replacing failed harddrive

I have been working with Jeff in the malware forum and have come to the conclusion that replacing a failing hd is the best option. I have 2 hd's in my system and am looking for a game plan as to best way of replacing the failing one and recovering data files from it.

Thanks
Ed
Here is the link to what we have done so far if you want or need it.
http://forums.whatthetech.com/index.php?showtopic=122306

am looking for a game plan as to best way of replacing the failing one and recovering data files from it.

That's how you do it, only not in that order. That is, you try to recover any data from it first, then replace it.

After reading your other post, I note you said,

I ran the HDTUNE program last night from my good drive. It could see the messed up one. If came up with 5% bad sectors or boxes so I think replacing is the best thing to do.

That says to me you were booting to the good drive, and the bad drive was a secondary drive. That's how you need it to copy off your data. If the bad drive is still "alive" to Windows, it will show up under Computer, or My Computer in XP. You use Windows Explorer to copy off any file you want to keep - assuming the file and disk are still accessible. Copy them to a temporary folder on your boot drive. Then power down and unplug, and physically swap the bad drive with the new. And copy the files to the new secondary drive. If these are IDE drives, note the jumper setting on the old, and set the jumper on the new the same way.

If you get file read errors, or just can see any files, you might try using a program like Recuva from the makers of CCleaner.

If you want to use the new drive as the new boot drive, you can create an image of the boot drive using a imaging program like Acronis True Image or Norton Ghost. Then restore the image to the new drive. But I don't recommend that because you also clone any problems you had on the old drive to the new drive. So I prefer a fresh install, unless I know for an absolute fact the image was created when the computer was not having any problems.

The old drive that is working just doesn't have enough free space to save what is on the troubled drive. This is what is confusing me on what order to do things. The working one is the original 40g drive that came with my system. The troubled drive is a 200g drive that I added later. I used this one as the main drive for the last 3-4 years. I would like the new drive to become the main drive.

You have several options. Again, if me, I would install this new drive in the computer into the boot position and reinstall Windows on to it. This could be a bit tricky if the new drive is SATA and you don't have the driver disks that came with your motherboard as they are needed to install SATA with XP during the install process (Vista and Windows 7 support SATA natively). Once the new drive is running, you could copy the files you want to keep on your 40Gb drive to it. Then swap in the 200Gb and attempt to copy those over.

I am in the process of moving MUST HAVE files to my 40g drive now. With 2 teens in the house I have a lot of photos, video clips and music files. So I am thinking that I have to get the new drive up and running and hope for the best when trying to move files from the bad drive. When I first added the 200g drive I was going to wipe out the 40g drive and just use for storage, but I never did that.

This is the new drive http://wdc.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail…8model-wd2500jb,

Thanks
Ed

That sounds like a plan.

All the files that I need have been moved. So I guess I am ready to proceed.

Hi Ed,
I followed your thread with Jeff in the malware removal forum, and he kept me updated on what was going on.
Untill Digerati gets back to you here's my take on a good way forward for you:

1 Install your new 250GB hard drive into your computer and install a fresh copy of Windows XP on it (assuming this is the OS you are going to use)
2 When you install it make sure its the only hard drive installed (remove any others in there!)
3 Next boot your computer with the Win XP installation disc in the CD tray (you may need to alter the BIOS priority to allow booting from the CD/DVD as number one…. often you will just get a message saying "press any key to continue" so press the spacebar once. (you will not need to worry about SATA drivers as your disc is an IDE and Windows provides native support for these as standard.
4 Follow onscreen directions..the Windows disc will format your new hard drive and allocate drive letter C: as your boot( system drive)
5 You will need to answer the questions about country keyboard timezone etc…… Windows will take approximately one hour to load.
6 You will be asked to reboot…you may see a message come up for the second time saying "press any key to boot from CD.THIS TIME JUST REMAIN STILL…DO NOT PRESS ANYTHING after a minute or so the installation process will continue.
7 if you have Service Pack 2 or 3 previously downloaded and on a disc or flashdrive then you will save yourself a lot of time, as you can install these without connecting your Ethernet cable (much safer) and you can install your anti virus the same way. Before you move to the next step make sure your Windows Firewall is in operation (Start>Control Panel>Windows Firewall etc. Note you can bypass SP2 and go directly to SP3 providing your original installation disc will allow this (usually Ok if it's at SP1 or above) Sp3 includes the protections in SP2)
8 Make sure your Ethernet cable is now connected to your router, and ONLY go to Windows update and your anti virus to update it)
(NO WHERE ELSE, not even for a moment!)
Download and install all important and critical Windows updates, reboot as necessary and keep going back to Windows Update doing the updating until there are no more…
Even after you have installed service pack 3 there will be more than 100 updates to download and install…. allocate the whole day for this procedure if you have a slowish Internet connection!
Its natural that family or friends will want to use the machine (just to check their emails or Facebook or something…but keep them away from it until you have finished all the steps..they may not like it but this is an occasion for remaining firm!
Notice that so far we have not suggested that you install any applications other than your anti virus, so far, but if you want to set up a 3rd party bi directional firewall… do so now, from a disc or previously downloaded executable file saved to disc or flash drive…..but when installing it makes sure that Windows Firewall is disabled (You dont want two running at the same time!)
9 Now is the time to consider installing your updated motherboard chip set drivers, video driver, audio driver etc….. however there is no immediate need to do these if the native Windows drivers are providing full functionality. Its your call as always…
10 When you have finished this lot then its time to configure your email, and then you can start installing your Office suite and or other favourite applications, then close down your computer and disconnect every wire from it and remove the main power cable from the wall socket…. switching off alone is insufficient.
11 Now you can install your 200GB hard drive as a "slave" (make sure its jumpered accordingly) and it should be recognised by Windows…before you do anything else right click on it in Explorer and perform a complete scan for viruses, using your resident updated anti virus product…. if all is OK no viruses or undesirable elements then you can start to copy your "Must have stuff" across, but if you find any viruses or malicious code then its back to Jeff in the Virus and Spyware removal forum so he can cast his expert eye over it.
12 when you have finished with the 200GB hard drive then renove it and replace it with your 40GB drive if you still have useful space on it.

Needless to say you will need to take all personal safety and ESD (antistatic) precautions when delving around inside your computer
Good luck
regards
paws.

I don''t seem to have a windows installation disk, Windows came preinstalled. At some point I did burn a 8 disk recovery set and I found a disk that I burned XP Recovery tools. It seems to me that when I installed the 200g drive that I used software that came with the unit. This was also a Western Digital drive. I still have that software. Same drive just smaller.

Hi Ed Nope, you need the Windows XP installation disc…. If you cant lay your hands on it then its OK to borrow one from a chum, just make sure its the right version (Home or Pro etc.) you will need to use your own 25 character (5 groups of 5) alphanumeric Windows serial product key found on the Certificate of Authenticity that wiill be attached to the case of your computer. Regards paws

The new drive is in up and running. Has all the updates, AV is in and updated. Disk 1 of the recovery set is the start up disk. I don't think I will get the other drive back in for a day or two. Thanks for you help and input. Ed

Hi Ed, That's good to hear… Well done Thanks to both Jeff and Digerati for their invaluable help Regards paws

Great Ed, glad this is getting sorted out. BTW, you are now the neighborhood computer expert!

Hi, Glad to see things got sorted out for you Ed. Thank you both paws and Digerati for taking care of him. You both, and the entire Tech Team, are simply outstanding.