Help please with a hard drive problem

[Silentbob]

I have just deceided to try and fix my computer and I am getting probs.  I get an error message when I boot up the computer and I have tried various combinations of slave/master etc but to no avail.  The hard drive has not got an OS at the moment as I am going to install it.  I have one 80gig HDD (IDE) and the other IDE device is a cd rom.

The error is as follows.

!!!!!!!!!! IDE DRIVES INSTALLATION ERROR !!!!!!!!!!
For best reliability and performance, please change the stand alone slave drive to master. System halt...

Any help that can be offered would be a relief

[street1 (RIP)]

Do you have the hard drive plugged to IDE Channel 1?

You have 2 Ide channels on you motherboard.

The IDE cable to the hard drive should be plugged
to IDE Channel 1.

Try switching them around. :-?