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Malfunctioning IDE Hard Drive at XP Pro Boot

I hava an old Dell Dimension desktop, running XP Pro, whose IDE hard drive is giving me a boot error ("the application or DLL\??\c:windows\system32\winsrv.dll is not a valid windows image. please check this against your installation diskette"). I have researched the error (in experts exchnage and on the web) and concluded that the drive is still functioning, but that to repair it for booting could wipe out my data. My solution is to purchase a new internal IDE hard drive, install it as the boot up drive, install XP on it, then connect the malfunctioning hard drive as a second internal drive so that i can access my data. This seems logical to me, but am I missing something? I have also read about confusing master/slave requirements and jumpers so i am a little hesitant, but it seems like the only way to get my data quickly. Thanks to all in advance.

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PUNKY

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mattyfonz

if your not sure bout the jumper settings, you can always set it to cable select (CS) and the drive will auto detect where its located.

PUNKY

Or if your motheboard has 2 IDE connectors, then hook each drive on 1 connector, so wont worry again the master or slave :)

narroyo99

ASKER

the otherboard only has one connector but the wide cable that connects to the IDE drive seems to have two connections for both the 40 pins and the power. If i connect the drives on this one cable, I assume i will have to decide on the master/slave issue. how do i "hook up the slave drive"? is this done thru BIOS? or is it somehting physical?

PUNKY

What is your hard drive vendor? see the link below for the Maxtor how-to master/slave:

http://www.seagate.com/images/support/en/us/mxo_ata_jumpers.gif

PUNKY

And here for Seagate:

http://www.seagate.com/images/support/en/us/u5_family_1.gif

PUNKY

And here is for western digital;

http://wdc.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/wdc.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?p_cat_lvl1=123&p_search_text=jumper+settings&p_new_search=1&p_search_type=search_fnl

narroyo99

ASKER

thanks for the links punky, but do i have to do anything with the BIOS?

PUNKY

No, after configure jumper, bios should automatically detects them, then you do your task to recovery data. Good luck.

post back when you can.

pgm554

Dell has there own diags,you could run them.
Running a repair /reinstall to fix your issue is a no brainer way to fix your error.
Unless you have an image restore cd ,irepair /reinstall makes the most sense.
I highly doubt if you'll loose any data on that drive with a typical repair /reinstall .

Even getting into repar console and running a chkdsk /f might be the fastest way to fix you problem.

I don't see any reason why you got to buy a new drive yet.

narroyo99

ASKER

"Even getting into repar console and running a chkdsk /f might be the fastest way to fix you problem." I tried this and it did not work.

punky, what is the purpose of a "recovery data" and how would I do that?

PUNKY

When you hook the corrupted OS drive as second drive (or slave drive), if it detected and recognized then you will able to access and copy data off that drive.

Have you had new drive intalled and load OS yet?

narroyo99

ASKER

HELP!

narroyo99

ASKER

HELP AGAIN! I installed the new IDE hard drive, re-installed XP, shit down the PC, installed the old IDE hard drive as a second HD (did not chnage the pins), and booted up perfectly. I can see the old HD as drive E: and I see the usual folders, like "program files", "documents and settings" etc. I cannot fins my desktop folders and files, which is where all my data is! What did I do wrong? Please help.

PUNKY

What is going on now? how did you try comments, and result? We need to know before suggest more.

narroyo99

ASKER

I searched in every folder in drive E: and did not find my data files.

narroyo99

ASKER

To all experts: I have added re-submitted this new issue as a new question, in the effort in attracting more experts. But please keep responding.

PUNKY

OK, though. Try this:

My computer > E drive > Document and Settings > your account folder > you should see your data there. If not, post back.

narroyo99

ASKER

punky, i tried that...no files. I do see my desktop shortcuts for programs, but no data folders.

SOLUTION

pgm554

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PUNKY

Well, Pgm554 is giving you right way to do then.

narroyo99

ASKER

pgm554, you were right...i took ownership the "documents and settings" folders and my data files re-appeared. Thank you. One more bonus question: I had Word and Excel installed on my old drive. When I try to run the application from "my computer", a message reads "this application must be installed to run..." Why would this happen?

Also, should i change the "jumper pins" in the back of the old drive to slave? what would the advantge be? thanks again.

and thanks to punky for answering the first part of the thread.

PUNKY

No, you can not run that from old hard drive, you should re-install them on new drive which is C drive now. Or there is software that help you to do that (such application mover). Otherwise, it will not work.

PUNKY

Thanks for the points and grade.

To be honest and fair, I suggest the way easy but expensive (bought new drive) for you to deal with issue, but suggestion from Pgm554 to fix the failed drive (it is now still working good as based on your result). That way is more involve with some computer skills, but you would not have to buy anything.