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How to install my new Hard Drive?

Dieseldad97

Dieseldad97

I now know why.
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Altona, Manitoba Canada
Got a new 500gb Hard Drive from the kids for Christmas. I'm down to 8% on the drive I'm using now so this is a real good thing!

I know I can slap it into my PC but does anyone know how I can use it as a "slave" or just an extra Drive to put pics and music on?

This making any sense? :confused:

Anyone done this? Thanks!
 
Hey Gerald.. need to know specs... is it an IDE ATA drive or a SATA?... I assume it is a raw drive that goes right inside your PC, not one that hooks up with a USB connection?

The easiest + best way to set it up is to put it as another master on a separate IDE channel from your existing drive, but that depends on what else you've got in there (CDROM, DVD, etc.) If you can't, then you'll need to make it a slave to your current drive and put it on the same channel (move the jumper on the new drive to slave position)

Tell us what you have currently installed, and what kind of drive you got.

(Nice score, BTW - I have 1.5 TB of attached storage, myself - can never have too much space!)
 
Thanks for the reply Jim.

What I have is a Dell 80gig that I'm using...thats about all I know bout that.

What the kids bought me is a SETA that is a raw drive that I'm gonna have to install inside the box.

Is it as easy as just throwing it in the box and hooking up the cords? Will the PC recognize the new drive or will I lose my operating system all together?

Show me the way O wise one!
 
Here's the issue, Gerald... if this new drive is a SATA (Serial ATA) it may have a different connector than your original drive - unless it is ALSO a SATA drive.

Your PC is a Dell? PM me the model number and Dell Service Tag number (a 5 to 7-digit alphanumeric number found ona white label with bar code on the back or side of your PC) and I'll look it up for ya.

I'll need the model and name of your new hard drive, too.
 
whatever you do.......don't ask nick how to do it....or you will need a truck and a handgun to insure proper fit
 
Looks simple enough. But I don't have that red wire...should it have come with the new drive I wonder?

Thanks for all the help! Not sure when this mod happens yet...maybe tomorrow. If I never update this thread you know I'm down hahaha.
 
you also need to check the bios to see if the computer accepted the new drive. do not set up a raid if it is a SATA......you will lose info. If it is a IDE you will need to formatt it after it is installed and set it as a slave as mentioned earlier. Would be nice to use it as the primary drive and just reinstall the OS and everything else. us the older drive as a backup.

On edit: it is a SATA. You will have to purchase a data port wire (red wire) and the rest should be easy. (Atleast for me it is)
 
Dieseldad97 said:
Picked up the red data wire today. I guess when I get the nerve I'm gonna go for it.
Click to expand...

LOL, Gerald... it shouldn't be a problem to do. The plugs only hook up one way, and SATA is pretty straightforward.

Just remember the last 2 steps - when you re-start the machine, enter the BIOS and get the drive to show up. Windows XP Should do the rest - asking you if you want to make the drive active (yes) and if you want to format it (yes). Personally, I would format it under FAT32 for its portability, but I know others like the security of NTFS.

Your call on that one.

... have fun!

Jim
 
JiFaire said:
LOL, Gerald... it shouldn't be a problem to do. The plugs only hook up one way, and SATA is pretty straightforward.

Just remember the last 2 steps - when you re-start the machine, enter the BIOS and get the drive to show up. Windows XP Should do the rest - asking you if you want to make the drive active (yes) and if you want to format it (yes). Personally, I would format it under FAT32 for its portability, but I know others like the security of NTFS.

Your call on that one.

... have fun!

Jim
Click to expand...


So Jim, what does FAT32 and NTFS stand for? Should I be knowledgeable on this before formatting?
Another question...why format a new empty hard drive?
I sure hope I format the right drive :confused: Is there a chance of screwing up my original drive doing this?

getting a bit nervous here guys...:eek:

should I pray first? or wait till later? :smile5:
 
NTFS is the best way, it provides the best the drive has to offer. You get the full resource of the HD. Fat32 logic is no longer used for the most part and since you are using WinXP this in itself should be a non issue.....my opinion and I stand by it. And No you can not screw it up....worst case would be to reformat it again.
 
Gerald, no question that Tim is correct in NTFS opening up the greatest use of space on your drive; as for formatting, your drive must be formatted and made useable before you can store data on it. Some drives come with basic formatting, most don't. Your system will try to access the new drive, and if it can't, it will want to format it for you.

As for safety, your PC won't prompt you to format an existing drive. Just don't format Drive C:, OK? That's the letter of your system drive. This one will probably pick up Drive letter D or E, depending on your system configuration.

Tim, the only reason I suggested FAT32 was for portability, if Gerald decides to move it to a new system. If he isn't securing anything, it won't matter, but if he does, NTFS will slave to the original SID and be problematic to undo.
 
JiFaire said:
Gerald, no question that Tim is correct in NTFS opening up the greatest use of space on your drive; as for formatting, your drive must be formatted and made useable before you can store data on it. Some drives come with basic formatting, most don't. Your system will try to access the new drive, and if it can't, it will want to format it for you.

As for safety, your PC won't prompt you to format an existing drive. Just don't format Drive C:, OK? That's the letter of your system drive. This one will probably pick up Drive letter D or E, depending on your system configuration.

Tim, the only reason I suggested FAT32 was for portability, if Gerald decides to move it to a new system. If he isn't securing anything, it won't matter, but if he does, NTFS will slave to the original SID and be problematic to undo.
Click to expand...
As long as he moves it to another OS that supports NTFS he would be ok, but you are right about if he decides to put that drive in a external box and move it from computer to computer I would use FAT32. But who does that anymore?.......silly question as it I ponder on it. :D

But since it is a internal part of the computer he is installing it in I would use NTFS, and don't format Drive C.....you will be very sad and angry.
 
Dieseldad97 said:
So Jim, what does FAT32 and NTFS stand for?
Click to expand...

FAT32 means 32-bit File-Allocation-Table. The FAT is the 'card catalogue' (index) of your drive... it keeps records of the locations of all your files.

NTFS stands for 'New Technology File System' - it is the native file system designed for Windows NT, XP, Vista, etc.

NTFS has provisions for file security, does a better job at utilizing space on your drive, does a better job of keeping things defragmented (although that's up for debate - which is why so many utilities thrive), etc.

Dieseldad97 said:
Should I be knowledgeable on this before formatting? Nope. That stuff is transparent to you, especially if you don't use the NTFS capabilities.
Click to expand...


Dieseldad97 said:
getting a bit nervous here guys...:eek:
should I pray first? or wait till later? :smile5:
Click to expand...

Get it straight, Gerald... You pray BEFORE you do something... you ask forgiveness AFTER the attempt. ):h
 
SfcJones said:
As long as he moves it to another OS that supports NTFS he would be ok, but you are right about if he decides to put that drive in a external box and move it from computer to computer I would use FAT32. But who does that anymore?.......silly question as it I ponder on it. :D
Click to expand...

LOL... I was thinking more along the lines of him using this drive as a Data drive (from his first post). If he puts all his data on this drive, and uses the other 80-gig as a system and programs drive, then this one can be moved to a new machine when he upgrades (which all of us do, sooner or later).

I prefer to use NAS for this purpose, but ...
 
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