help with HDD and re-installing windows

[jaross]

so our computer is running pretty crappy and considerin its been 2 years, its time I re-installed windows anyways. I made a new 10 gig partition to put all the files we need to keep using partition magic, then restarted, and the computer wouldnt start up. So I threw the HDD in my own machine and copied the files and partitioned it while it was in my own machine. then, I put it back in the family computer and it wont reconise the HDD now. the bios wont find it. well, its back in my computer, and im thinking about putting windows on it while it is in my computer, then putting it back in the other computer. One thing I was woundering (asside from how to make this work period) is if the computer might have trouble reconiseing the HDD if there are 2 different partitions on it, one with about 10 gigs on it, the other blank. they are both about the same size. any help appreciated.

edit:
guess I cant install windows to a HDD that isnt the primary one, atleast when I have SP2. (says its an updated version of windows and wont let you install). moral of the story: WINDOWS IS GAY!

anyhow, im still in need of help.

 

[KSoD]

Okay first you cant install windows on the HDD from your machine and then install it in the other. They have different hardware profiles and Windows will error and BSOD instead of load.

So fist things first. Put it in your PC and format it. Remove all partitions. Then take it out. Make sure the jumper is set to Master. Then put it back in the other PC. When you do make sure it connect to the IDE connection closest to the Mother Board. That is the Master connection. then boot and see if it will recognise the HDD.

If it does you can then use the XP CD and put partitions on it and install Windows. Let me kow how it turns out.

 

[jaross]

Okay first you cant install windows on the HDD from your machine and then install it in the other. They have different hardware profiles and Windows will error and BSOD instead of load.

So fist things first. Put it in your PC and format it. Remove all partitions. Then take it out. Make sure the jumper is set to Master. Then put it back in the other PC. When you do make sure it connect to the IDE connection closest to the Mother Board. That is the Master connection. then boot and see if it will recognise the HDD.

If it does you can then use the XP CD and put partitions on it and install Windows. Let me kow how it turns out.

well the whole point was that I needed one of the partitions intact because it had stuff I needed on it. for some reason the computer that I was fixing wouldnt reconise the whole hdd (as already stated). everything was plugged in and I tested the power with a voltage tester. for some reason, it just started working when I flip-floped the ide cable from the optical drives and the HDD where they are connected into the mobo. now everything works. - any idea why that may be, seems really strange to me.

 

[KSoD]

As i stated the the IDE have a specif designation for each connection.

The first one connects to the Mother board. The next connection that is closest to it is for the Master device. That should be the HDD. The one furthest away is for the Slave device. Which would be the Optical drive.

I understand that you need one of the partitions but you said that you had put it in your other PC and moved the info onto that one. That is why i suggested what i did.

 

[jaross]

As i stated the the IDE have a specif designation for each connection.

The first one connects to the Mother board. The next connection that is closest to it is for the Master device. That should be the HDD. The one furthest away is for the Slave device. Which would be the Optical drive.

I understand that you need one of the partitions but you said that you had put it in your other PC and moved the info onto that one. That is why i suggested what i did.

hummm so it shouldnt be working the way it is now, even though it is working. I have the single HDD connected to the end of the IDE cable. I have always assumed that the end of the IDE cable was the master, that way if you only had one, you wouldnt have extra cable sticking off the end. guess I was wrong. I may have known that, but the most recent computer I have built (my own) had SATA so I didnt need to mess with that. anyhow, for some reason, its working, even though it is on the end of the IDE cable.

now im having trouble with the soundcard though. the mobo has sound built in. but we also have a soundblaster card. I cant get either to work for some reason, and I tried to uninstall the Abit (VIA built in) soundcard but the computer shut down right away as if the power cut. did thhat 3 more times, then I started it in safe mode, and it finally uninstalled the way it was supposed to then. but after reinstalling, and trying to get windows to use its own drivers, I still have no sound. any ideas?