Checking Hard Disk Configuration:
When the computer is booting up, observe for the BIOS's HDD type information on the monitor. Note down the type of HDD that the BIOS recognizes as being installed on the computer. The most common error messages associated with HDD configuration problems include the Drive Mismatch error message and Invalid Media Type message.
In case of Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) drives, verify the Master/Slave jumper setting to ensure it is properly set for the drive's logical position in the system. Please note that there can only be one master drive selected on each IDE channel. When both drives share the same interface and are set to the same selection, neither of the drives should work.
When more than one device is attached to a single interface cable, ascertain that they are of the same type (for example, they all should be Enhanced Integrated Drive Electronics [EIDE] devices or all are ATA100 devices). Mixing IDE device types gives rise to a situation in which the system cannot provide the different types of control information needed by each device. The drives are incompatible and you might not be able to access either device.
