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[Black Deatha]

I'll try to keep this simple and to the point. I have a virus or 2 on my PC right now, because of this I cant even really use IE. I also have spyware/adware problems. Both AVG and Ad-aware dont to much at all. I have been running on my PC without formatting for a couple years now, but have only had the problems for a few months now. I know some will find that odd considering I know there's many out there who just format every once and a while.

I bought a new harddrive yesterday. A Western Digital 120 gig, with an 8 mb cache. I found it for an awsome deal, from Future Shop, $89 (CAD) after rebates. I plan to just install this new drive, and install windows and all other needed software on it fresh.

I am first going to back up files I want to keep with my DVD drive. Now I have a few questions.

I belive my motherboard doesnt like supporting drives larger than 120 gig. It is an Asus A7V 133-c if I remember correctaly. But I am curious, does this mean that the motherboard wont support any higher than 120 gigs in total, or just wont support 120 gigs from one drive? The reason I ask is because I currently have a 40 gig drive (my master) and my old 8 gig from my old computer that is now set to slave. I am thinking what I will do is just take out the 40 gig for now and put the 120 in it's place, but I am wondering will I be able to leave the 8 gig in it's place?

Secondly, as I mentioned above I am going to back up on to a couple blank DVD's the files I want to keep, but I am still new to DVD burning, and my question is this, on the couple DVD's I have burned thus far (just data) I have not closed the sessions because I didnt fill the discs. When I did this, Nero prompted me to save the session or something (cant remember EXACTLY what it said), but my question is this, do I even need to do that? Will not saving have any negative results? I just wonder because if I dont fill the data discs I will like before leave the sessions open, but will not saving them make continuing sessions later impossable or?

I should state right now, it's been quite a while since I have installed windows, and the first time I will be installing a new drive on my own, so if anyone has any tips for me, please let me know now, if there's anything I should know, I want to know it. THe WD drive came with a disc called Data Lifegaurd Tools, should I bother with this or how should I go about this?

~Black Deatha

 

[aaaaa0]

I know there's many out there who just format every once and a while.

I've been able to keep my machines clean, virus-free, and fast without clean reinstalls for years. I can't recall the last time I had to completely reinstall Windows on any of my machines.

I plan to just install this new drive, and install windows and all other needed software on it fresh.

Good plan.

But I am curious, does this mean that the motherboard wont support any higher than 120 gigs in total, or just wont support 120 gigs from one drive?

Usually that just means one drive. You may want to look for a BIOS update, which may or may not be able to fix the problem.

When I did this, Nero prompted me to save the session or something (cant remember EXACTLY what it said), but my question is this, do I even need to do that? Will not saving have any negative results? I just wonder because if I dont fill the data discs I will like before leave the sessions open, but will not saving them make continuing sessions later impossable or?

It's ok to leave sessions open.

THe WD drive came with a disc called Data Lifegaurd Tools, should I bother with this or how should I go about this?

Don't bother with it. Everything should work fine without it.

 

[Black Deatha]

Ok, so I should just open the case, pop out the old and in the new, than what? I boot up what happens next? Will I need to format the new drive first? or do I just put in my Win XP Home disc? Also if that's the case, with the XP disc auto run or will I have to do some sort of DOS style prompt?

~Black Deatha

 

[Black Deatha]

Oh come on! I didn't end up putting it in last night, I was too tired, planning to do it tonight after work, but I would like an answer to my questions first if possable.

Aside from those answerd already by aaaaa0, unless someone else has something to add?

~Black Deatha

 

[Cold Shadow]

Just boot the winxp- cd, you can format the drive via the cd-menu