Newbie question: combining machine parts

[technossomy]

Hi all

I have two old computers, a PII-328MB-4GB-266MHz and a AMD.K6.2-64MB-15GB. There is no point in keeping the latter, so I am thinking of using as many parts of the AMD-machine in the Pentium machine. So my questions are:
- Can I just reuse the memory card by plugging it into the PII-machine? All cards are SDRAM. The make varies though.
- If I plug in the 15GB HDD into the PII-machine, do I need to format it prior to the swap? Where do I tell the PII-machine that additional HDD space is coming? I suppose I will need to use fdisk / superfdisk?
- Is there a point in reusing the Floppy-drive? There is one already and they are little used, but it's there, so my only consideration is whether the machine will be able to handle it. Where do I tell the PII-machine that there is a B-drive coming/present?
- I may be able to reuse the NIC, but there is already one and it is using the ADSL line. Any reason why I should have 2 NICs in the same machine?
- Any good ideas on what to do with other useful parts other than just keep them where they are: CPU, USB ports, fan, case, wiring, transformer?

Thanks in advance


Tech

[risk_reversal]

Ok in order then................

Can I just reuse the memory card by plugging it into the PII-machine? All cards are SDRAM. The make varies though.
The memory modules may be SDRam but the speeds and manyfacturers (as you say) could well be different. SDRam memory could run at PC66, PC100 and PC133. I would tend to keep the ones on the PII system if they are working together.

If I plug in the 15GB HDD into the PII-machine, do I need to format it prior to the swap? Where do I tell the PII-machine that additional HDD space is coming? I suppose I will need to use fdisk / superfdisk?

You will need to make sure that the 15Gb HDD is correctly jumpered ie slave, unless your PII drive is set on cable select. Once connected (to the IDE cable) the post screen will show it but never the less boot to the bios to make sure it has. If required format and fdisk the HDD (if it has just data no need). When Windows boots it will detect the new drive and a new icon will appear in my computer as D:\.

Is there a point in reusing the Floppy-drive? There is one already and they are little used, but it's there, so my only consideration is whether the machine will be able to handle it. Where do I tell the PII-machine that there is a B-drive coming/present?

No point in reusing floppy but similarly if you do, depending on your floppy cable there may be a middle connector free just connect it. But I wouldn't bother.

I may be able to reuse the NIC, but there is already one and it is using the ADSL line. Any reason why I should have 2 NICs in the same machine?

I would not bother adding another pci card (which is not needed) may throw up some IRQ conflict....But keep it as spare...Or substitute it if is better than the one in the PII.

Any good ideas on what to do with other useful parts other than just keep them where they are: CPU, USB ports, fan, case, wiring, transformer?
Well the AMD K6, case will only be needed if you build another system (unless the case is good then use that one instead of the one on the PII. Cabling handy to have about. Fan what kind case fan, cpu fan..... Transformer -->PSU I guess, equally useful as spare.

I hope I have covered everything and I am sure that other will add their own thoughts and possibly correct some of the things that I have said.

Good Luck

[technossomy]

Ok risk_reversal, thanks for this and your conclusion is to use just the HDD and I will have 2 working machines, albeit one without a hard drive, which I might be able to dig up somewhere in the future.

On this drive addition procedure which you point out:
- What do you mean by "set on cable select"? Counting from the motherboard, is slave the first or second jumper?
- What do you mean by "boot to the BIOS"?

Then also: can I somehow rig the system to think it has one physical drive, ie 4 + 15 = 19GB, and then partition it (for Linux purposes) or is it best to keep it separate, ie C:\ and D:\ and put Linux on D:\ alone?

Thanks in advance


Tech

[risk_reversal]

technossomy as you can appreciate yourself, why bother with 2 floppy drives or 2 NIC, pointless really. I would advocate the use of a floppy but to have 2. Keep as spares surely.

As regards the HDDs they have to be jumpered ie there is a jumper on the back of the drive with depending on the position could be master or slave. There is a third option called cable select ie it will be done automatically. I personally would not use cable select. There will be a cable connecting the PII drive to the mobo. Your specs are old so it will probably be an 40 pin ATA cable. Just connect the 15Gb to the middle (free connector) on that IDE cable.

If you only have data on the 15Gb no need to Fdisk and format. If you have an old o/s on it then do so. After you have connected the drive, boot to the bios ie after post screen press delete button and check in 'standard cmos functions' that the bios has detected drive.

To fdisk etc make sure that you have a windows start up floppy in the A: drive also make sure in the bios that the boot order is set to foppy as first boot drive.

Once you have done that reboot to windows and the 15 Gb disk will likely become D:\

I have no experience at all with Linux but I do dual boot 98se/xp. In my set up I installed 98se & XP on subsequent primary partitions ie first 98 then XP on my first HDD. In order to dual boot you will need some form of boot manager which will hide the 'redundant' primary partition ie either 98 or xp (in my case).

Don't think that you will be able to trick the system into believing that it has one 19Gb HDD. In fact your best bet is to use the 15Gb as your primary master and install the operating systems/ progs on that HDD and use the 4Gb as data. Of course there are other partitioning permutations which you could used but your HDDs are so small that my initial suggestion is probably the best.

Sorry for long post. What you are looking to do is fairly simple yet requires clear steps which I have tried to explain.

Hope this helps

Good Luck

[technossomy]

Thanks risk_reversal

I was really talking about using the HDD in the other machine only and was - based on your suggestion - planning to keep all other parts where they are now. As regards the procedure, I will try that at the soonest and report back if any problems.

On the Linux issue, it currently has a dual-boot WinME-Suse7.3 on it. Given the fact that Suse7.3 looks like to have been created by Fred Flintstone et al, I will overwrite with another partition and another distribution. To sum it all up:
- Delete Suse7.3 partition so that I have full 4GB for WinME
- Install 15GB drive as per your outline; it has no content of value, by the way
- Create 15GB partition for other distro, probably Debian and will be on the extended partition and a boot floppy will be used to boot into Linux when required

Please point out if the above sounds peculiar to you. My intent is of course to create a machine where, if things go wrong, I will be able to regress to its former state, hence my caution.

Thanks again


Tech

[risk_reversal]

As I said perhaps easiest to have the 15Gb disk for your operating systems and prog and the 4gb as data. I think I would do it that way if it was my machine. You could still create an extended partition on the 15Gb and store data if needed.

you say

Please point out if the above sounds peculiar to you. My intent is of course to create a machine where, if things go wrong, I will be able to regress to its former state, hence my caution.

Well you will need to back up the o/s etc either onto CD/DVD or if you had larger HDD you could have copied in hidden partitions

As regards ME well I much prefer 98se over that by a long shot..........

Good Luck

[technossomy]

Thanks again risk_reversal, I see your point now and will try that instead. Mind you, WinME is only for networking until I rig Linux to see the ADSL traffic as well. In other words, WinME partition can be kept small, no more than 1GB. Speaking of which, I recently had to upgrade through the Microsoft updater, so should still keep multiples of 500MB handy or so.

Best wishes


Tech