Install second hard drive questions

Hi all,

Recently upgraded to new computer 98SE>XP SP2. My old computer had 2 hard drives: slave/master and I want to transfer the slave to the new computer and make it the slave there.

The old computer had a ribbon data cable 20pin(?) but the new computer has a 7 pin L-shaped blue cable with nowhere to plug a slave in let alone one that requires 20 pins.

Power cable OK.

Is there a hardware way around this?

Cheers

Dins

 

Can you take a picture of the cable the new hard drive uses in your new pc and a picture of the back ends of both drives? (where they connect to the ribbon)

Honestly if I'm correct your new pc just came with one of the newer ribbons that look as if its a rope. From experience I have seen some with a plug for the slave in the middle and some that don't have one at all and just feed one drive.

I would go to the store and purchase an 80 pin ribbon cable. One that has 3 ends... Meaning the end that goes on the motherboard, the end that goes to the first primary drive, and an end that feeds into the slave drive in the middle of the ribbon cable.

Another question I have is if you know what kind of drive your new system uses? (ie: sata or ide)

If it's IDE theres no question about it go and buy the 80 pin ribbon cable now at your local pc store for about $4.00. If your new pcs drive is a Sata drive than you may have a problem because your old IDE drive (and I know it's an IDE drive since you had win 98 on it), will not be compatible together unless your motherboard supports both Sata and IDE hard drives. Either way why not just go to the pc store and buy the 80 pin ribbon cable for $4 and give it a shot?


Worth a try... Good Luck.


P.s.
If I were you after you get that situation settled you should partition the both drives into more drives. For example your new drive can be used as two drives, and your old slave as well. Meaning you can have a total of four drive spaces. One for your win xp, one for downloads, one for buisness, one for personal stuff, etc. There is no limit to how many partitions you make and it's very useful. Say for example you get a virus and your win xp partition drive fails you can always reformat and reinstall windows to that partition while all your data stays intact on the other halves of partition on that same physical drive. & your slave drive stays untouched! Meaning no virus running a muck on your important data, and no need to make countless back up dvds/cds of your data for a full win reinstall (which is done when you don't have a partition). If you need help to do something like this just ask and I'm sure many would be willing to help. If you feel like your up to the partition task alone search google since there are many guides online. Try searching "windows xp hard drive partition tutorial guide."

 

Does it look like this?

 

Thanks both,

Yes "just playin" that's the new plug alright, cable different colour if it matters. Is this SATA? My old drive is IDE.

"Superstar", my MOBO does support IDE because there is 1 ribbon to my 2 DVD drives, slave/master I presume. Looks like the same ribbon that would plug into my old drive. HOWEVER, the mobo seems to provide only 1 connector for this format of cable and it's used... by the DVD drives. I need both these drives.

There seems to be plenty of spare SATA (if that's what they are) holes in the mobo.

Yep partitioning sounds like a good idea to me, but got to get this other drive working.

So is there a SATA to IDE adapter or some other workaround?

CHeers

Dins

 

So you need an IDE card to plug into a spare PCI slot. Bazza's your man to tell you where to get one down under. Make sure it comes with a spare cable and you plug it in the right way up, I know what you auzzies are like.


Studio T

 

I got one off eBay a few months back. The MSI board on my computer has 4 SATA connections, and 2 IDE ones, but I needed to fit an extra 4 IDE drives into it. The PCI IDE controller card was less than £10 on ebay, and came with an installation disc. The computer is a bit heavier now but it's handy having all that extra storage space.

Here's one like the one I got..........

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ultra-ATA-133...094853609QQcategoryZ96881QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

Thanks for the vote of confidence studiot, but I'm mainly a software man.
Haven't built a desktop in ages. Although I bought a second hand Dell desktop at an Auction lately,
I mainly use my Toshiba Tecra A7 laptop.

Apart from surfing eBay, maybe a look at www.OZtion.com.au (aussie auction site) or
corpsoft.com.au, Harris Technology (ht.com.au), City Software (csw.com.au) or Harvey Norman stores may be able to assist. Bazza

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yerbut you're closer to the roo's mouth than I am down there, Bazza.


Studio T

 

My favourite aussie sites

http://www.pccasegear.com


http://www.centrecom.com.au

 

Thanks all,

Unfortunately no PCI slots left.

I did however find a adapter SATA -> IDE that will plug into the back on my drive.

http://www.satasite.com/sata-ide-converter.htm

Hope it does the trick.

BTW all those in the northern hemisphere. From where I stand you guys are the ones DOWN there. We're all on top of the world!

Dins

 

OK I have received this adapter (see previous message), SATA ->IDE conversion.

I cable from vacant SATA port on mobo to converter which then plugs straight into IDE drive. But a couple of questions.

What next? Do I need to fiddle bios? How? or what?
What about jumpers on the ide drive?
Thinking ahead, could I run slave/master if I run a ribbon cable off the converter rather than plugging it straight into the drive?

Thanks in advance

Dins

 

No. You can't hook multiple drives to a SATA port.

 

OK thanks but what about the other stuff?

 

I've never used an adapter like this before, so I'm not sure. I would assume the BIOS would autodetect the HD as a SATA drive and the jumper should be set as a single drive or master with no slave present. I would check the package or manufacturer's website for proper help and/or documentation.

 

Ok thanks Just Playin,

Sadly no home page info for the adapter. But what you say sounds like common sense. I'll give it a go.

Cheers

Dins

 

Install second hard drive questions. resolved

Update.

Used the adapter.
Set IDE hard drive as single /master via jumper.
Had to enable the SATA plug on mobo through Bios. Then Bios auto detected drive.
Biggest trick was power, the drive AND the adapter required a power source each.

But all good now!

Dins

 

Re: Install second hard drive questions. resolved

Great detective work, on your behalf. :cool Bazza

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