startup hangs at Verifying DMI Pool Data

Greetings.

Trying to check a HDD (8GB) to use in my parents' computer. It has W98se on it - trying to boot, it hangs at Verifying DMI Pool Data (if it's good, I'm going to put XP on it, but I don't want to go to the trouble if HDD is faulty).

I can get it to run by making it the Slave and putting in another HDD (which also has W98se) as Master.

Tried to make a bootable floppy, but none of the 10 would work - all had errors (pretty old). Tried reformatting them, etc.

I have a 98se CD ROM. Wondering if I should boot with problem HDD as Slave, then copy startup files from CD onto HDD, as this seems to be the problem. If so, can you tell me how to do this please. Which files should I copy over?

Any other ideas also appreciated. Thanks in advance.

GCW esq

 

Thanks for the very quick reply.
It's seeing the drive in BIOS, even when it's in as Master. I tried manually selecting the drive to tell it that it was the right one, but that didn't work either.
I have also tried it with no discs in, and I have disconnected and reconnected several times. I have also tried it with the jumper on Master and Cable Select.
I also tried booting from the W98se CD - it just gave me a blank screen with a flashing cursor.
Looks like I'll have to go with your last suggestion. I hate being defeated by these things!!!http://forums.majorgeeks.com/images/smilies/cry.gif
Thanks again.
Geoff

 

Just remembered that I wasn't quick enough when trying to boot from CD, and I guess it defaulted to HDD boot. Tried it again just now, and it took me to a reinstall. (Tried to edit previous msg, but wasn't quick enough.)