[BC] A puzzling computer problem

[Cowboy]

On Monday 05 December 2005 11:44 am, Lewis Munn wrote:

>  Also, you can get into boot problems running mixed systems.  If the drive 
ws made in Windows 98, XP might not fully recoignize it. 

 That's unlikely.
 XP can recognize any file system previously used by Microsoft.

>  I had a similar sorta problem with a HD on an old machine tht used  SW BIOS 
extention for W/98 supplied by the manufacturer, Western Digital, and
>when I moved to W/98SE it refused to run. 

 I've seen something similar with Promise boards, but that has to do with the
 representation of disk geometry more than anything.

 If your drive had an overlay for a particular computer, that could interfere
 with where stuff was located on the platters, but the file system itself
 should have no problem with it, once it is able to find the MBR.
 ( which would have been relocated, probably to track zero, sector 22,
 by the overlay )

>The BIOS company assured me Western Digital knew how to set the SW to bridge 
the gap, but WD never could help me, refused in fact, and told me that I had 
to reformat the disk and lose all my data. Not too happy with their customer 
support or engineering knowledge.. 

 They may, or may not.
 Whoever supplied the overlay should, though.

>  There are some places now that advertise low-cost data recovery.  I cannot 
vouch for any of them, but check and see.  Might find a good one.

 Be careful.
 The most difficult recoveries are usually the ones where someone else
 has tried, and failed !

>  I know the feeling...got 30G of old data I cannot access.  And Western 
Digital is not at all cooperative.  

 As long as you don't over-write it, it's recoverable.
 If you do overwrite it, there are very few who will make the attempt, and
 you'll need a six figure budget !

-- 
Cowboy

http://cowboys.homeip.net

"You've got to have a gimmick if your band sucks."
		-- Gary Giddens