Need help with SATA hard drive

[CrysisMcGee]

Trying to back up my files before I wipe my hard drive and reinstall windows, and here's my problem.

The computer I'm using has 2 sata hard drives. I unplug one of them, and plug in my hard drive, and I get NTLDR is missing. Tried messing around with the other hard drive, but it attempts to load windows and crashes shortly into it. Yep thats my hard drive. I've already attempted to repair windows, to no avail.


I'm swapping out the hard drive with other stuff on it, not the one with the OS, and changing it with mine. And when I do, it gives me ntldr is missing.

So why am I getting this error?

I would plug in mine with the other 2, but I don't have enough power cables.

So I have 2 questions. I know sata is hot swappable, but not always. should I attempt this?

OR, how do I get it to boot up normally after I plug in my hard drive?

 

[evilgenius134]

So you have currently:

1 HD containing your OS
1 HD containing other stuff like music etc

and you want to do what with the third?

You must have a HD containing an installed and working OS to boot into unless you are using a BIOS backup utility.

 

[CrysisMcGee]

So you have currently:

1 HD containing your OS
1 HD containing other stuff like music etc

and you want to do what with the third?

You must have a HD containing an installed and working OS to boot into unless you are using a BIOS backup utility.

I'm swapping out the hard drive with other stuff on it, not the one with the OS, and changing it with mine. And when I do, it gives me ntldr is missing.

 

[the_dancy_vagrant]

Hmm, is your system home built or a pre-made machine like a dell, HP, etc?

 

[evilgenius134]

Ok keep doing that but also do this.

Insert a OS install Disk as well. Preferably Windows since I'm assuming you know that and don;t want to over-complicate things. Install windows on the new HD ensuring to not touch the otehr drive. You should now be able to boot into the second drive(it may give you a multiple choice after finishing installation).

You may have to select from the BIOS boot menu to boot from CD. This will begin the windows installer.

 

[CrysisMcGee]

Ok keep doing that but also do this.

Insert a OS install Disk as well. Preferably Windows since I'm assuming you know that and don;t want to over-complicate things. Install windows on the new HD ensuring to not touch the otehr drive. You should now be able to boot into the second drive(it may give you a multiple choice after finishing installation).

You may have to select from the BIOS boot menu to boot from CD. This will begin the windows installer.

that is what I'm attempting to do, with my main computer. All I need this computer to do is recognize it so i can access it as a secondary hard drive, so I can pull files off of it. I've already attempted to reinstall, repair windows to no avail. So I'm going to format it and reinstall windows on my main computer.

 

[CrysisMcGee]

Hmm, is your system home built or a pre-made machine like a dell, HP, etc?

It's home built essentially, though I had a technician at the computer shop do everything for me after I bought all the parts for it from them.

 

[CrysisMcGee]

Anybody?