[masso]

i recently got a second hand hd 160 gb it had very little on it and got it from a good friend so i know its ok it works fine and brings me up to 320 gb the thing is in device manage it lists my drives as both primary ide channel is this correct ??

secondly one one os its win xp pro my original os and on the new one its win xp media edition they dont interfere with each other as only one the pro shows up but do i need both on my system is it taking up disc space and if so which is best and what do i do i have the discs for neither os simply cant find the xp pro disc any were but they are both genuine os as i would not be able to update - windows validates when i do update my os/pc
any help appreciated sys info below
masso

OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name USER-B1D3D1938F
System Manufacturer Dell Inc.
System Model OptiPlex GX620
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 15 Model 6 Stepping 5 GenuineIntel ~2992 Mhz
Processor x86 Family 15 Model 6 Stepping 5 GenuineIntel ~2992 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date Dell Inc. A11, 30/11/2006
SMBIOS Version 2.3
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.2180 (xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158)"
User Name USER-B1D3D1938F\User
Time Zone GMT Standard Time
Total Physical Memory 512.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 44.47 MB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page File Space 1.20 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys

[Advertisements]

It is OK for you to have more than one primary partitions. A maximum of four partitions can be placed on any hard disk. These are sometimes called primary partitions. The limitation of four is one that is imposed on the system by the way that the master boot record is structured. Only one partition may be designated, at any given time, as active. That partition will be used for booting the system. DOS (and the operating systems that depend on it for booting, which includes all consumer Windows operating systems) will only recognize the active primary partition. Any other primary partitions will be ignored. These partitions will still be seen by windows and can be used.

http://www.pcguide.c...ruct_Active.htm

You can delete every file and folder on the media center hard drive except the ststem volume folder and the recycler folder. You will not be able to delete these. You can then make multiple folder's and name them whatever you want. I use 2 HD's so that i can put all data, music, backups files, and everythig else i can think of on the second drive. What i put on the "C" drive is Windows and all installed programs. That way if the sysrem gets corrupted you can reinstall and still have all your data.

As for having a backup Cd for your operating System, i would think about learning how to use Ghost. I have tried many of the backup systems like Acronis True Image, Paragon Drive Copy, etc, and while some seem to work OK Not one of them has given me exactly what i want when backing up the OS. Heres a good website on Ghost.

http://ghost.radified.com/ghost_1b.htm

SRX660

[SRX660]

It is OK for you to have more than one primary partitions. A maximum of four partitions can be placed on any hard disk. These are sometimes called primary partitions. The limitation of four is one that is imposed on the system by the way that the master boot record is structured. Only one partition may be designated, at any given time, as active. That partition will be used for booting the system. DOS (and the operating systems that depend on it for booting, which includes all consumer Windows operating systems) will only recognize the active primary partition. Any other primary partitions will be ignored. These partitions will still be seen by windows and can be used.

http://www.pcguide.c...ruct_Active.htm

You can delete every file and folder on the media center hard drive except the ststem volume folder and the recycler folder. You will not be able to delete these. You can then make multiple folder's and name them whatever you want. I use 2 HD's so that i can put all data, music, backups files, and everythig else i can think of on the second drive. What i put on the "C" drive is Windows and all installed programs. That way if the sysrem gets corrupted you can reinstall and still have all your data.

As for having a backup Cd for your operating System, i would think about learning how to use Ghost. I have tried many of the backup systems like Acronis True Image, Paragon Drive Copy, etc, and while some seem to work OK Not one of them has given me exactly what i want when backing up the OS. Heres a good website on Ghost.

http://ghost.radified.com/ghost_1b.htm

SRX660

[masso]

cheers my question is though which os is best win xp media or win xp pro as i have a choice of both the xp is the dominant one but if i remove the pro hd the media one comes on i have put every thing on the larger disc as it holds a lot more of my file and use the other ones as gamer discs one is in a caddy and the other internal if i swap the internal discs around the media is dominant and the pro suppressed

[SRX660]

First, since the media center OS is from another system , oyu will probably have all kinds of problems with the chipset drivers . The only way it would work is if the motherboards on both computers were exactly the same. You may not show any problem until later when some program try's accessing drivers for hardware that is not there.

Personally i have both Os's on different computers and i prefer the Pro setup to the media center. Media center is really for having TV access, and stereo access in a home entertainment center setting. I seldom use any of the media center software. I just don't see anything better about using the media center OS.

SRX660

[masso]

First, since the media center OS is from another system , oyu will probably have all kinds of problems with the chipset drivers . The only way it would work is if the motherboards on both computers were exactly the same. You may not show any problem until later when some program try's accessing drivers for hardware that is not there.

Personally i have both Os's on different computers and i prefer the Pro setup to the media center. Media center is really for having TV access, and stereo access in a home entertainment center setting. I seldom use any of the media center software. I just don't see anything better about using the media center OS.

SRX660

cheers the hd is from the same type of computer same motherboard etc

i will iuse it as i want to connect my pc to the tv for downloaded dvd's etc cheers for the reply all my drivers have been updated and it all works fine for now

wishful thinkin

[Ztruker]

Since you got this HD from a friend with the OS already installed, it's illegal for you to use it. You need to purchase your own copy.

[wannabe1]

Since you got this HD from a friend with the OS already installed, it's illegal for you to use it.

Unless the XPMCE is no longer being used by the friend. If that's the case, he is free to give the OS to you, but he must also provide you with the matching product key. Or...you could purchase a new key for the XPMCE from Microsoft and continue using it as your own.

If you use it and it is not exclusively yours, then we can not provide you with support relating to that OS.

Is the XPMCE operating system still in use on your friends computer?

[masso]

Since you got this HD from a friend with the OS already installed, it's illegal for you to use it. You need to purchase your own copy.

no he has got a new computer and my xp pro is totally legal reged to me i have even got a new key from microsoft after my last pc died and had to get a new one as my friend works for a computer company he made me up one all legal he gave me his old drive with all his personal stuff deleted so its not illegal its free i can get the disc if i need it but i know its safe were it is as i would probobly lose it the only time i will need it is if the pc needs to be formated at which point it will go back to him for repair so were do i stand your telling me im a criminal beacause i have a friends hd thank but i dont need your bulshit sorry but i wont take up any more of your precious time this forum is supposed to be about helping another pc user i didnt see police staion at the top in the address thgis fiorum was recommened to me as a place to go for computer help but i wont be recommeded to any one else

[Ztruker]

masso, I'm sorry you took offense but 99% of the time moving a HD from one system to another and then using the existing copy of XP on the drive is illegal. You are in the extreamly small minority, which I am glad to see.

One suggestion, before you get any higher on your horse. When you joined GeeksToGo, you agreed to abide by it's rules, which are documented in the Terms Of Use, or TOU. Read here, then perhaps you'll understand why I made the statement I did (wrong as it turns out and I do appologize for that) but I believe justified.

GeeksTopGo - Terms Of Use

Please don't let my gaff turn you away from this excellent and valuable site.

[masso]

apology accepted but i didnt break any rules as i got my system legally

[Ztruker]

Yes, I do understand that now. Do please stick around. People here really are very helpful, even me sometimes

[D-Raye]

SRX660[/quote]

"You can delete every file and folder on the media center hard drive except the ststem volume folder and the recycler folder. You will not be able to delete these. You can then make multiple folder's and name them whatever you want. I use 2 HD's so that i can put all data, music, backups files, and everythig else i can think of on the second drive. What i put on the "C" drive is Windows and all installed programs. That way if the sysrem gets corrupted you can reinstall and still have all your data."

I have 2 HD's on my Lenovo, OS is Vista and the first hard drive is alomost full. I would like to save all of my personal data to the 2nd HD as you suggested above. I really don't know how to do that. would you please advise. here is some info: I have 5.10 GB free of 29.2 GB on the local disk C. disk D I have 418 GB of 418 GB free. I seems like Hard drive C has filled up really fast since I bought the computer March 2008. Most of what I know about computers I have taught myself....which is not saying much!!

Thank you
Always trying to learn!
Dustee

Edited by D-Raye, 15 April 2008 - 06:43 PM.