Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Adding a new HDD

Options
  • 28-12-2004 6:22am
    #1
    Pet
    Registered Users Posts: 4,579 ✭✭✭


    I've got a 2-year-old Dell 2350, 60GB HDD, and it's over half full as I've started to copy all my cd's and photos onto it, also a lot of software. I'm thinking about buying a new hard drive, but i've a couple of questions.

    1)Firstly, what's the difference between this ATA/Serial ATA business and a regular IDE (break it down for me)?
    2)I hear it's faster than IDE, but by how much?
    3)And would my PC take it (how do I find out if it does?)?

    If the ATA thing turns out to be incompatible with my PC, I'm looking at this drive.
    So, let's say I buy it, and am getting ready to install it.
    4)I guess I'll be keeping the old drive, but which would I make slave and which master?
    5)If I make the new drive the slave (the easiest option!) will that affect its performance, and will it be held back by the old drive?
    6)Or should I ghost the old drive's contents to the new one (and how complicated is this?)?]
    7)Any other methods that I've missed?
    8)Will there be lots of pissing about with drivers and BIOS settings and rebooting and BSOD's and such like that dreadful graphics card I installed, or is this going to be fairly simple?


    This is all a bit confuzzling for me (I'm used to installing RAM and PCI cards and such, but this is a step up), so sorry if any of my questions are dumb..and thanks for reading.


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Dr Bolouswki
    Registered Users Posts: 1,333 ✭✭✭Dr Bolouswki


    your system can only take IDE so SATA is out the window - speed difference is significant enough I suppose but if ur using a 2350 it'd make litle difference - question is moot anyway - its highly unlikely you have sata as dell only introduced it really in last 18 months on dimensions...

    yes set it to slave - easiest idea

    forget ghosting - just ransfer all the data using copy/paste

    use your existing hard drive for programs and your new hard drive for file storage

    make sure the case internally ahs a spare hard drive bay

    Mmm thats it - its a piece of p*ss to install - its pracitacally plug and play


  • Options
    #3
    Kazujo
    Registered Users Posts: 649 ✭✭✭Kazujo


    Your motherboard should have two connectors for the IDE cables a Primary and a Secondary.

    Each cable should have two connectors Master and Slave.

    Your current hard drive should be the Master of the Primary IDE cable. Depending on how many CD Rom or other IDE devices you have and the setup within the case, you should try to put the new harddrive as the Master on the Secondary cable.

    But if you cant it will work fine as a Slave on the Primary IDE. If possible try to leave some space between the two harddrives to allow for air circulation between them.


  • Options
    #4
    Pet
    Registered Users Posts: 4,579 ✭✭✭Pet


    Thanks for the replies guys.
    its highly unlikely you have sata as dell only introduced it really in last 18 months on dimensions...

    Is there an easy way to find out from within windows (like using system information or something)?
    use your existing hard drive for programs and your new hard drive for file storage

    Thanks, that makes a lot of sense; typically it didn't even occur to me. :rolleyes:
    Your current hard drive should be the Master of the Primary IDE cable. Depending on how many CD Rom or other IDE devices you have and the setup within the case, you should try to put the new harddrive as the Master on the Secondary cable.

    What's the advantage of this? (As opposed to putting it on primary slave)
    I have a combo CDRW/DVD drive, I assume it's on the secondary cable, but you never know with dell, they might have put it as primary slave to save a cable..:rolleyes:
    I think I remember someone saying though, that a new HDD on the secondary cable would be "held back" in speed by the optical drive, but maybe that's if it's set to slave..
    Thanks for the replies thus far though, I'd +rep you both if it was still here..


  • Options
    #5
    Nukem
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 4,082 Mod ✭✭✭✭Nukem


    Just wrote a big long explanation and realised a lot easier method of showing you - here
    Also note the IDE (ATA slots here - Master and Slave) - here

    Have a look around this site - everything nice and easy.


  • Options
    #6
    duridian
    Registered Users Posts: 3,541 ✭✭✭duridian


    I may be wrong but I think there might be only one hard drive holder in the 2350 and 2400 Dell Dimensions. You could probably get a conversion kit for one of the 5.25" bays (cd drive bays) though.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    Pet
    Registered Users Posts: 4,579 ✭✭✭Pet


    Nukem wrote:
    Just wrote a big long explanation and realised a lot easier method of showing you - here
    Also note the IDE (ATA slots here - Master and Slave) - here

    Have a look around this site - everything nice and easy.

    I actually followed that link from Komplett; it shows HOW to set them up, but not the best way or why, but thanks anyways.
    I may be wrong but I think there might be only one hard drive holder in the 2350 and 2400 Dell Dimensions. You could probably get a conversion kit for one of the 5.25" bays (cd drive bays) though.

    Knowing Dell, you're probably right. :rolleyes: If the conversion kit turns out to be hassle (probably will) I guess I'll have to find someone to ghost my HDD for me and do it that way, argh.


  • Options
    #8
    Nukem
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 4,082 Mod ✭✭✭✭Nukem


    Pet wrote:
    I actually followed that link from Komplett; it shows HOW to set them up, but not the best way or why, but thanks anyways.

    Eh; ya didnt read it so and its not from Komplett :confused:
    A basic PC will have one HDD and one CD-ROM and will be configured as shown above. To achieve maximum performance from each device, they are both configured as Master.
    From that site

    Basically
    Master = Faster and Hign Priority
    Slave = Slower and Low Priority


  • Options
    #9
    Dr Bolouswki
    Registered Users Posts: 1,333 ✭✭✭Dr Bolouswki


    If you have a singled optical drive (combo for instance) it means you have a minimum of one extra 5.25 inch bay, and getting a hard drive cage into that is very easy - yes indeed some fo the dimensions only had 1 hard drive bay but easiest way to check is open machine and usually there will be space under/ beside current drive

    You're right about data slow down using optical and hard drive on same controller - optical devices run at 33 - hard drives depending on type at up to 133 (usually listed as ata 100 or ata 133)

    If you have a sata controller it will tell you in device manager (control panel/system properties/hardware/device manager) usually under controller or raid controller - failing that when you open the machine have a look on the motherboard - sata device connectors are usually paired and are about 1.5cm long, with a slightly "L" shaped connector (little lip at end of connection making the "L") and are usually situated near where the on/off cable connects to the mainboard


Advertisement