SATA hard drives

How do I add a SATA hard drive to a computer that has 2 IDE hard drives on it?

Bob

 

Could you post the make and model of the motherboard? It's possible it will only support IDE drives internally. There are SATA/USB enclosures available from numerous sites. My laptop only supports IDE, but I've got two SATA hard drives in enclosures that connect to my laptop via USB.

 

The computer is a MYBUILT with Biotech motherboard #P4M900-M4

Bob

 

From what I saw on this page, the motherboard only supports IDE. I don't see any SATA connections on the board.

There are SATA to IDE/IDE to SATA adapters available on eBay if you're determined to use the hard drive internally. But, currently you more than likely have a master/slave configuration with your two installed IDE hard drives. I'm not sure if using one of the adapters with your SATA hard drive will allow you to keep that setup. SATA drives can't be configured master/slave. SATA drives have to sit one per cable.

 

Can I use a enclosure on my computer with a SATA hard drive in it and boot a Win7 to the computer?

Bob

 

If your BIOS supports booting from USB storage, you'll be able to boot from the SATA drive after you've installed Windows 7 on it.

I'm not sure that Windows 7 supports installation to a USB connected drive though. I know Windows XP doesn't.

Maybe if someone who's actually installed Windows 7 to a USB connected drive reads this thread, they'll be able to tell you the steps you need to take. I simply haven't attempted to do so, so I can't tell you what you'd need to do.

 

Biotech are rebadged biostar so is this your motherboard?

http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en/mb/introduction.php?S_ID=283

If so there are two black sata ports at the bottom left, they are also listed in the specs. A simple eyeball at the motherboard will tell you, your looking for a half inch long socket with a small L shape at the end, here are some pics.

http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=1778&page=6

To not have sata your computer would have to be older than about 8 years.

Here's a guide on how to install windows 7 from usb.

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/howtos/how_to_install_windows_7_beta_a_usb_key

If you don't have a sata socket buy a sata controller card they are really cheap.

 

If he doesn't have a SATA controller, he'd be trying to install Windows 7 TO a USB connected drive not FROM a USB connected drive. I don't know if Windows 7 allows that. I know Windows XP doesn't to prevent someone from using the OS on any other computer than the one it was originally installed on.

 

Or, if he has an available PCI slot a controller card would be less expensive and more efficient than a USB external drive.

 

-> Rob

I have been looking into this very issue recently.

You could use the external USB drive route as has has been suggested earlier.

If you wish to mount the drives internally:

IDE cables typical have two connectors to disk drives on them (see wikipedia article on IDE/ATA) for a good picture; IF your m/b has only one IDE connector, and you're already running two IDE-type drives from it, then you cannot put another drive on that cable without removing one of the disks.

I speculate that IF your m/b has two IDE connections to it (they may be of opposite sex) you could buy another IDE cable to fit the second m/b IDE connector, and use this to connect the SATA drive.

BUT in either case you will need a small adapter card between your IDE system and your SATA drive. They are essentially parallel <-> serial converters. They usually do not work at the latest SATA speeds. They are not very expensive. They come in various pin outs, from straight into IDE M/B connection to SATA cable straight into SATA disk to IDE cable connector eg, Startech's PATA2SATA3 and PATA2SATA3 and associated products (such products are available more cheaply). There are quite a few variants about I warn you rea the specs carefully to ensure you that you get that does what you want. (sorry about the implicit assumption that you are going to buy such an adapter, it's just easier to write that way)

You need to set the master/slave configuration, and some cases set the jumper on the disk appropriately, which might be to CS.

Dumb_Question
18.August.2013