Hard drive questions...

[firetoad]

I have a 30 gig DiamondMax Plus sitting at home that I have been having problems with. I was trying to create a dual boot system with with this drive using Windows 98 and Windows XP. I never could get it to work right, so I tried to install XP on it. Whenever I would go into the new, non-dual boot, XP install, I would get an error any time that I tried to use an explorer function. I have read that Windows 98 can create this problem (possibly through corruption of the MBR) but I can't find where I read this. Anyway, I would like to use the drive for extra storage in my computer but am afraid of problems with the drive if used as an extra non-booting volume. Are there utilities that I could download that would help with this issue and/or detect any errors that could possibly cause data loss if used? Or, does anyone have any insight into this. Thanks in advance!

[hwoodwar]

If you haven't already made it a dual boot system, you can easily replace the master boot record. Make a Windows 98 boot floppy. Make sure Fdisk is on it. Boot from the floppy and at the command prompt type fdisk /mbr. This will replace the master boot record.

You can download Maxtor's diagnostic software here:

http://www.maxtor.com/en/support/downloads/powermax.htm

Just be carefull and make sure you only do "non-destructive" tests. With destructive tests you could loose all the data on your hard drive.

[WeedVender]

WOAH

be careful when you use MBR... You can easily DAMAGE your hard drive...
Try a goolge search and you will know what I mean.

[sterno]

One of the problems I've seen is that Windows 98 can't access some large hard drives without an add-on program like "EZ-Drive" or something similar. Usually this program is supplied on a floppy that comes with the hard drive, and it usually also includes partitioning/formatting software and some basic diagnostics.

The problem comes in when you try to using another OS on the same disc. These programs often install a custom MBR that replaces the BIOS disk access functions with ones that know how to use large drives. NT, 2000, and XP don't need this software, and are usually completely incompatible with it - either the NT/2000/XP install will replace it with its own MBR, or the drive software will use some special non-standard partitioning and formatting that NT/2000/XP won't read correctly.

That's also the #1 source of people's problems when they use "fdisk /mbr" - they replace a special custom boot loader with a generic MBR.

[gmatov]

Firetoad,
There should be no problem installing to a dual boot system. You do have to make some choices when you install. You have to tell it to allow you to install it to a different partition than it defaults to, C:\ drive. Select your own partition, in your case the first partition of the 30 gig and copy files to the hard drive. You can tell it to format in NTFS or in FAT32. If you do NTFS, it will be unreadable to 98, but FAT32 will be visible to XP.
Just follow the instructions on screen. Should be simple. Don't forgrt to set Admin and User passwords.
I'm not sure if 98 will recognize large drives, but 98SE will up to 64 gig, without the new version of fdisk, which you can find on MS site. You DL and make a new Bootdisk. The old will subtract 64 gig from a large, over 64 gig drive and only allow you the excess. An 80 would appear aas a 16, etc.
It might be a good idea to re-install 98 before you try this, and if you ever have to re-install it again, you will have to re-install XP also, as it overwrites the boot record and will no longer dual boot.
Don't use the utilities that come with new drives. The parameters it sets up are all screwed up as far as Windows goes. I have lost 45 gig of data using one of these. Never again.

[sterno]

It might be a good idea to re-install 98 before you try this, and if you ever have to re-install it again, you will have to re-install XP also, as it overwrites the boot record and will no longer dual boot.

If you have to reinstall 98 and it overwrites your XP boot sector you can probably fix it by booting the XP installer, telling it you want to "repair", and selecting just the boot sector. At least that's how you do it in NT and 2000, since XP is part of the same branch I assume it's the same....

[racer-x]

I dual-boot 98se & XPpro, no problems. I have 120 GIGs between 2 drives and 98 sees them easily. Yes when You install XP, it screws up MBR. No problem. First create 3 partions on HDD. Install 98se on first. Install XP on second. They will fight over MBR but that's OK. Do a google search for "GAG", it's a free boot-loader. You create a boot floppy with GAG and setup the boot-loader the way you want. It will let you choose OS at bootup. Good Luck!

[gmatov]

Sterno,
Thanks much. That I was unaware of. Every time 98 went bad, I re-installed both. This will save some time and aggravation.
Racer-x,
I already get a dual boot at startup with W2k. If I want to change the boot order, the option is in W2k. ( I don't use XP. I have it. I don't like it. Personal choice. You are free to use your own favorite. I can't criticize that.)
If the 98 sees the XP partition, it either isn't NTFS, or XP does something W2k doesn't. My E:\ drive is invisible to W2k. Why do you create 3 partitions for 2 OSs? If 2 are for OS, and the 3rd is storage, fine, but you don't need a 3rd to install 2 OSs.

[txpharoah]

Before messing with dual-boot, ask yourself: how much do you really need both OSes? There is very little that NT-based system cannot handle in terms of software from the 95/98/ME lines. Only does the inverse hold true, most 95/etc systems cannot run the beefier NT programs (and video authoring packages like the NT kernel.)

And with only a 30-gig HD? Wow. That's small. You have almost no operating space for dealing with video files. 30 alone was cutting it close, but now split up with and OS on each. Yuck.

I'd just pick one, that's my professional opinion, but feel free to do what you want. You're looking for headaches otherwise. And XP is not great. I'd go for the more stable Win2K any day of the week. Hint: you don't see many companies running XP, and many still ask for 2K, there's a reason for that!

If you do a lot of video work, especially AVI editing, you may want to consider NTFS over FAT32. I have FAT32, but I know my limits and can deal with it just fine. (Check out all my specs to see what I have. MY XP system is only that way because it's more of a family system, and came with XP, whereas the others are for video-only usage.)

Anyway, whatever you do, good luck to you.

[racer-x]

gmatov,

When I said that 98se could see all drives, that was when XP was fat 32. I have since coverted to NTFS for video captures. My primary drive is a 40 GIG Maxtor with 3 Partitions. 1st is 98se - fat 32, 2nd is XP pro - NTFS, 3rd is storage - fat 32. The secondary drive is an 80 GIG Maxtor with 1 partition - NTFS. This is the drive I use for Video capture and editing. I only put OS system files on they're own partitions. On the storage partion, I keep my backup programs and Ghost images of OS's. That way I can restore anytime I feel like it and won't loose any data. In fact, I just restored XP the other day, it took 12 min. I use to use Win 2000, it's a great OS. I would'nt upgrade to XP if it cost you money.

[dcsos]

VERY INFORMATIVE: a tutorial on fdisk/mbr...from DVDRHELP.COM..
I am learning!

I myself have used SYSTEM COMMANDER 5.0 and later 7.0
with great success for DUAL-BOOTING

Always load WIN98SE first.. and make sure to have as many partitions as OS'es you intend to load...

LIKE the suggested "GAG"...system commander (not free but cheap) will recover a failed NT or XP installation for you if you reload the software after the mishap...
I think dual booting is so much better If you have a manager to keep the WINDOWS os'es in line!

I always add /u to my format command..doesn't this unconditionally wipe the drive? (no little leftover read-only and windows do-not-erase type standouts)

30 gig is getting small.but I would split the drive other than 50-50 because I use WIN 2000 and the dual boot is sort'a a rescue move.. I have few applications on the 98se side..this install is only for emergencies and when I can't boot into the other os for some reason..ALL mY VIDEO and DVD APPLICATIONS are in 2000 ONLY--so 30 gigs would still be enuff split - 10 gig for 98 and 20 for NT

This way I format my drives outside the box--IE USB and FIREWIRE ----with NTFS...
This way, I dissconnect them when I boot to 98.
I still find FAT32 on the boot sector enables me to FIX OS FAILURE and load any system more FREXIBLY than formating NTFS here.
(basically I don't unnder stand all the recovery console and ASF functions of WINNT yet!)

This way, stuff inside the box is JUST APPLICATIONS and OS...
OUTSIDE the BOX: what I make and back up ...Its so much better than the old way

[gmatov]

Racer-X,
I got it. You couldn't see the NTFS after the re-install and file conversion. OK.
I screwed up in my own post. I said that w2k couldnt read the E:\ drive; I meant 98 couldn't. Sorry for the misspeak. This machine goes up to "S". Sometimes, even I get confused. Good thing I name my drives.

DCSOS,
What drive letters do you get outside the box? When I move some of my drives from machine to machine for huge file transfers, sometimes, the letters all get changed at times, depending on where I put them, ATA card, or MB IDEs. I've not bought a USB device yet, though sometimes the rebated prices are almost as low as an internal drive. I might consider that one of these days.
Last time I was into my BIOS, I didn't pay attention to whether any of my machines can boot from USB. Have to check, one day.
Yeah, ain't it great? No matter what your question, someone here can come up with some help. If no other forum fits, there's always "Off Topic".

Happy Easter, All.
George

[dcsos]

I don't have a boot from USB option in my ShuttleAB-30 (at least I have A, C, SCSI selected)....
So when my computer refused to BOOT after I GHOSTED THE OS
I was shocked to find that putting the ORIGINAL BOOT DRIVE in a usb box
allowed 2000 to boot from the USB drive.. TO BE SURE, it wasn't actually truly booting to USB, it was booting to the new internal drive, but since the new ghosted partition was getting assigned a new DRIVE LETTER it couldn't boot fully somehow.. Then after mostly booting it saw the orginal drive outside and continued to boot to it! the DRIVE LETTER on the USB box was the same as the drive had been when it was inside the box!...and i couldn't fix this with dISK MANAGER..so I reformatted

To answer,,, YEAH the drive letters all switch around depending on which port and order of daisy chain..somethings i can 't keep track of.. sometines I never remember which tower things are plugged into..so I created a FIREWIRE network this way by accident (I plugged two towers togther thru a harrdrive and It worked!)

[firetoad]

I was afraid that I wasn't going to be clear enough. My bad, sorry! Alot of good information posted anyway though!

Anyway, I tried the dual boot deal and had probs with it and decided against. This 30 GB HDD was only going to be a system disc for the dual boot. I had 160 GB of extra storage discs. Anyway, when I went to just install XP and just forget the 98 idea on the 30 GB disc, I kept getting strange "exlorer.exe" and system errors. I now have a 120 GB drive triple partitioned with the OS on one partition plus an extra 40GB backup-only drive. I would like to install the 30 GB HDD on my IDE #3 channel for capture only purposes. However, I am afraid the system errors that I was having is going to affect my captures and "usability" of the drive. I see that the MBR shouldn't have been a problem since a fresh OS install would correct any MBR problem. I was wondering if someone knew if this would be a problem or cause errors or know of a good utility to do a good disk clean/fix/repair, etc.? I am going to try the Maxtor software that was posted earlier. Anyway, thanks for all of the information.