disc 0 or disk 1

[genesis x]

i have a computer with a samsung 750 gb hard drive (partitioned) and a seagate 500gb second drive, the 750 samsung is listed as C and E and the Seagate is listed as D. both primary
I want to do a fresh install (done many times before)
but the Seagate is listed in the installation screen as disk 0 and the (split) samsung 750gb as disk 1.
Question - is disk 0 (seagate) the primary drive? should i wipe all and use the seagate Disk 0 as the disk of choice to put win 7 on? if so, wiping the drives and partition then sort the drive letters automatically so the disk 0 seagate becomes c?

 

[DocBrown]

Welcome genesis x

Can you give us a screen snip of your Disk Management ?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Do post a screenshot, but it certainly appears as if you just have your boot drive (C and E) connected to controller 1. Shouldn't be a problem. You can attach either drive to either controller. Disc 0 doesn't have to be the boot drive.

 

[genesis x]

here it is

 

[genesis x]

i often reinstall but its gone a bit dopey this time, my thoughts were it should be the seagate 0 as primary boot

 

[ignatzatsonic]

here it is

It looks OK. I assume you want to reinstall to the Samsung. If you want, you could swap the hard drive cables at the motherboard port and reboot to confirm that the Samsung then becomes Disc 0.

And then do your reinstall.

 

[genesis x]

actually no, want to use seagate, then unpartion the samsung as a full 750 drive, if i blitz them all in the install screen and then select the seagate, will it auto become c?

 

[DocBrown]

If you try to install to Disk (0) D: (Seagate) You will then have 2 win7 installs.

 

[DocBrown]

actually no, want to use seagate, then unpartion the samsung as a full 750 drive, if i blitz them all in the install screen and then select the seagate, will it auto become c?

Download a copy of Partition Wizard (Free Version) & burn to a bootable Disc.

:ar: http://www.partitionwizard.com/download.html

Then you can blitz them all, If you have saved everything you want to a backup somewhere else.

 

[genesis x]

true, but if i back up all data from all drives, then on the win 7 install screen delete all drives and then make as new starting with the seagate it should stay as disc 0 and become c yes?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

If you are going to install to the Seagate, disconnect the Samsung and leave the Seagate connected as is.

When the smoke clears, reattach the Samsung and delete partitions/reformat as necessary.

 

[DocBrown]

If you are going to install to the Seagate, disconnect the Samsung and leave the Seagate connected as is.

When the smoke clears, reattach the Samsung and delete partitions/reformat as necessary.

 

[genesis x]

Im just puzzled that if I do as I say, will the seagate stay as 0 and become C? the reason I want to do so is because it should be the (first) drive and the samsung as a 'storage' drive. I plan to transger all data to a desktop 1tb first then fresh install 7

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Im just puzzled that if I do as I say, will the seagate stay as 0 and become C? the reason I want to do so is because it should be the (first) drive and the samsung as a 'storage' drive. I plan to transger all data to a desktop 1tb first then fresh install 7

The Seagate will remain 0 as song as you don't move any cables.

It will become C when it wakes up and finds it is the only hard drive in town after your reinstall.

It will be the only hard drive in town if you first disconnect the Samsung.

Once it is C, it will stay as C after you reconnect the Samsung.

 

[genesis x]

Gents you are both very helpful, excuse me being a bit dim but zapping all drives (not opening the tower) on the screen should, if I do Seagate first - (format) then the samsung it will sort out? my PC's innards are a bit packed and Im nervous of poking about in there!!

 

[genesis x]

so it wont be C unless I disconnect samsung even after deleting all drive at start of install?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

You are asking for trouble if you DON"T disconnect the Samsung before the reinstall.

Not insurmountable trouble, but why volunteer for it? Windows installs go easiest when there is only one hard drive on the premises--as opposed to another C drive lurking in the background.

It's just one cable you have to disconnect. The power cable to the Samsung. That way, it is temporarily inert.

 

[whs]

Why don't you just switch the cables - or as suggested disconnect the other drive during the reinstall. With Win7 installations, you can get surprises if the OS drive is not on port0. Happened to me. The installer grabbed a data partition of the port0 drive and put the MBR there. I was too lazy to open the box and that's what I got. It worksed fine, but it is not the way it is supposed to be.
I ended up moving the MBR because I wanted a clean installtion for the imaging.

 

[genesis x]

very true, i zapped all drives on the last reinstall (as ever) and repartitioned the samsung (first drive in system, seagate was added shortly afterwards, but lots of reistalls since.
Its just sort of dopey now comapred to its usual zippy self!

 

[DocBrown]

Just find the Samsung HD, with the computer turned OFF. Disconnect Power Cable

Also here is the data cable