[qwerty3]

Thanks for your help. To answer your questions...

I'd like to partition both drives as normal? NTFS I would imagine, with the 1TB drive as C:, including Windows, and the 1.5TB drive for my files.

I believe my Toshiba 500GB has an error (which I discovered whilst running diagnostics) so I'd like to replace it, regardless it will be handy to have more than 500gb anyway.

So yes, I'd like to use the two Seagates. Both are SATA drives, the listing on Amazon only says SATA so I would assume SATA1. Both are 32gb cache.

Motherboard of my machine: Dell 0RW203
Processor: Quad Core Intel Xeon E5430 @ 2666 MHz

My BIOS doesn't seem to have anything about large disk support?

On this page: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315261

It describes a situation similar to my original post in this topic. One of the steps Microsoft have included to fix the problem is:

# At the command prompt, type fdisk, and then press ENTER.
# When you are prompted to enable large disk support, click Yes.

Could it be that my machine wasn't set up to handle a HDD as big as 1.5TB and that's the reason why it screwed up (as per my original post)

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This is the Seagate Disk Wizard PDF file
http://www.seagate.c...rd/dw_ug.en.pdf

You can install the drives, partition and transfer your operating system.
REMEMBER that when you transfer the O/S you will need to transfer it to a Primary partition, on the new drive.
You will then remove the existing C drive from which the O/S was transferred and reconfigure drive letters and boot priority in BIOS setup.
If your motherboard can handle three SATA drives you can leave the existing C drive in and then remove it.
If you only have two SATA connections,put in the 1Tb use Seagate and partition as you wish, transfer the O/S. Check everything OK. Make the new drive the priority boot device and check OK.
Take out the C, put in the 1.5Tb, use Seagate again.
Here now is the link to the Seagate Disk Wizard
http://www.seagate.c...000f5ee0a0aRCRD

[Macboatmaster]

This is the Seagate Disk Wizard PDF file
http://www.seagate.c...rd/dw_ug.en.pdf

You can install the drives, partition and transfer your operating system.
REMEMBER that when you transfer the O/S you will need to transfer it to a Primary partition, on the new drive.
You will then remove the existing C drive from which the O/S was transferred and reconfigure drive letters and boot priority in BIOS setup.
If your motherboard can handle three SATA drives you can leave the existing C drive in and then remove it.
If you only have two SATA connections,put in the 1Tb use Seagate and partition as you wish, transfer the O/S. Check everything OK. Make the new drive the priority boot device and check OK.
Take out the C, put in the 1.5Tb, use Seagate again.
Here now is the link to the Seagate Disk Wizard
http://www.seagate.c...000f5ee0a0aRCRD

[qwerty3]

Thanks for the suggestion and tips but to be honest I'd much rather install a fresh copy of XP and update to the newest service pack, and avoid transferring my current installation.

[Macboatmaster]

OK use the same system. as above BUT do not transfer the files.
Leave the C drive in download the Seagate and go from there using it to commission your new drive.
It is better than the windows Disk Management one.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 26 March 2010 - 05:35 PM.

[Macboatmaster]

[attachment=40296:Specifications.zip]You will have no problem with the motherboard here are the full specs for you.

The larger zip file is the one, some details are missing of the slightly smaller attachment

Edited by Macboatmaster, 26 March 2010 - 08:26 PM.

[qwerty3]

Thanks again Macboatmaster, everything went according to plan. Installed both new drives and set up a new copy of XP with SP2 on it. Used the Seagate wizard to format and partition my new 1.5TB drive. So everything is sorted.

Apart from the intermittent and annoyingly rubbish internet connection (even though my macbook on my desk works perfectly), but that's another problem for another day.

Thanks again

[Macboatmaster]

Pleased it all worked for you
Thought you may appreciate the full spec of the motherboard.
Regards.

[qwerty3]

Absolutely, thanks for getting that for me. Cheers