[Ham-Computers] Re Hard Drive Failure Issues

[Duane Fischer, W8DBF]

Hi All,

My Compaq Prosario 233 MHZ P1 machine flashed a "imminent hard drive 
failure" message yesterday. Presently it will still boot if I press FNC#1.

This is a 6.5 GHZ hard drive, about 2/3 of it is current occupied. I suspect 
I will need to buy an eighty GIG HD as a replacement.

I would like to copy the contents of the current HD from the machine onto 
the new HD. Then install the new HD. If I am correct, then I should be able 
to boot up and run as normal. Right?

Why am I using this old machine? I have no choice! The adaptive technology I 
purchased to make the computer read the screen and talk, cost nearly ten 
thousand dollars. All of it works perfectly fine. I see no reason to replace 
it.

I must have an ISA slot of the DEC DECTALK PC speech card, it is the longer, 
not the shorter, style of card. All in all, everything I have wants serial 
and/or parallel ports, not USB, and needs to have cards installed in the 
machine. Such as the HP HP3 flatbed black/white scanner.

The only machine to meet the hardware needs is one prior to 2000. Since 
Windows 95B works perfectly for my needs, I am going to continue to use it. 
This machine does not go on line, by the way! I use this super XP HE machine 
for that!

Since the 80 GIG HD is not useable by Win 95B, I think about 8 GIG is the 
maximum, can I cloane my current HD to the 80 GIG hd and then partition it? 
Such as make C:\ 8 GIG, then make eight drives each of 8 GIG?

Or must this be done "before" I cloane the drive?

FYI: This Compaq Prosario model 4814 has run for about 38,300 hours with no 
problems of any kind! That is about eight to ten hours "every" day for 10.5 
years!

Now, am I foolish to repair her? I could probably buy a reconditioned one 
for about what it will cost me to fix mine, but with mine I know how she was 
cared for.

Duane Fischer, W8DBF/WPE8CXO
dfischer at usol.com
HHI: Halligan's Hallicrafters International
http://www.w9wze.net
HHRP: Historic Halligan Radio Project
hhrp.w9wze.net