Advise me to get out of the typical problem, I am encountering. (A) Configuration Details of my System: · Intel P4 processor (System Bus = 400 MHz, 256 KB L2-Cache, Hyper Pipelined Technology) · Intel 845GL chipset Mercury MotherBoard (Socket 478 pin support, supports upto 400 MHz FSB, upto 266 MHz Memory Bus & CPU supporting 100 MHz System Bus selection) · 256MB DDR RAM (Later enhanced to 768 MB by putting another 512 MB DDR RAM, after encountering the problem for the first time) · 40GB Hard Disk · OS- Windows 98 and Windows XP (Professional) Recently I have purchased a 80GB Samsung Hard Disk (SP-0802N, ATA-133). The Hard Disk has then been formatted in NTFS, loaded with Windows 2003 Server & other important software in another system at a different city. Total occupied space in the Hard Disk is 60GB. (B) Problem: In my system the MotherBoard is detecting the 80GB HDD, as confirmed in the BIOS setting. But, the following problem is encountered · 40GB Hard Disk removed & only 80 GB Hard Disk connected to the system. The system does not boot with 80 GB HDD in 256 MB RAM. Situation does not change even after adding another 512 MB RAM in the second DDR slot (i.e. with a total 768 MB RAM) · When both 40GB HDD (as Primary Master) & 80 GB HDD (as Secondary Master) are connected and Ø booted with Windows 98, 80GB Hard Disk could not be found in My Computer (Probably because the 80 GB formatted in NTFS) Ø booted with Windows XP, 80 GB Hard Disk could be recognized in My Computer. All the Folder Details are also found. As a result, I am not able to boot the system in Windows 2003 server and thus use the installed software in 80 GB HDD. (C) Another piece of Observation: The same 80 GB Hard Disk, when connected to my friend’s system here with 3.0 GHz Processor (HT type) and Intel 875 chipset MotherBoard with 512 MB DDR RAM boots in Windows 2003 server without any problem. Of course, it boots with ctrl+alt+del option for logging in. (D) Can I do the following? After connecting the 80GB Hard Disk to my system, can I setup the Disk (not formatting) with Windows 2003 server in my own system without the risk of losing the precious software and data it contains? The same 80 GB Hard Disk when boots in my friend’s system boots with ctrl+alt+del option for logging in. Examine the case and advise me so that I can work with the 80 GB HDD and the installed software in my own system.

You cannot just pull a hard drive from one computer and put it another and expect it to work. It _may_ work, but if the hard drive controller chip in particular is different, it almost certainly will not boot. RAM is not the issue here at all. Now you may have _another_ issue with mismatched RAM, but 256 MB is enough for all these operating systems. Low RAM is not the problem.

Thanks pmkdatabase for these information. Different hard drive controller chip : Do you refer about IDE vs SCSI or something different. The said 80GB Hard Disk is ATA (IDE) type. BIOS is also detecting the disk. If, I use this as secondary master and boot from my old 40GB HDD (Primary Master)in Windows XP it recognizes the 80GB Hard Drive with folder details. But, the problem is I am not able to boot with Windows 2003 server preinstalled in the 80GB Hard Disk. Please come out with a solution. Thanks.

I have got a Intel 845GL chipset motherboard supporting IDE Ultra DMA 33/66/100 MB/sec. What kind of interface am I supposed to provide between the motherboard and the 80GB ATA 100 Hard Disk for compatibility so that the system can boot with Windows Server 2003 installed in the 80GB Hard Disk?

I'm referring to IDE. If you were using SCSI (not built in, but on a controller card) you would have a better chance of the system booting, but that is just the first hurdle. When Windows installs itself it will load files (I am not sure if they are drivers or other kinds of files) for the specific IDE controller chip that is used to access the drives. Nowadays these are all built into the mainboard. So if you pull the drive out and put it in another computer then it may not be configured properly for the new IDE controller. So it is not a problem of "interface". Look, think of it this way. You are asking how can I make this Ford key start my Honda? The answer is it won't - not without a hell of lot of modification and maybe not even then.

After connecting the 80GB Hard Disk to my system, can I setup the Disk (not formatting) with Windows 2003 server in my own system without the risk of losing the precious software and data it contains?

Probably not, but you could try: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;249694 How to move a Windows 2000 installation to different hardware.