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Accessing an old hard drive

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Emultra

Golden Member
So I have this old hard drive (2001) in my chassi that isn't connected. I can't boot from it since I used completely different hardware on that one back then, and Windows ME as opposed to XP Pro. But there's some stuff on it I'd like to access.

It uses one of those old flat IDE cables. Is it possible to access the HD as a new partition (such as F or G, even though it was C in "its own" world) whilst running my current HD and OS? Will it be automatically asigned a partition number if I arrange the jumper to slave setting, plug in the IDE cable and boot as normal?

I don't remember whether I originally partitioned it to C: and D:, or if it was just C. If there's two, will they be assigned sequentially as C -> F and D - G?
 
Just plug the drive into any existing system. So long as there aren't boot sequence conflicts, the system will boot normally and your old drive will come up as the next one or two available drive letters.
 
I tried it a long time ago but it wanted to boot the old HD. I guess I should change the jumper to slave.

Hmm, maybe this should've been in the Computer Help forum section.
 
Originally posted by: Emultra
I tried it a long time ago but it wanted to boot the old HD. I guess I should change the jumper to slave.
Click to expand...
No, just eliminate it from the boot sequence in your BIOS. The BIOS just boots the first HDD that it sees. If you havn't done that, then for all those years the BIOS has been looking for that drive to boot. Eliminating it should reduce your boot times.

 
Or put it on your Secondary IDE controller
That way, it can't boot from it as BIOS
will usually be set to boot from the Primary
 
Why you have to boot from the drive if you just want files?

Connect it to the system and boot from you current drive it does not matter what letter you gave initially to the old drive if you boot from your current Boot drive it would assume the correct e: f: whatever.

Once the computer On, if the old drive is readable you would be able to copy the files.
 
Originally posted by: Billb2
Originally posted by: Emultra
I tried it a long time ago but it wanted to boot the old HD. I guess I should change the jumper to slave.
Click to expand...
No, just eliminate it from the boot sequence in your BIOS. The BIOS just boots the first HDD that it sees. If you havn't done that, then for all those years the BIOS has been looking for that drive to boot. Eliminating it should reduce your boot times.
Click to expand...

I changed the motherboard when I got a new HD.

Edit: I think I plugged it into the second IDE slot. The Asus A8N SLI Deluxe doesn't seem to have any old HD slot. My DVD drive is in the right one and is listed as primary IDE master in BIOS, and I plugged the HD into the left one. I now remember trying that before and it came up with nothing just as now. Setting it into either Secondary Master, Primary Slave or Secondary Slave does no good. Should I set it as Primary Slave after having changed the jumpers?

Just plugging it into the 2nd IDE slot and not doing anything in BIOS doesn't give it a partition letter once I start up.
 
I'm a fan of these USB adaptors. Just plug your HDD into this, and then plug into any USB port while the computer is in Windows. There's also a more expensive one that supports SATA drives in addition to EIDE. It has been a very valuable addition to my computer toolbox.
 
You are making this more complicated than it needs to be!
Stop thinking and talking about jumpers.

Just connect the drive and power up. Enter the BIOS and enter the list of hard drives. Make sure the old drive is shown there. If not, it means that you forgot to connect the power or the power cable is damaged or you forgot to connect the IDE cable or that is damaged, or your hard drive is dead.

If the old drive is recognized in the BIOS, find the boot priority list. Make sure your current drive (not the old one you have just connected) is first on that list.
Exit and let it boot. It should boot to your current OS as usual and the old drive will show up as new drive letters.

If your old drive is not recognized in the BIOS, the USB adapter is not going to solve your problem. You have a more fundamental problem then.
 
I also had to do Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management > Disk Management

Look for the new disk, right click on it and do "Import Foreign Disk"
 
Zap .. I just ordered the Bytec BT300 Sata / IDE to USB adapater cable
My question is wether you are aware of this unit and know how good it is.
Also, with XP do any drivers need installing to use ? ? Or just plug it in and go ? ?

 
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