I recently reformatted and reinstalled Windows XP Pro. But for some odd
reason it will not boot if my second HD is attached. It is read correctly in
BIOS and the jumpers are correct, the HDs are also on seperate IDE channels.
I tried it on two other computers and it is read perfectly fine.

This is what happens exactly : I turn on my computer and it goes through the
BIOS checks an such. When it is time for Windows to begin booting, nothing
happens, I get a black screen. And it stays that way indefinatly.

The reason I post this here is becuase this only happens when it trys to
boot Windows. This may be a BIOS issue or somtheing though.

Is there any reason why this should or could be happening on my computer
but not the two others I have tried?

Thanks ahead of time guys!

"DTarasev" <DTarasev@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:E91419EA-5208-402A-BFC9-1CFB0AB9823E@microsoft.com...
>I recently reformatted and reinstalled Windows XP Pro. But for some odd
> reason it will not boot if my second HD is attached. It is read correctly
> in
> BIOS and the jumpers are correct, the HDs are also on seperate IDE
> channels.
> I tried it on two other computers and it is read perfectly fine.
>
> This is what happens exactly : I turn on my computer and it goes through
> the
> BIOS checks an such. When it is time for Windows to begin booting, nothing
> happens, I get a black screen. And it stays that way indefinatly.
>
> The reason I post this here is becuase this only happens when it trys to
> boot Windows. This may be a BIOS issue or somtheing though.
>
> Is there any reason why this should or could be happening on my computer
> but not the two others I have tried?
>
> Thanks ahead of time guys!


DTarasev:
Just so we correctly understand the problem:

1. You have a perfectly functioning HD with XP installed on that drive. You
know the drive is functioning perfectly because when you've installed it on
two different computers, other than the one where you're having this
problem, the drive boots without a problem and functions properly. Is that
right? (It's interesting that you can get that drive to boot when it's
installed in two different systems - I assume all three machines have
different make/model motherboards and different make/model components, e.g.,
processors, RAM, drives, etc. But we'll let that pass).

(Hmmm. Now that I've re:read your posting you say that the drive was "read
perfectly fine" in those two other computers. You actually didn't say you
were able to boot to that drive, just that you had it connected as a
secondary drive so its contents could be accessed. Is that it? You've never
been able to boot to that drive, only access its contents?)

2. When you install the drive in your "problem" machine, it boots &
functions properly as long as you don't have that second HD connected. Is
that right?

3. So the problem arises *only* when a secondary HD is connected, right?

4. Assuming I have this all right, tell us this...
a: Your "problem" drive is connected as Primary Master, right? And your
secondary drive is connected somewhere on the Secondary IDE channel. Is this
correct?

b: You're absolutely sure that you've properly connected/jumpered both
drives, yes? Absolutely sure. Any chance that the IDE data cable may be
defective? Have you tried connecting the "problem" drive as Secondary Master
and the second drive as Secondary Slave? Same problem?
..
c: What's on that second drive? Just data, or is there a bootable operating
system?

d: Since you apparently have two other machines at your disposal, what
happens if you connect bootable drives from those machines and install them
in your machine? Same problem?

e: Did this problem occur *only* after you re:formatted the drive? No
problems prior to that time?

Now that I think about it - assuming that you've never been able to boot to
that drive in your computer or the other two that you mentioned, do you
think there's a likelihood that the XP reinstall went awry? Did you try
another installation of the OS?
Anna

It's fixed!

I was reading through your post and I decided to try your suggestion of
assigning the drives to the same channel. Well it did't work but then I but
them back as, one on each channel but opposite of the way they were at first.
Well BIOS did not detect my second HD so I left it and my computer restarted.
I was distracted and I did not touch anything so it booted into Windows. And
to my surprise it found the drive! Even though BIOS did not show it! I have
now put everything back in place and it works great! And it is all thanks to
your suggestion!

Thanks for putting so much effort into the reply!