Solve this mystery

Guys, I am facing as erious problem with my desktop.
I have 2 Hard Disk 10 GB and 80 GB. I had installed Linux and windows XP on the 80 GB HD (it’s Primary Slave). I was using both of my hardisk without any difficulty. I forgot my Linux Password and tried to format all the partition on PS. I successfullt deleted all partitions and formated that drive. Now Installed windows on my PM (Primary Master HDD) separately, meant disconnected other HD and then installed WinXP. Now when I am trying to install Linux or Windows on my other drive separately (without connecting PM) , system say there is no Hard Disk present. I can’t even see it in CMOS. But… when I connect both the hard disk , I can see both of them as well as I can store files on the other one.
I don’t understand why my system doesn’t recognaize PS when I am using it separately.

Any ideas…please let me know.
Thanks in advance.

Re: Solve this mystery

sounds like a wrong jumper setting on the drives.

Re: Solve this mystery

Jumper is fine. That's why one of my HD is PM and ANother PS. I was using this setting earlier too, and it was working fine. I don't know what happened now. :(

Re: Solve this mystery

put CS (Cable Select) on PS & then try .. it should work.

Re: Solve this mystery

^ Sorry din't get you. :(
Cable select ?? I tried to interchange the cables but didn't worked.

Re: Solve this mystery

There should be three jumper settings,

1) Primary Master
2) Primary Slave
3) Cable Select

use third jumper settings (Cable Select) on the HDD u are presently using PS. Make sure your other drive has Primary Master jumper settings.

Re: Solve this mystery

Problem is...while setting it to master slave I lost the jumper :( . And yes I am sure I never changed the original setting of the first HD. It was always set as PM. I changed only the other hdd jumper setting. When I boot the system it shows the HDD capacity and PM/PS for each HD.

My main problem is it never recognize the other HD when I use it separately. But it does when I connect both the HD.

Re: Solve this mystery

Because the jumper is set PS .. it starts looking for PM, but if u put CS instead of PS, it wont care if PM is present or not ... if PM is present it will make CS a PS automatically otherwise if PM is not present CS will be considered PM & system will boot.

Re: Solve this mystery

Okay I'll try again. But I remember it very well, In past, I had booted the system several time with PS only .

One more question... I misplaced the jumper, can I get it in any harware shop?

Re: Solve this mystery

^ You can find anywhere. If you are in Toronto... there are stores like factory direct. But I am sure there are many old systems people are throwing away... these days, so just get yourself one out of there.