I think it would be better if i just told you what i wanted to do. I just ordered a new 120MB maxtor. I have a 40GB HDD with Win98SE already installed. Its not running as cleanly as it used to so i want to do this. 1)install the new 120GB HDD, then install WinXP onto that. 2)Transfer some selected files (music, schoolwork, movies...) the 40GB to the 120GB, then reformat the 40GB. 3)I want the 120GB to be C: so that im running XP on my C: I have a DVD player and a burner right now. I believe my burner is the slave to my 40GB and the DVD is the master on the second IDE (however it might be the other way around). Do i just make the 120 the master on the first IDE, then the 40 the slave. Then make the CDRW the master and the DVD the slave? If i do this will it automatically boot to the 120GB (even before i try to install an OS. ie, it will not boot to anything even though i have a working OS on the secondary drive)? Would you recomend having a HDD and an optical device on each IDE? Also i have an Intel D815EEA mobo. Its a couple years old so will it even support 120GB? Its not really that big a deal if it doesn't, i mainly bought a new HDD because i want to restart with a new OS without losing my files, and because i am slowly upgrading each piece of my comp. Ill probably be getting a new CPU and MOBO over summer. Thanks a ton! Kyle

Disconnect ALL HDDs except the 120 gig, then install Xp, otherwise you'll end up with a dual boot and Xp on D or E. You can then later reattatch the 40 gig as a slave, pull your files from it, and format it. Yes, your mobo will support a drive of that size. I don't suffer from insanity, I embrace it.

If you're new to doing this, take Hooner's advice. If you start tinkering with the Master/Slave settings and HD's while trying to install an OS, you might just wipe that 40gig and loose all your info. Play it safe until you've played with it a few times. Clyde