[cleardarksky]

Compaq Presario PC. Windows 7 Ultimate. The motherboard is a M2N68-LA (Ivy) and has one pata connector.

I'm trying to install a second hdd (ide/pata style hdd) into my pc for extra storage. I know the ide hdd works cause it works fine in another pc.  When i connect my ide/pata hdd to the motherboard the computer starts, i don't see the "starting windows" logo, instead of the desktop screen i get the blue screen of death. I tried connecting the ide drive as cs/slave etc but pc refuses to boot. I used different ide ribbon cables to connect the ide hdd but it had no effect. If it makes a difference my main hdd is connected by sata cable. The boot order inside BIOS' "main" tab shows 1st drive none, 2nd drive none, 3rd drive is my main hdd, 4th drive cd, could this be the issue? I tried to change the main hdd to 1st, inside BIOS, but the system will not allow me to make any changes. Also pata adapter is enabled in BIOS. I know I can buy an IDE to SATA adapter to get the drive to work but I don't have the space inside the case for the adapter. Any help would be appreciated.

Edited by cleardarksky, 05 March 2015 - 01:19 AM.

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Hello cleardarksky,

 

Does the computer boot into Windows normally when the IDE HDD is not connected.

 

Does the IDE HDD have Windows on it at all.

[phillpower2]

Hello cleardarksky,

 

Does the computer boot into Windows normally when the IDE HDD is not connected.

 

Does the IDE HDD have Windows on it at all.

[cleardarksky]

Windows does boot normally when the IDE HDD is not connected and yes the IDE HDD does have windows installed.

[terry1966]

yes i think your problem is the boot order of the hard drives in bios, make sure the first boot device is your cd/dvd followed by your own hard drive with the pata drive last or if you want set the first boot device to your hard drive followed by the dvd/cd then the pata drive for slightly faster boot time.

 

a quick way to test if it is the boot order that is the problem usually is to tap the f12 key on start up to get the boot order and then select the drive you want to boot to. might be a different F key that needs tapping on start up to get the boot options so you'd need to check with instruction manual or experiment with other keys but in my experience F12 is the most common key.

doing it this way is a 1 time boot option so to make it permanent you'd need to make the changes in the bios.

 

Edited by terry1966, 05 March 2015 - 02:58 PM.