Hard drive install help needed

Fab4ever

Fab4ever

Getting better
Okay, computer dummy question No. 5,378:

I have ordered (gulp) a new hard drive from Newegg, a 40G|MAXTOR MX6L040L2 72R ATA133 - one of Maxtor's "quiet drive" line in the DiamondMax series. It is listed as OEM and says "drive only."

So here's the question: can I just pop out my old second hard drive and pop in the new drive WITHOUT installing some software to run the new drive?

If not, will the software necessary to install the drive come from Newegg? Remember, this is OEM and "drive only."

I plan on simply installing the drive, then changing my preferences in Sonar 2.0 and in Sound Forge to save all audio onto the new drive. But...

What is the best way to move my existing songs from old drive to new drive? (Unfortunately I'm still on Win 98SE).

Sorry for all the newbie-esque questions.

Fab
 
No software is required. If the drive comes with a little installation disk, throw it away immediately (I mean it).

All you need to do is partition and format the drive - that's all. Let's see... you're using Windows 98 so you'll have to use fdisk. "Restart" the machine in dos mode, and run fdisk (which should be located in \Windows\Command if I remember correctly) to create a primary partition on the new drive. Make very sure that you select the right drive to create the paritition on and don't accidentally delete any of the partitions on your existing drive (which would be hard to do accidentally)!!!

After creating the paritition, reboot the machine and let windows start up. You should now see the drive in "My Computer", and you can right click on it to format it.

Good luck!

Slackmaster 2000
 
Slack - again to the rescue!

Thanks, man. Remember all those self-deprecating thoughts you shared about six months ago? Forget 'em!! Just for helping dummies like me, you're making a far bigger contribution than you know.

Fab
 
Why would you not want to run Maxtor's MAXBLAST install software?

Perhaps because you are replacing an existing (2nd) drive?

I'm about to install a second drive (Maxtor). Is this different from replacing an existing one?

/DMM
 
I hate to keep repeating posts over and over. Do a search, I answered someone this exact same Maxblast question in detail a few weeks ago.

Short answer: the Maxblast software (at least older versions of it) creates a custom boot block on the drive, which makes it MUCH more liable to be errased by viruses that otherwise would just be an annoyance. Moreover, you just don't need it. Slack is 100% right (as usual)
 
So Slack, as someone who doesn't know DOS from SDRAM...

When I have started the computer in DOS mode, do I type "fdisk" at the prompt, or do I type something like C\windows\command\fdisk - or is there something more to do to partition the drive.

And I may as well ask: why do I partition the drive? why isn't formatting it enough?

Again, apologies for the dummy questions, and thanks in advance.

Fab
 
These threads should help!

check here:

Adding a Second Drive
https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?threadid=57800&highlight=installing+new+hard+drive

and here,

Using fdisk
https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?threadid=16242&highlight=installing+new+hard+drive

You should have a bootable floppy disk with the fdisk utility on it.
If I remember correctly, as long as your original drive is only one partition, in DOS mode the new drive should show up as D:.

If you have anymore questions after going through the threads above, feel free to post your problems here.
 
A comparison I use a lot is this. When they make paper at a factory, it comes as a huge roll. Useless - nothing you can use.

Partitioning a drive is like cutting your paper into a 8x11 sheet. Now you know how big it is, but you can't accurately write on it yet.

Formating is like putting the lines on the paper. The computer now has the information it needs to write data to it.


First get your jumpering and cableing right; then partition; then format. Then your drive is ready to use.
 
RWhite said:
First get your jumpering and cableing right; then partition; then format. Then your drive is ready to use.
Click to expand...

Make sure you pay attention to the jumpering. Will this drive be the master on a second IDE channel? Will their be a CD drive attached to the same channel, or will the drive be alone? It's not difficult, I'm sure you'll figure it out, just don't plop the drive in there without checking the jumpers. You won't hurt anything, it just won't work.

Good Luck, you're inching closer and closer to becoming a computer nerd

Pete
 
Thanks, fellas. I get the drive early next week, and I will read thru your posts and dive right in.

Fab
 
I'm sorry, I've read through the links but I don't have quite the direction I need.

I have the drive. I am planning on leaving my boot drive alone, and just taking out my ancient 2 gig second drive (which I never use, but it shows up as the D drive in the computer) and replacing it with this new 40 Maxtor.

What I need to know is, after physically installing the drive and connecting the cables, what exactly to I do to partition and format the new drive?

Slack started off by saying, start in DOS mode and run fdisk. Can someone tell me (an admitted computer idiot) how precisely to do that? (I run Win98 SE, and I no longer have a boot disc).

Then.... how do I format the new drive?

Sorry, again, for the ignorant questions.

Fab
 
Do a search on your machine for fdisk.exe , it should be in C:\Windows\Command or something.

Write down the location, then click Start->Shutdown->Restart in DOS Mode.

Ok, at this point windows should have gone bye bye and you should be at black screen with nothing but a shell going (e.g. C:\>).

At the prompt, enter:

C:\Windows\Command\fdisk.exe

(assuming that fdisk is at c:\windows\command)

Fdisk will start. Follow the menu options. You'll be creating a NEW primary partition on your new drive. It shouldn't be too hard to figure out, just make sure you don't wipe out your existing drive (you'd actually have to delete the existing partition, so it's not a simple "oops" kind of thing to do).

After fdisking, restart the machine (e.g. CTRL+ALT+DEL) and boot back into windows. You should now see the drive letter in "My Computer" - right click on the drive and choose "format".

Slackmaster 2000
 
Thank you once again Slackmaster. It sounds like even I can handle that!

Not sure about "stupid bbs.'' All I can say is thanks for everyone's advice.


Fab
 
stupid bbs = my initial reply timed out so the index wasn't updated. i posted the stupid bbs reply to throw the thread back to the top :)
 
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