[SOLVED] Problems installing on 2nd hard drive

I'm going to make this as short as possible to avoid any confusion, last night, I removed my second drive (my original one) from it's case and placed it into my computer to load Vista SP2, 7 Home Premium & Linux Mint 9. Originally, I was going to install XP Media Center Edition, but for whatever reason, it was no go. The other OS's loaded fine while in my computer's SATA plug for it.

When I try to start it up from the boot menu through a USB port, only Mint starts up. Both Vista & 7 will try, then it goes into a boot cycle. Mint runs perfectly fine.

OK, to my main point here. I don't have the cash yet to buy the part that c_c suggested (an adapter that supports up to five eSATA devices). Is there a simple cord that I can hookup to the connection inside of my computer, and then (if possible) a couple of cases to install the drives in, preferably with an eSATA port for when I can buy the part that I really need. If the cases aren't available to work like this, then a simple cable to quickly swap drives will work for now. I'm getting tired of pulling one drive out and putting another one in, I want a fast, temporary way to do this.

Secondly, is the reason that XP won't install due to the drives being too large? I've read that 127 or 137GB is the limit that XP or 2K "sees". I previously had a desktop that had a 500GB drive, and XP Pro ran fine on it. But they were probably IDE drives (Dell GX280 Optiplex), this may explain as to why. Would purchasing a small one (120GB SATA) solve this problem?

Many thanks to any suggestions that will help, please remember, I'm looking for a short term solution to run my drives until I can buy the correct setup, without the extensive use of VM's to make everything work.

Cat

Can't help you with the cable question yet( still looking), but as far as 137GB barrier is concerned, XP only had a problem with that prior to SP1. I assume your up to date wit SP's.

I am now, but the SP2 update for XP Media Center Edition is separate, followed by SP3. It is now supported like the other XP's are. It's a modified version of Pro, I like it better than the regular version. The screen is so much colorful.

I'll try XP SP3, but it's only 32 bit. Thanks for the suggestion.

Cat

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-1-IDE-SATA-SAT...item27b2783481

Never used one, no idea how well they work but for $3.60 you can plug your SATA drive in through this to an IDE connection. Please note the 500GB limit. Ahh, this wouldn't be external though.

But for $21.49 you get an external & an internal connection if you have a free pci slot ...
http://cgi.ebay.com/eSATA-SATA-PCI-C...item41492b70d6
...and of course you need to power the drive, your usb case can probably do that and you just run sata cable instead of usb.

Cat, could you not just create another smaller partition on your HDD to put XP into?

CL-CAB40012.jpg
This is what I'm talking about. Will this allow me to attach different drives to use? What I can do is leave the drive out, then use whichever I want. Keep in mind, this is only a temporary solution. I plan to buy another part that costs around $100, along with external drive cases that has eSATA ports. This way, I'd eliminate my internal drive, and have three external instead. My problem here is that I have only room for one drive inside of my computer, and no eSATA ports to run an external from.

I'm going to to an upgrade that c_c showed me, I saved the web page with the part. But everything, the main part, drive cases, plus another small drive (120GB) and case will cost me over $200. I just want a simple cable to attach to my existing SATA connector for my hard drive, to allow me to switch between two drives easily. As far as power goes, the drive is powered by that connection already, all I want is an extender to place onto that connector. I hope this explains what I'm looking for. If not, would someone please lead me to the correct one? Thanks.

Cat

I've already tried that, I created three partitions on the drive, about 80GB each for the first two, the third is around 100GB, then my recovery partition is in the last position. I'm not messing with that, because if I decide to sell the PC, I'll stick this drive back in (it was my stock drive), and reinstall the original OS. That way, the buyer would have a like new OS to use.

What I'll probably need is a small drive (they're cheap), I can purchase one for less than $40, then get a case to install it in. But as you've said in another post, money limits what you can do. My health care takes a third of my monthly check, and I have other bills to pay. Seems like my money is my wife's money, too. But it doesn't work the other way around. Those who are married knows where I'm coming from.

That is a SATA data cable but you need a SATA power cable as well if you do not have a harddrive case that provides power.

If you have external power, then as long as that cable is long enough and you have a connection available for it on your MOBO, then you could plug the one end into your motherboard and run it out any opening it will fit through to plug the other end into 1 SATA harddrive. Once it is outside of your case you can plug and unplug other SATA drives all you want (when the power is off and being careful not to dislodge the end inside the case attached to the MOBO) but still only one drive at a time.

If you do not have seperate power supplied to the HD then you will need to run a data cable and a power cable, something like this ...
http://cgi.ebay.com/18-inch-SATA-Dat...item563c815c78

In my original post I thought the problem was that you did not have a SATA connection available on your MOBO. If you do in fact have a SATA connection then yes just run the cable(s) out for a temporary fix. But PLEASE don't plug, unplug anything while power is on just to be safe.

fcfa_35.JPGfcfa_35.JPG
Doesn't this appear to be what I need? This is the way that the hard drive is installed within my computer. This is also the way that the connection in my drive case is, Linux boots fine, Windows doesn't (USB connection). For whatever reason, Windows won't boot. But this should allow me to simply lay my drives out, and simply plug whichever I want in, until I can do better, what do you think?

Thats what I would say you needed.