[samiamnurnot]

I'll probably get laughed right out of the forum, but I just have to ask...Can I put two similar hard drives in one computer at the same time? They both have WinME installed, they're both EIDE, etc., etc. The reason I'm asking is, I want to be able to access files on my old HD with a newer computer/HD. Also, looking at the ribbon cables, it looks like this could be done. Assuming it is possible, would it be a matter of setting jumpers to master on one, and slave on the other? Which one should be master, and which should be slave?

Thank you in advance for any advice.

--samiam

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Set the HD you want with the WinMe to keep to Master and the one you wish to get files from as slave, Cheers

[HaraldR]

Set the HD you want with the WinMe to keep to Master and the one you wish to get files from as slave, Cheers

[samiamnurnot]

Thank you - I'll try that, and I'll post the results. =D

[samiamnurnot]

Okay - Here's the update:
I set the jumpers, pluged everything in, turned it on, and went into cmos settings to see if both drives were being recognized. Only one was shown. I tried every jumper setting that I could imagine, to no avail. I then tried putting them on seperate IDE ribbons (?).
What's my next move?
--Samiam

[dsenette]

(gonna sound like a stupid question)...were the cables put in correctly? did you hook up the power cable as well (the little 4 pin Molex deal)?

[samiamnurnot]

Not a stupid question at all...Yeah, the cables are in correctly, and the power supply cables as well. I'm just totally baffled, because theoretically it should be working, the way I figure. Both drives are single FAT32 partitions, and both have WindowsME on them. Very basic, nothing out of the ordinary. Still only one drive is recognized though. Any other suggestions?

[justenhansen]

I'm kind of a novice at all of this, but if nothing else is working I might as well add my two bits. It might help to make sure that the master is at the end of the cable and the slave is in the middle of the cable. If it's already like that, then I don't know. Maybe try switching their power cables, to make sure both of them work. Good Luck, Justen

[dsenette]

also..you said you tried them on different ide cables...did you mean one on the primary and one on the secondary? try this again...but this time...jumper both as master...and put the new drive (the one you want to stay as the master..) on the primary ide cable (the one that it was hooked to to begin with)...and put the other on the end of the secondary ide cable (the one with your cdrom)...with nothing else on either cable (i.e. remove all other ide devices like cd drives...so that all you have is HD's in the thing)

[vinnywright]

hay i'v usualey had good luck seting the second drive's jumper to cable select (C S ) and seting BIOS to auto detect. just make shure your seting auto detect for ware the drives attached ( primarey master should be the drive you boot off of ) then the second drive could be primarey slave or on secondarey line ( the one your CD ROM is on ) as secondarey slave. warever it's pluged set to auto detect and look to see if you nead to enable large disk suport ( on older sys. for drives over 2gig ) eney way this usuale works for me
vinny

[WinCrazy]

I've found that cable select (CS) usage is not the best way to go for multiple drives. Make sure your bootable drive is set to master (*not* CS) and the secondary drive is set to slave. They are supposed to be able to coexist on the same data cable.

If there is to be only one drive on a cable it should always be put on the end connector of the data cable and it should be set to master.

If there are to be 2 drives on the cable it doesn't matter whether the master or the slave is at the end of the cable. The boot drive must be set to master and the other drive set to slave.

Do not put a hard drive on a cable with an optical drive. This will slow down the operation of the hard drive.

[samiamnurnot]

Thank you so much - I think you just answered several of my 'next' questions. I'll mess with it after work, and with any luck, post some favorable results.

Just one question though...There aren't any markings or diagrams anywhere on the HD indicating which pins to position the jumper on for master or slave. My drive is manufactured by Maxtor.Can anyone help? Thanks.

[dsenette]

do you know the model number?

[Neil Jones]

Maxtor drives are usually one jumper next to the single pin for Master, and no jumpers at all for slave.

[WinCrazy]

The only way you are going to know for sure what are the jumper positions is to first find out the model of drive.

What is the model number of the drive ?

[warriorscot]

Yeah maxtors vary, but they always have either a sticker on top or above or if you look carefully the jumper diagram etched into the plastic.

Are you sure the drive that isnt detected is actually working.