[wsx123]

I replaced both cables with new ones. I think the problem is Acronis software-I just want to be able to do a clean install of an operating system.

[Advertisements]

I don't know what brand the new hard drive is but most drives are supplied with software for cloning which works much better than third party software. If you didn't get a CD with the drive you can download the .iso file and burn it to a CD as an image and use it.

From your description I am thinking that the new drive either has an incorrect partition table or that it is too large for the BIOS of the systems. In the later case a BIOS update may solve that problem. In the former case using the drive maker's cloning software will write the correct partition table.

[Tyger]

I don't know what brand the new hard drive is but most drives are supplied with software for cloning which works much better than third party software. If you didn't get a CD with the drive you can download the .iso file and burn it to a CD as an image and use it.

From your description I am thinking that the new drive either has an incorrect partition table or that it is too large for the BIOS of the systems. In the later case a BIOS update may solve that problem. In the former case using the drive maker's cloning software will write the correct partition table.

[wsx123]

The new hard drive is a maxtor. It came with a cd but I can't get my cd rom to work after I cloned my hard drive.

[cmpm]

Here's some things you may have tried.

Run the 'add new hardware' wizard from control panel.
See if it finds it as already attached but not operating.

Switch the ribbon cables at the motherboard.

In the bios, (set it for setup defaults), go to the drive detection part and run through it's detection service.
Putting a 'y' at each entry for primary and master.

If the bios can't read it then it has to be hardware.
Could be the wrong cables or not connected properly.
That is why I suggested to switch them at the motherboard.

[wsx123]

I disconnected the cd drive and dvd drive from the motherboard and connected my old hard drive to the secondary IDE port with a new cable. The old hard drive did not show up under my computer or in device manager.I know it works because if I put it in an external usb housing it gets detected fine.
In device manager it shows my secondary IDE controller as working fine.
I have a spare pci card slot, is there any way to connect my cd and dvd drive that way?
It's an older Dell Dimension 2400 so I don't want to put much money into it.
Dell told me that my bios would handle a 320GB hard drive-I have the latest version they offer for my pc, it's A05.

[cmpm]

You can get a pci card for that slot that you can connect your drives to..
Check your local supplier. MicroCenter or BestBuy.

But there's no guarantee it will work in my thinking.
But I do believe you could take the card back and return it for whatever you paid for it.

I use a pci card for my hard drives on this computer.

[wsx123]

I found out my socket where the ribbon connected to the motherboard was loose/bad.
Thanks