Well, the thing is: I have 2 hd's in my pc, one with the OS (XP PRO) and the other one is the slave, just for files. The problem is that the hd with the OS is crazy, and won't start windows. It load the bars for 2 minutes and gives a blue screen. So I got another HD (fresh install) with another XP PRO version to use as boot, so I would copy the files from the crashed HD. But now it won't boot from this new hd, it will only try to boot from the crashed one and I can't access the files. Changed from HDD-0 to 1, changed the jumper position, slave-master master-slave and nothing. It will always try to boot from the crashed one. I need to boot the fresh installed HD so I can get the files from the other one. So I need some help please. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

The boot HDD should be the primary master...the HDD you're trying to copy from should be on the 2ndary channel.

With the new hard drive as the only attached drive, will it boot up? If not, it's probably not set 'active'. You may be able to do that after booting with the XP cd. I know you can do it using a 98 bootdisk. With that, type FDISK and enter after booting with the bootdisk. Y to large disk support, Y to NTFS drives as large. Then option 2.

The boot HDD should be the primary master...the HDD you're trying to copy from should be on the 2ndary channel. Yes, the one I want to boot is set as primary master and the crashed as primary slave. Still, it will try to boot the slave. With the new hard drive as the only attached drive, will it boot up? If not, it's probably not set 'active'. You may be able to do that after booting with the XP cd. I know you can do it using a 98 bootdisk. With that, type FDISK and enter after booting with the bootdisk. Y to large disk support, Y to NTFS drives as large. Then option 2. Yes, it does boot alone. I'm actually using it right now as master, with my "files only" as slave.

Jumper them both as CS and put the drive you want to boot from on the end connection. Or temporarily disconnect whatever is on the secondary controller and connect the old drive there. Boot up, copy the files and then remove the old drive. Oh, and what do you mean when you say you're "using it right now as master, with my 'files only' as slave." Does that mean you've got it fixed?

"the one I want to boot is set as primary master and the crashed as primary slave. Still, it will try to boot the slave" As I said, put the "crashed HDD" on the 2ndary channel, master or slave doesn't matter. Don't put it on the primary channel.

Well, I got it now. The cable select didn't work, but putting on secondary channel did it perfectly. Thank you all for the help, really appreciated.