Computer is really slow after installing and removing 2nd hard drive

mr_accountant

problem is the Computer has become really slowly after installing and removing 2nd hard drive

comp is Windows xp sp3 with 960mb of ram

The problem has I installed a 2nd hard drive, it was very slow booting, used to take 40secs, and now its taking minutes, so I removed it, the problem is its still really slow to boot up. I’ve tried disk clean but it makes no difference. Also I have noticed the removed hard drive is showing in the ‘my computer section, with a question mark over it.

Also now I am getting a blue screen (someone about dumping memory) and have to reboot again

I have checked in the event viewer and a few things are wrong

1) Showing as atapi error 9
2) Plug play manager error 12

[FONT=&quot] Would anyone have any ideas here please how to get this thing back up to speed?[/FONT]

Figment

Did you use Cable Select or Master / Slave jumpers?

Is the 2nd HDD listed in Device Manager?

How long ago did you install / remove it - I'm thinking System Restore might resolve this for you

mr_accountant

i used it as a slave, installed for a few mins only

not listed in device manager

Figment

Did you move a jumper on the Master drive when you installed the slave? If so, did you revert it to it's original position?

mr_accountant

no did not change the master

i should also add i installed a dvd rw on drive d, Ive tried removing the connections to that and its loading up in about 1 minute- so maybe it could be this, although the computer is still not as quick before. But then if i plug the dvdrw on drive d, it does recognize the cdrw on drive e. Crazy!

Figment

Ah, there's always a little twist to the tale......

OK What was the configuration originally? (i.e. what drives did you have installed, and on which cable (primary or secondary))

What was the configuration with the 2nd hard drive and DVDRW added?

if i plug the dvdrw on drive d, it does recognize

Is this a typo that should read "it doesn't"?

mr_accountant

Figment wrote: »

Ah, there's always a little twist to the tale......

OK What was the configuration originally? (i.e. what drives did you have installed, and on which cable (primary or secondary))

What was the configuration with the 2nd hard drive and DVDRW added?



Is this a typo that should read "it doesn't"?

yes sorry spelling error

mr_accountant

[FONT=&quot]I think ive solved it:cool:

I did not know cd rom/ dcdrw/ dvdrw drives also have the master/ slave clip on the back, I checked the old cd-rom and sure enough that was master and the old CD-rw was slave

well the new DVD-rw was also on slave, therefore the CD-rw and the DVD-rw were both on slaves- my mistake!
ive put the DVD-rw to master and now both are showing up.

The computer is almost as quick as before loading up in less than 1 minute so cant complain.[/FONT]

Figment

The most likely cause of that is a jumper conflict (e.g. both set to Master on the same channel) Consider using Cable Select for both instead, then the priority is determined by the device's position on the cable and you do not have to alter jumpers each time you add/remove a drive.


Back to the original problem. Check the jumper on the original HDD. You may find it's set to something similar to 'only drive' which isn't the same thing as Master. If this is the case then you should have changed it to master when you added the 2nd drive, and change it back on removal (or once again change both to Cable Select)

mr_accountant

Figment wrote: »

The most likely cause of that is a jumper conflict (e.g. both set to Master on the same channel) Consider using Cable Select for both instead, then the priority is determined by the device's position on the cable and you do not have to alter jumpers each time you add/remove a drive.


Back to the original problem. Check the jumper on the original HDD. You may find it's set to something similar to 'only drive' which isn't the same thing as Master. If this is the case then you should have changed it to master when you added the 2nd drive, and change it back on removal (or once again change both to Cable Select)

i was not sure what cable select was but i will remember in the future.
re. the hard drive its on master as put the clip on myself- but i will double check.

thanks for the help

Figment

Check that drive anyway. Some should only be set to Master when there are two drives on the channel, otherwise should be set to Slave/Only Drive