copy data files from ME drive to W98 drive

My PC is "hurt" -only opens in safe-mode- until I re-format, etc.
While I still have the DOS prompt, I want to copy-backup my data files
temporary off to my older W98 PC, by temp plugging that older drive
onto my Primary IDE as a slave... Is it possible to 'mix' two OS like
that?

I tried last night to plug that hurt-drive onto my older W98 PC
as a Primary IDE slave... It got 'found' during boot... but then halted
and said " Drive is Write Protected" ... although the older PC works
fine without the ME drive attached.

Or, I wish I could instead get the "hurt drive" to at least open it's
"windows-only" DVD burner so I could get files off to disk that way.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Gary

"Gary" wrote in message oups.com...
| My PC is "hurt" -only opens in safe-mode- until I re-format, etc.
| While I still have the DOS prompt, I want to copy-backup my data files
| temporary off to my older W98 PC, by temp plugging that older drive
| onto my Primary IDE as a slave... Is it possible to 'mix' two OS like
| that?

If the older W98 PC understands the file system of the slave drive (meaning it isn't XP's NTFS, but it is FAT), it should be fine, provided BIOS also will recognize the "geometry" of it. WinME & Win98 both will be FAT; that's OK. Have BIOS auto-detect it, is best, if possible. Otherwise, I guess, you'd enter BIOS to set it's dimensions.

BUT, it must be connected as a Slave. It should not be set to boot, because Windows only likes to boot in the machine on which it was installed.

To make it a Slave, plug it as you did into the same cable as the Master. Probably, it needs to be plugged in the middle connector, closer to the motherboard. Also, ensure it's jumper is moved to the Slave position, if it was a Master before. And, especially if the older W98 PC's Master is a Western Digital, it may need to have it's jumper moved as well. In that case, move the jumper to be "Master with slave", instead of "Master alone on cable".

Finally, you may need to turn off the Active status of the Slave drive with FDISK.

|
| I tried last night to plug that hurt-drive onto my older W98 PC
| as a Primary IDE slave... It got 'found' during boot... but then halted
| and said " Drive is Write Protected" ... although the older PC works
| fine without the ME drive attached.

???. (I don't know what that could be.)

|
| Or, I wish I could instead get the "hurt drive" to at least open it's
| "windows-only" DVD burner so I could get files off to disk that way.

Did it actually boot to Safe Mode, or was it only booting to DOS? If to Safe Mode, you likely can get the DVD to work...

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=194846
How to Make Your CD-ROM Drive Accessible in Safe Mode

|
| Any advice is greatly appreciated.
|
| Thanks,
|
| Gary
|

Wow. Thanks for the QUICK and thorough advice!!

"Did it actually boot to Safe Mode, or was it only booting to DOS? If
to Safe Mode, you likely can get the DVD to work"
Yes, simple solution would be- get hurt ME beyond the safe-mode.
Safe mode will not allow the DVD burner. That is all I realy need.
"I wish I could instead get the "hurt drive" to at least open it's
"NORMAL windows" to get DVD to copy files off to disk that way.
I will try again tonight...

Second best would be to get the W98 up and running
with the ME "hurt-drive" properly connected so I can just use
winExplorer to copy files. I will use your suggestion of ...
"Finally, you may need to turn off the Active status of the Slave drive
with FDISK. "

That would be safer than trusting the hurt ME pc to copy files
down to the W98 slave... I am guesiing, yes?

I will let you know. And thanks again!!

Gary

You are welcome.

| That would be safer than trusting the hurt ME pc to copy files
| down to the W98 slave... I am guesiing, yes?

It's hard to say which is safer. To make the ME hurt drive a Slave to the old 98 drive you need to play with jumpers at least, on one or both drives. Also, you may need to move the 98's Master to the data cable's outer connector, & plug the Slave closest to the Motherboard. After that, the other considerations-- geometry/dimensions in BIOS, file system if not both FAT, FDISK to remove Active, even whether the Slave has a drive overlay or needs one on the older machine-- come into play. How many GB large is the drive in the 98, & how many on the ME drive? IF you get past all that, yea, possibly it is best/safest.

I think it would be nicer if you could get Safe Mode to recognize the DVD. Hopefully, the DVD software will work as normal in Safe Mode.

Actually, even DOS would be able to recognize it, BUT you lose LFN's (Long File Names) in the destination when copying files in DOS. And, you certainly can't use any special DVD software there.

The DVD-ROM can be run in DOS from a Startup Diskette...

Get a Startup Diskette from
http://www.bootdisk.com/ , if you don't already have one from "Control
Panel, Add/Remove Programs, Startup Disk tab". Take either one that
applies to your system. Test the Startup Diskette. Put the diskette in &
turn on the computer. Put in a DVD and "DIR" the DVD. That is, "DIR X:",
where "X:" is the DVD-ROM letter. It will say which letter is the DVD.
(Note: It may be necessary to enter BIOS Setup & set it to boot the
floppy drive above the hard drive.)

Now, you should be able to copy files to the DVD-ROM, but it won't be as easy as in Safe Mode, & you won't get LFNs (Long File Names).

Probably, I'd rather make it a Slave than work much in DOS.


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"Gary" wrote in message ups.com...
| Wow. Thanks for the QUICK and thorough advice!!
|
| "Did it actually boot to Safe Mode, or was it only booting to DOS? If
| to Safe Mode, you likely can get the DVD to work"
| Yes, simple solution would be- get hurt ME beyond the safe-mode.
| Safe mode will not allow the DVD burner. That is all I realy need.
| "I wish I could instead get the "hurt drive" to at least open it's
| "NORMAL windows" to get DVD to copy files off to disk that way.
| I will try again tonight...
|
| Second best would be to get the W98 up and running
| with the ME "hurt-drive" properly connected so I can just use
| winExplorer to copy files. I will use your suggestion of ...
| "Finally, you may need to turn off the Active status of the Slave drive
| with FDISK. "
|
| That would be safer than trusting the hurt ME pc to copy files
| down to the W98 slave... I am guesiing, yes?
|
| I will let you know. And thanks again!!
|
| Gary
|

Windows is entirely dependent of dos regarding hard drives filesystem.

Dos is entirely dependent of hard drive layout from the bios interpretation
of each PC of a given drive.

Moving a hard drive from one PC to another creates a chance of the
filesystem being botched; slightly, a greater amount, or drastically as
viewed from the other PC.
--
Jonny
"Gary" wrote in message
oups.com...
My PC is "hurt" -only opens in safe-mode- until I re-format, etc.
While I still have the DOS prompt, I want to copy-backup my data files
temporary off to my older W98 PC, by temp plugging that older drive
onto my Primary IDE as a slave... Is it possible to 'mix' two OS like
that?

I tried last night to plug that hurt-drive onto my older W98 PC
as a Primary IDE slave... It got 'found' during boot... but then halted
and said " Drive is Write Protected" ... although the older PC works
fine without the ME drive attached.

Or, I wish I could instead get the "hurt drive" to at least open it's
"windows-only" DVD burner so I could get files off to disk that way.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Gary

| BUT, it must be connected as a Slave.

No. It could be a Master, but don't let it boot, is all.


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"PCR" wrote in message ...
....snip

PCR wrote:
| BUT, it must be connected as a Slave.

No. It could be a Master, but don't let it boot, is all.


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"PCR" wrote in message ...
...snip


Thank you all...

When the "hurt" drive with winMe lost some registry info and would open
only in safe-mode. Before reformat/rebuild, I wanted off just my data
files.

After fiddling with cables and jumpers (thanks for all the tips and
Fdisk info), I finally did get that drive to be recgnzd by my 'older'
w98 pc... and I quickly used win98 explorer to copy all I needed...
than I put the drive back and rebuilt it in the "newer" pc. All is
fine now. Thanks!

PS: Now, with my new external burner, I also made losts of CDs and
DVDs of my data... just in case... for 'next time'

You are welcome. Glad all is well! And you did well to back it all up to DVD, too!

| and rebuilt it in the "newer" pc

Did you do a fresh install of Windows? If so, did Windows Update work after that, or did you have to upgrade IE first?


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"Gary" wrote in message oups.com...
|
| PCR wrote:
| | BUT, it must be connected as a Slave.
|
| No. It could be a Master, but don't let it boot, is all.
|
|
| --
| Thanks or Good Luck,
| There may be humor in this post, and,
| Naturally, you will not sue,
| should things get worse after this,
| PCR
|
| "PCR" wrote in message ...
| ...snip
|
|
| Thank you all...
|
| When the "hurt" drive with winMe lost some registry info and would open
| only in safe-mode. Before reformat/rebuild, I wanted off just my data
| files.
|
| After fiddling with cables and jumpers (thanks for all the tips and
| Fdisk info), I finally did get that drive to be recgnzd by my 'older'
| w98 pc... and I quickly used win98 explorer to copy all I needed...
| than I put the drive back and rebuilt it in the "newer" pc. All is
| fine now. Thanks!
|
| PS: Now, with my new external burner, I also made losts of CDs and
| DVDs of my data... just in case... for 'next time'
|