Format

Sacrinyellow5 · 07-06-2006, 05:16 PM

Even if your OS is not working on a HD, that doesn't mean all saved data is lost on that drive. I had a similar problem where I had a 30gb HD with an OS on it some files on it. Well the OS glitch and the drive would not load windows. I just inserted it into another computer as a slave and retrieved the saved files off of the drive, and then I reformatted the drive. Seeing how you have formatted one or both your drives it looks like the only option is to re-install your OS and pray for the best. As far as retrieving data it's more than likely gone, unless for some reason you did not format properly.

PC eye · 07-06-2006, 09:47 PM

There's another option for data retrieval off of an unbootable drive when it becomes inaccessible even when slaved. The Live versions of Linux run strictly off of a cd that you boot from. The Knoppix or ubuntu Live distros are the easiest for Windows users to accustomed to. Without any OS being loaded from either the damaged? or simply unbootable drive or the destination drive a Live distro will readily access and copy what you need off of one drive to another even if the destination is slaved to a drive with a damaged partition. Knoppix Live for cd can read and copy files off of any drive despite the version of Windows on it as well. If you know with a Live distro onhand see it they can save your data before wiping everything.

Christian Darrall · 07-07-2006, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Which seems like you are still having problems...

to be honest, i didn't really know what happend. here my life story.

woke up, had a piece of toast, got onto the pc and started XP setup, i went through it all and then when asked selected my C:\ (but it was the 40gb with games and data on) so without knowing i formatted it, only to realise the os had moved back to D: and the data drive i had was now an empty c:

it sounds confusing but i understand it

PC eye · 07-07-2006, 07:59 PM

In other words the boot order was somehow changed and you assumed the 40gb was the 20gb and proceeded to wipe it. Upon booting Windows did you see two listings for Windows installations or just one? When installing XP onto one drive with an existing installation even on another the boot.ini is modified to give you the choice of which partition/drive to boot. You selected the 40gb one.

weemanpow3 · 07-07-2006, 08:50 PM

do it in safe mode

Trizoy · 07-07-2006, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by weemanpow3

do it in safe mode

How can he go to safe mode if there is no OS? ...

PC eye · 07-07-2006, 09:56 PM

If Windows was running on the other drive as well you could now set that as master on the cable and use the Disk Manager in Administrative Tools\Computer Management to create and format the 40gb now being set as the slave in order to use that as a storage drive. If Windows gets goofed on the 20gb at some time your data is still safe on the 40gb. Of you can choose to use the XP installer to create and format the drive as part of the installation process if you plan on an installation there. To avoid having a dual listing on booting up you would first disconnect the 20gb for the new install there.

Christian Darrall · 07-08-2006, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Upon booting Windows did you see two listings for Windows installations or just one?

Yes i did that.

by Trizoy

Quote:

How can he go to safe mode if there is no OS? ...

By me

Quote:

only to realise the os had moved back to D:

PC eye · 07-08-2006, 09:51 AM

When you install XP to one drive first on a two drive system where neither has an OS that drive becomes the boot drive when assigned in the bios itself. Later if you install XP again to the now second drive it will detect the first installation and configure the boot.ini file to include that installation if you leave the other connected for it to do just that.

The boot.ini can be edited after to prevent what you saw there with the option to load Windows from either drive with a dual listing on booting. You are simply multibooting one OS installed on two drives by choosing which installation to load Windows with. The edit out of the dual listing does prevent getting confused on which drive is actually C if you are new at it. Now you have to decide which drive will be strictly the boot drive, install Windows on it with the other unplugged until later, and then use that for storage.

07-06-2006, 05:16 PM	#11 (permalink)
Sacrinyellow5 Platinum Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: St. Louis Posts: 919	Even if your OS is not working on a HD, that doesn't mean all saved data is lost on that drive. I had a similar problem where I had a 30gb HD with an OS on it some files on it. Well the OS glitch and the drive would not load windows. I just inserted it into another computer as a slave and retrieved the saved files off of the drive, and then I reformatted the drive. Seeing how you have formatted one or both your drives it looks like the only option is to re-install your OS and pray for the best. As far as retrieving data it's more than likely gone, unless for some reason you did not format properly. __________________ Harvey Pekar "Ordinary life is pretty complex stuff" ------------------------------------------------- -Tower /AMD 64x2 Dual Core 4400+ (2.3Ghz) 3 GB DDR2/Geforce 8600GT(SSC)/160 SATA HD/DVD-RW/Vista Home -Laptop /Core 2 Duo T6460 (1.66Ghz)/2 GB DDR2/Intel GMA X3100/250 SATA HD/Vista Premium -Server /P4 2.26 Ghz/1 GB Ram/GeForce FX 5200/80 & 250GB HDx2/DVD-RW/XP -MAC G4(Quick Silver)/768 Mb Rams/40 GB & 2x120GB HD/DVD-RW/OSX Go Cards!

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07-06-2006, 09:47 PM	#12 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 20,235	There's another option for data retrieval off of an unbootable drive when it becomes inaccessible even when slaved. The Live versions of Linux run strictly off of a cd that you boot from. The Knoppix or ubuntu Live distros are the easiest for Windows users to accustomed to. Without any OS being loaded from either the damaged? or simply unbootable drive or the destination drive a Live distro will readily access and copy what you need off of one drive to another even if the destination is slaved to a drive with a damaged partition. Knoppix Live for cd can read and copy files off of any drive despite the version of Windows on it as well. If you know with a Live distro onhand see it they can save your data before wiping everything.

07-07-2006, 07:59 PM	#14 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 20,235	In other words the boot order was somehow changed and you assumed the 40gb was the 20gb and proceeded to wipe it. Upon booting Windows did you see two listings for Windows installations or just one? When installing XP onto one drive with an existing installation even on another the boot.ini is modified to give you the choice of which partition/drive to boot. You selected the 40gb one.

07-07-2006, 08:50 PM	#15 (permalink)
weemanpow3 Silver Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 121	do it in safe mode

07-07-2006, 09:56 PM	#17 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 20,235	If Windows was running on the other drive as well you could now set that as master on the cable and use the Disk Manager in Administrative Tools\Computer Management to create and format the 40gb now being set as the slave in order to use that as a storage drive. If Windows gets goofed on the 20gb at some time your data is still safe on the 40gb. Of you can choose to use the XP installer to create and format the drive as part of the installation process if you plan on an installation there. To avoid having a dual listing on booting up you would first disconnect the 20gb for the new install there.

07-08-2006, 09:51 AM	#19 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 20,235	When you install XP to one drive first on a two drive system where neither has an OS that drive becomes the boot drive when assigned in the bios itself. Later if you install XP again to the now second drive it will detect the first installation and configure the boot.ini file to include that installation if you leave the other connected for it to do just that. The boot.ini can be edited after to prevent what you saw there with the option to load Windows from either drive with a dual listing on booting. You are simply multibooting one OS installed on two drives by choosing which installation to load Windows with. The edit out of the dual listing does prevent getting confused on which drive is actually C if you are new at it. Now you have to decide which drive will be strictly the boot drive, install Windows on it with the other unplugged until later, and then use that for storage.