I think) C - IDE 1 MASTER, D- IDE 1 SLAVE, E - IDE 2 Master, F - IDE 2 Slave, but the letters shift up if devices aren't connected.

If I were doing this, I would do the following:

First, get into your old computer's BIOS and look at the HD settings, on newer machines it is probably set to "Auto-Detect", but it may be set to something specific for number of cylinders, number of heads, sectors, etc.  If not set to auto-detect, write down the settings.

Install new HD in new computer.  Install Windows on new computer HD.

Ensure new HD is jumpered as MASTER and connected to IDE channel 1 and it is the only device on IDE 1.

Ensure Windows has a different Wallpaper than old computer had.  (reason why to follow).

Disconnect CD-ROM drive and any other IDE drive (CD Burner, DVD-drive) except new HD  (assuming other devices were on IDE cable 2).

Remove old HD from old computer and install in new computer.  (It should be jumpered as master and you can leave it as that.).

Plug new HD into CD-ROM cable (or a new ribbon cable connected to IDE port 2).  Connect power cable to old HD.

Start computer and go into BIOS.  New HD should be MASTER on IDE 1.  Old HD should be MASTER on IDE 2.  Change settings for IDE2 Drive to match settings from old computer's BIOS, if required.

Allow Windows to load.  You should see the same wallpaper you selected before the old HD was added.  If you see the Wallpaper that the old computer used (and maybe garbled screens from using the incorrect video drivers), the computer is thinking the old drive is MASTER (boot) drive, and not the D drive.  If this happens, exit and try setting the jumper on the old drive to slave.  Eventually you should be able to get windows to boot to the new HD (and show the wallpaper you selected for the new computer.

Now, in Windows Explorer, you should see the C: drive with Windows installed, and the D:\ drive with all your old files.  You can either selectively move files over, or .  .  .

If you have enough free space (old drive was 5 GB and new is 20 or more . . .), create a directory called "ZZ_old_Drive" and copy the entire drive contents to it.

Now you can remove the old HD, reconnect your CD drive(s), and move/delete you old HD's files at your convenience.  This also retains the directory structure of the old drive, so you can see where to put stuff on the new drive.  And the ZZ keeps the directory at the end so it won't get lost when you start adding programs to the new computer.

[mpm32]

Thanks Tiger-Heli, I'll try that tonight.

[u_rebelscum]

In windows the default is the drive letters go in order starting from C starting with IDE 1 Master partitions, then Slave partitions then IDE2 master then slave.

I think the following is an example of what you're saying. (with the IDE numbers shifted down one.)  Both windows and dos both do this.  

I just upgraded the (old & failing) HD on my mom's computer.  Each drive had two partitions, both hooked to first IDE (IDE 0); CD-rw (master) & DVD (slave) hooked to second IDE (IDE 1).

When hooked old drive as master, and new driver as slave:

c: old drive, master (boot) partition
d: new drive, master (boot) partition
e: old driver, second partition
f: new drive, second partition
g: cd
h: dvd

When hooked new drive as master, and old driver as slave:

c: new drive, master (boot) partition
d: old drive, master (boot) partition
e: new drive, second partition
f: old drive, second partition
g: cd
h: dvd

Only new drive:
c: new drive, master (boot) partition
d: new drive, second partition
e: cd
f:  dvd

FWIW, this shows "c" isn't the drive "name", but the assigned "number" given during bootup.