DIMENSION 4100 - data error reading drive C

Question

I have a 6 year old machine, which was working fine all along.

From couple of days back, when I start the machine, I get an error "data error reading drive C"

I tried to refresh, reinstall the OS but somewhere in the middle it stopped.

I realize that my C: drive might be corrupt and may not be recovered but I also have a another harddrive in the machine. I have partioned and named as E: and F:

My question is:-
Is it possible to install windows 98 (I have the Product Recovery cd and Resource cd) in the new harddrive? If so, how to go about that? ( I am not able to select the new drive when I used the product recovery cd. It selects c: by default and give me no other option)

Appreciate your help

Thanks
Nagendran

ejn63 · Answer

98 has to be installed to the root drive (first physical drive). Disconnect the dead drive, move the other to its place, install 98 to it. Then try connecting the old drive as a secondary. It sounds like it's pretty far gone, but before you have to consider spending $2,500+ on data recovery, it may be worth a shot to try and read it.

Nags700 · Answer

Thanks for the response.

I removed the old ( primary) drive (totally from the system) and plugged in the cables to the secondary harddrive.

When I started the computer with the recovery CD in the drive, it first gave a message that C: was not found. After I selected "install OS without formatting the harddrive", it installled the OS in C:.

But, when I restarted again, I get an 'Error loading OS'. Not sure what is going on. Any thoughts? Can someone help?

Update: I activated the settings by hitting the 'del' key at start-up and found that the in 'Advanced -> IDE Configuration', the Primary IDE master is set to 'Not Installed'

Also, if I start-up windows in DOS mode with a floppy drive, I see that the old secondary drive has been renamed as C: and has windows 98 installed

Please help

Message Edited by Nags700 on 07-17-200611:22 AM

osprey4 · Answer

The system drive must be plugged into the end of the IDE cable. Then boot to the BIOS and make sure this drive position is recognized.

Nags700 · Answer

I swapped the HDDs to make sure that the second (fairly new) one is connected to end of the cables and power supply. I tried to start-up but nothing happenned. Looking at the BIOS, I realized that the Primary IDE master is not recognized (says 'NOT INSTALLED') and the old one shows as the  Primary IDE slave.   In another attempt, I removed the old one totally and tried to start the system. This time, the HDD is recognized as the Primary IDE slave and still the Primary IDE master shows as 'NOT INSTALLED'.   Not sure what else to do..

Storage, Drives & Media

DIMENSION 4100 - data error reading drive C

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