ComputerBB

Hello guys, im new here too. Will be really really appreciated to receive your professionally helps. I have 2 Barracuda 200GB (2) (3) and 1 Segate 40Gb (1). I installed XP SP2 on (3) then cut and moved about 60Gbs from (2) to (3) due to some reasons.(2) didnt have OS. After that i didnt want to see the Program files, Windows, Documents and Settings folders in (3) so i put 'em in hidden mode. Now i restarted (3) 'n all it said was disk boot failure, insert system disk 'n press enter.... and need to be reinstalled Windows . When (3) is plugged along with (1) (also XP sp2) no matter the options (slave, master, cable select) the boot up took ages to log in. Still, the windows in (1) recognised (3) but it also said The disk is not formatted and i need to format it. How could i do so when there are 60gbs of my files on it??? It is obvious that i have already installed OS on (3), just stupidly HID the files away. PLEASE tell me what to do.

Take the one hard drive format it, and install XP on it. Put all you're updates on it, and go from there. In the future leave the file settings as is and then if you want to customize use one of you're other hard drives.

"Take the one hard drive format it, and install XP on it. Put all you're updates on it, and go from there" You mean format (1)? Im using it to talk 2 you right now?Can you give me a bit more details? Im plugging (3) along with (1) and the OS in (1) sees (3) as 2 partitions: one is 186 GB which makes more sense than the one with 658 Gbs. What do i do? Both of 'em "need" to be formatted. I cant do that. thx 4 the reply

From what I think you are saying is , you're drive #3 can be seen in explorer but when you check it, explorer tells you that it isn't formated correct. If this is the case I would take that drive, partition and format that drive, set it as master and reinstall you're O/S on that one. With windows and you're virus protection installed get all updates installed on this drive (SP2). Now you have the correct file system again, don't hide, cut or paste any of the Windows files, just leave them in the hidden state that is default when windows is loaded. After you have the drive working now you can install the other drives as slave/secondary master.Make sure you format and use NTFS not fat 32