Trying to add an old un-formatted Maxtor 160 ATA 100/133 (out from an old HP XL918) to an existing Compaq 5011CL 80GB Ultra DMA HD to an existing Compaq...

I have an extra DELL 4300 P-4 computer, which two of the four CMOS battery clips broke off, while I was trying to reset the DOS Black screen telling me to type in the admin password, or depress control-delete to bypass this function, well it would never go away, I am trying to reformat this 160GB HD and use it as storage for other extra 5011CL Compaq 1.2GB computer. Someone mentioned the jumpers is a way to refresh the HD, not removing the battery.

On the Dell 4300, Do I remove the jumpers, put them back in,then try to reformat the computer?

OR

If It's wiser to just trash the 4300, keep the 160GB HD, install it onto the Compaq as storage, which already has the WinXP onboard,then try to reformat just the 160 without erasing the 80GB Compaq's HD?

I was told that if I have the other compaq running Windows XP, I can not simply hook up the MAXTOR 160 ATA 100/133 to the Compaqs' 80 Ultra DMA and expect it to work,that first, I have to reformat the HD. Can't I do this when the computer recognizes the second HD as the Slave?