Multi-HDD/multi-boot issues

[Ken2012]

Well, I have 3 HDDs. My partition layout is as follows:-

180GB PATA - L:\ (Data)
200GB SATA - C:\ (Primary, WinXP), D:\ (Programs)
500GB SATA - K:\ (Primary, Win Vista), I:\ (Programs)

Now, I am having trouble with the PATA drive, that is I:\. My system refuses to boot when the drive is plugged in. I get a 'Insert system drive' error message. Unplug the drive, and it still won't boot, I get the same error message.

Insert the WinXP setup CD, and the system will boot, but only if the PATA drive is not plugged in.


Worth noting that all three drives are recognised in BIOS setup.


How do I go about fixing this? If I could just get to boot into either OS once, with the drive plugged in, I could copy al of the important data from I:\ onto another partition, then sling the (potentially) failing PATA drive in the bin .

Thanks in advance.

EDIT: Oh, the IDE drive is set as the last HDD to boot in BIOS.

 

[Blazkowicz]

well, fucked up IDE I'd say (blame the mobo), or the drive might be dying.
maybe you use an intel motherboard with IDE taken care of by a broken 3rd party controller?

either way I'd flash the BIOS with the latest one. or try other means to get the data (another PC or an USB enclosure)

 

[Davros]

will a live cd help you get your data off it ?

 

[Ken2012]

Well, the problem seems to have corrected itself. Regardless, I'm going to trash the PATA drive once I get the data onto another drive.

will a live cd help you get your data off it ?

Something I didn't think of, thanks.