Does Windows XP make it clear and easy how to format and install on C: while leaving a second drive untouched?

December 13, 2004 11:16 AM

TechFilter: The other day, my home machine fall down, go boom. After a "hard" shutdown, I rebooted and everything had gone to 600x400 and the system didn't recognize my mouse. Since I lost my system CD when I moved (and it's time to upgrade anyway), I'm picking up a copy of XP Home tonight. My main concern is this: I have two hard drives on my box. My 40GB C: drive, where I intend to install the OS (after formatting it) and a secondary 100GB drive where I have all my music files, documents and other stuff. Does XP make it clear and easy how to format (since my fubared system isn't allowing me to get to a DOS prompt to do it the old fashioned way) and install the OS on the C: drive while leaving the second drive unchanged. Thanks in advance.
posted by jonmc to computers & internet (16 comments total)

Unlpug the second hard drive.
posted by bh at 11:17 AM on December 13, 2004

*Probably* should be okay...but if you're at all worried, why not just put the 100GB drive in after you've finished formatting the new C: drive? XP should just recognize it and leave it alone.
posted by RockCorpse at 11:19 AM on December 13, 2004

Also: I'm only marginally technically adept, and I lost the disk that came with the hard drive as well (moving sucks). I'm mostly kinda wondering if opening up the box will be neccessary. I'm hoping not.
posted by jonmc at 11:22 AM on December 13, 2004

XP Pro's installer, at least, makes it pretty clear which drive you're messing with (reporting drive size etc.) when you're creating partitions. Not sure about XP Home.
posted by neckro23 at 11:28 AM on December 13, 2004

Well, if the C: drive was on the 40 gig drive before, it probably will be again. There is very little chance of Windows trying to install itself on the 100 gig drive. Even if it does, it won't wipe out your data unless you agree to let it format the drive, which it probably won't do. Short answer - you should be okay.

But it really isn't that hard to disconnect the extra hard drive. The inside of a computer is as simple as a stereo with an exposed circuit board.
posted by bh at 11:34 AM on December 13, 2004

XP Home, same thing, neckro23. Don't be a girly man, open up the box, jon, it's easy peasy. I did the exact thing you're doing, last weekend. Unplug your music drive (your "slave" drive, meaning it's connected to the plug in the middle of the data (ribbon) cable, as opposed to the end, which goes into the "master" drive, where your OS will live). Put that slave disk on a shelf across the room.

Throw the XP install disk in the tray and power up. XP holds your hand very nicely, and when you're done, power down, and put the slave drive back on the IDE ribbon cable. XP will recognize it.

Be sure you're powered off while your futzing around with the cables, because if you're an idiot, like me, you'll forget, and see a big spark when you're plugging the power cable into your hard drive, and zap it dead. (AMAZINGLY, I was able to repair this and save the drive. Yay, google)

May I suggest holding off on a complete OS reinstall, though, until you've determined that it's not your master boot record that's corrupted? Becuase if that's the case, it's an easy fix, and all your C: drive stuff will be intact.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 11:36 AM on December 13, 2004

I know it's silly to want to avoid opening the box (since I installed the hard drive in the first place). But, I've been having shitty tech luck lately, so I'm trying to keep it as simple as possible.

ssf: There's nothing on the C: drive worth saving and I don't have the OS disk for ME anymore, so it's time anyway, but feel free to send me the fix if you think it'll help.
posted by jonmc at 11:39 AM on December 13, 2004

then definitely reinstall, everything will be shiny new and clickety fast. But if that music isn't backed up anywhere, I would get that drive out of there just for the peace of mind.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 11:44 AM on December 13, 2004

Jon - if you *really* are sure there is nothing on the C drive worth saving, then do an install, not an upgrade, if the option is available. Your registry will thank you later.

And one thing to add to stupidsexyFlanders comment - don't bother taking the drive out, just pull the IDE ribbon cable. No point in removing it just to put it right back in. It should be obvious when you do the XP install if you pulled the right one. If you installed it yourself, it should be even more obvious.

As for bad tech luck - sacrifice a goat at midnight whilst burning a black candle.
posted by bh at 11:48 AM on December 13, 2004

The installer makes it quite clear. You have to choose the drive and partition you want to format/install onto. I suggest you do the non-quick format, so it should have to traverse the entire disc. This way there's a chance you can identify if the hard drive is fubared, before you get hours into the install, or worse trust it with critical data again. Hard drives these days are rated for pretty high shock levels, but I still wouldn't be surprised if you have some kind of failure.
posted by knave at 11:51 AM on December 13, 2004

As for bad tech luck - sacrifice a goat at midnight whilst burning a black candle.

A goat!?? They told me a chicken. Dammit.
posted by davy at 12:03 PM on December 13, 2004

Well, if there are any posts from me after 5pm EST tonight, you'll know I succeeded.
posted by jonmc at 12:04 PM on December 13, 2004

If you use a chicken it's got to be a rubber chicken waved slowly over the cpu.

And I'll pile on the disconnect the drive bandwagon. It's trivially easy, you can't possibly go wrong if you shut down the power first, and the chances of accidently hosing it during the XP install are non-zero.
posted by Mitheral at 12:37 PM on December 13, 2004

Somewhat related.:
A few weeks ago, I was in a similar situation and unplugged the second drive. After going through the whole XP install, I plugged in my second HD, but now it's called H:. It's not a big problem or anything, but I had just gotten used to calling it my D drive. Is there any way to change the drive letter or would that be too much a hassle.
posted by SAC at 3:24 PM on December 13, 2004

I made it, mp3's intact. Thanks, guys.
posted by jonmc at 5:20 PM on December 13, 2004

SAC yes you can:
1) right mouse click a my computer icon on either your desktop or in windows explorer
2) select mange
3) Open storage if not already open
4) select Disk Management
5) right mouse click h:\ and select change drive letter
6) change to d:\

If your cd-rom (or any other drive) has become d:\ you'll have to change it to some other letter before you can set your h:\ to D:\
posted by Mitheral at 8:42 AM on December 14, 2004