Add hard drive

jerkykabab · 22-May-05, 03:04 PM

Am looking to add a HD to a relatively old pc: 120gb ata hd as my current disk is only 20gigs and getting very full...are there any complications to adding a hard drive? (is it hard to do?). How will i configure it...?
Thanks quick relies would be appreciated as i have just got broadband and am on a downloadin frenzy with 1gig free space.

Jonny English · 22-May-05, 04:04 PM

Shouldn't cause you any problems

Whip out your existing HD & check the jumper on the rear end is set to 'master', and set the new one to 'slave' before fitting it (almost certainly with 4 'coarse' pitch case screws, probably in a 'cage' right underneath {or above} the existing HD).

The IDE cable that's attached to your existing HD should have a spare connector on it, so connect the drive to that & a 4-pin molex connector from the PSU.

You'll need to partion & format the new drive ... assuming you're using WinXP, the procedure is as follows - this was written for a mini review of an External HD enclosure, but the procedure is the same for internal drives:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonny English


	...If you're using a brand new drive, you'll need to create at least one partition on the drive, and format it before you can use the drive to store any data. If you're using Windows XP, you should use the Disk Management utility to do this: start by selecting the "Run" option from the "Start" menu, and entering compmgmt.msc - clicking "ok" will start the Computer Management tool. Select "Disk Management" (under "Storage") in the left hand pane, then find the drive in the right pane. What number the drive is identified as will depend on how many other drives you've got on your system, but you should be able to tell - it should be the only drive shown (with hatching) as unpartitioned. Right click on it, and select "New Partition". In the resulting Wizard, click "Next", then select "Primary partition" and then click "Next" again. The next page determines how big the partition will be - this defaults to the largest partition the disk can accommodate, so unless you want to change it, click "Next". On the next page I chose to manually assign a drive letter (F before clicking "Next" once more; then selected "Quick Format", entered "Akasa External" as the label, disabled file and folder compression, and left the File System as the default selection - NTFS . Once you click finish, the partitioning & formatting will start - this should be pretty quick is it's a new drive being quick formatted. Select "Exit" from the "File" menu & you're ready to start using the drive.

aaronrkelly · 22-May-05, 04:26 PM

^^He has you covered.......but more information would help if you need like more specific help.

Stuff suchs as

Operating System
System Information
Your level of skill

jhoop2002 · 22-May-05, 06:45 PM

The model of the hard drive you are looking at would helpful too, cause i know manufactures like seagate provide installation utilities that help with formatting and partition creation.

jerkykabab · 23-May-05, 03:23 PM

Sounds easy enough; 500mb of free space so it better be thanks for your quick replies ill let you know if anything should go wrong thanks again

jerkykabab · 24-May-05, 08:42 AM

ok i opened up my pc and it has no free IDE cables; i am looking at getting this hd:http://www.dabs.com/UK/productview?quicklinx=2J7Z
its pata100
im looking at 2 cables but am not sure which one is most suitable:

No 1 cable (ATA33): http://www.dabs.com/uk/channels/hard...?quicklinx=T8N

No 2 Cable (ATA66/100): http://www.dabs.com/uk/channels/hard...?quicklinx=TVF

I think second cable is more suitable just want confirmation
Thanks

I think im going to buy it today so again quick replies....thanks

TiZakit · 24-May-05, 09:34 AM

Good drive, but that seems like robbery for a cable. and yes, the ATA100 cable would be what you want.

jerkykabab · 24-May-05, 03:12 PM

ill look elsewhere for a cable as i thought that was pretty expensive

jerkykabab · 25-May-05, 08:27 AM

one last question...should i go with a hard drive which supports ata133? would this give a distinct performance boost over say ata100?

TiZakit · 25-May-05, 09:30 AM

Some outside reading for you on that question:
http://www.tweakers.com.au/articles/...a133/page1.asp

Ator · 25-May-05, 01:03 PM

Do you have any serial ATA ports on your mobo? I would go with a SATA hard drive if you don't have any free standard ATA plugs. Actually, I would go with a SATA drive no matter what (lots faster and easier to configure).

jerkykabab · 26-May-05, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ator


	Do you have any serial ATA ports on your mobo? I would go with a SATA hard drive if you don't have any free standard ATA plugs. Actually, I would go with a SATA drive no matter what (lots faster and easier to configure).

Its an old mobo so i dont think any SATA ports will be on it its a Gigabyte GA-5AX if that helps you to confirm my suspicions. Can you put SATA drive into a PATA port with some extra cables??

CubanConnectionZ · 26-May-05, 06:13 PM

Can you add serial ata card to any pc what are minimum requirements.

22-May-05, 03:04 PM		#1 (permalink)
jerkykabab Apex Techie I	Add hard drive Am looking to add a HD to a relatively old pc: 120gb ata hd as my current disk is only 20gigs and getting very full...are there any complications to adding a hard drive? (is it hard to do?). How will i configure it...? Thanks quick relies would be appreciated as i have just got broadband and am on a downloadin frenzy with 1gig free space.

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22-May-05, 04:26 PM		#3 (permalink)
aaronrkelly Apex Tech God	^^He has you covered.......but more information would help if you need like more specific help. Stuff suchs as Operating System System Information Your level of skill

22-May-05, 06:45 PM		#4 (permalink)
jhoop2002 Apex Tech Maniac Supreme	The model of the hard drive you are looking at would helpful too, cause i know manufactures like seagate provide installation utilities that help with formatting and partition creation.

23-May-05, 03:23 PM		#5 (permalink)
jerkykabab Apex Techie I	Sounds easy enough; 500mb of free space so it better be thanks for your quick replies ill let you know if anything should go wrong thanks again

24-May-05, 08:42 AM		#6 (permalink)
jerkykabab Apex Techie I	ok i opened up my pc and it has no free IDE cables; i am looking at getting this hd:http://www.dabs.com/UK/productview?quicklinx=2J7Z its pata100 im looking at 2 cables but am not sure which one is most suitable: No 1 cable (ATA33): http://www.dabs.com/uk/channels/hard...?quicklinx=T8N No 2 Cable (ATA66/100): http://www.dabs.com/uk/channels/hard...?quicklinx=TVF I think second cable is more suitable just want confirmation Thanks I think im going to buy it today so again quick replies....thanks

24-May-05, 09:34 AM		#7 (permalink)
TiZakit Apex Tech Demi-God	Good drive, but that seems like robbery for a cable. and yes, the ATA100 cable would be what you want.

24-May-05, 03:12 PM		#8 (permalink)
jerkykabab Apex Techie I	ill look elsewhere for a cable as i thought that was pretty expensive

25-May-05, 08:27 AM		#9 (permalink)
jerkykabab Apex Techie I	one last question...should i go with a hard drive which supports ata133? would this give a distinct performance boost over say ata100?

25-May-05, 09:30 AM		#10 (permalink)
TiZakit Apex Tech Demi-God	Some outside reading for you on that question: http://www.tweakers.com.au/articles/...a133/page1.asp

25-May-05, 01:03 PM		#11 (permalink)
Ator At-Whore	Do you have any serial ATA ports on your mobo? I would go with a SATA hard drive if you don't have any free standard ATA plugs. Actually, I would go with a SATA drive no matter what (lots faster and easier to configure).

26-May-05, 06:13 PM		#13 (permalink)
CubanConnectionZ Apex Tech God	Can you add serial ata card to any pc what are minimum requirements.