Problems with HDD - Windows pauses every few seconds

[Unfocused]

Yesterday I thought I'd start preparing my PC for a format etc., so I set my secondary HDD with a fresh WindowsXP install, as master and booted the PC.

That's when the problem occured, a problem I once experienced but can't remember how I dealt with it. The PC is pausing every few seconds for a second or two as if it was stopping reading from the drive. I know that the issue has something to do with my 160GB drive (atm it's my master HDD, but while booting from the HDD with a fresh XP, it's secondary). I've got this HDD. Last time when I formatted, I think I got rid of the pauses by not letting the mobo driver installation utility install some kind of chipset update or something like that, but I'm not sure. Still, I don't know what actually was the problem.

Can anyone give me a hand? I'd also like to know what may be the cause of this strange behaviour. Some incompatibility?

 

[WhiteZero]

A good start would be to look in Device Manager for any hardware conflicts. That may tell you if something is trying to install updates.

 

[Unfocused]

I checked it.

Some Intel UATA controller and both IDE channels showing no conflicts of problems.

 

[giant384]

have you just tried putting your fresh xp one as teh master and doing that? also i would really recommend if you installed those drivers then format your old drive.

 

[Unfocused]

have you just tried putting your fresh xp one as teh master and doing that? also i would really recommend if you installed those drivers then format your old drive.

As I said, the issue is with the 160GB one, so when the HDD with the fresh XP is set as master ALONE (with the 160GB HDD unplugged) it works fine.

I don't want to format the 160GB one yet. I want to start fresh on the HDD with the fresh XP (40GB BTW), install everything as I need it and have the ability to copy the data I need from the 160GB. I don't want to do everything at once simply.


And formatting the 160GB won't cure the problem cause as I said, I've experienced something like this before:

I once had only the 40GB drive. Then I bought a 160GB drive, set it as master and started a fresh XP installation etc., with the 40GB drive still plugged in so that I could transfer data. When I had the first chance to work with my new XP, I noticed those strange pauses. Eventually I fixed it but as I said, I don't remember how.

Maybe if someone can tell me what can such behaviour be a sign of, it will be easier to find a fix.

 

[Barney Fife]

Maybe the 160GB drive is going bad? Does it make clicking sound and then sort of goes into Standby mode?

 

[Unfocused]

Maybe the 160GB drive is going bad? Does it make clicking sound and then sort of goes into Standby mode?

I'm working on it right now without any problems (it's set as master).

It can't be going bad, cause as I said, I had the problem when I first used it. It's got to be something to do with either stock Windows or my Intel mobo not recognizing it properly or something.