Installing Windows XP on the hard disk which has data on it

[älek]

Hello!

I had recently my data recovered and I was stored on a new hard disk (80 Gb MAXTOR).
Is it possible to install Windows XP on the same hard disk or should I use the new disk as a slave disk and record the data on DVD-s. I would already have done that, but the problem is that I can't see the new disk as a slave (the BIOS sees it, but it is not visible in My Computer (I have Windows 98 on my primary master).
So, I would preferably install the operating system on my new hard disk, but I'm afraid that I will lose the data on it.
If anybody can help, please answer!

Thanks in advance,

Kristjan

 

[KSoD]

Okay what type of file system does the new drive use? Is it FAT32 or NTFS? If it is NTFS Windows 98 will never detect it as that OS cant. There is a app you might be able to run that will allow it but i dont know how good it is.

I wouldnt suggest installing XP on that drive. With XP it is best to format the drive when you install to give the best possible install. With having info on there you couldnt do that and it might not install correctly.

You could format and install it where you have Win98. But if you dont want to do that then i would back up the data to DVD's then format and install XP.

 

[älek]

Okay what type of file system does the new drive use? Is it FAT32 or NTFS? If it is NTFS Windows 98 will never detect it as that OS cant. There is a app you might be able to run that will allow it but i dont know how good it is.

I wouldnt suggest installing XP on that drive. With XP it is best to format the drive when you install to give the best possible install. With having info on there you couldnt do that and it might not install correctly.

You could format and install it where you have Win98. But if you dont want to do that then i would back up the data to DVD's then format and install XP.

Thanks,
It's probably NTFS (I didn't partition it myself).
So - it's possible to install Windows XP on my new hard drive without losing my data?

 

[KSoD]

It is possible. But as i have said it isnt suggested. Sometimes when you install you can leave the partition as is. But other times when you try to install XP it doesnt give that option.

Also i dont know how the files are created or stored on there. So installing XP on there might affect them.

 

[älek]

It gave an option to install XP on the existing partition, but I was afraid to go any further...