Suggestions for a New 2nd HD

[Dr Klovernutz]

I am lookng to purchase a second HD for my computer

How do I kow what kind to buy? IDE, ATA, SATA etc.
also what specs do I look for?
such as read write and latency

and what brands do u recommend or discourage?
(seen a lot of bad press on Western DIgital)

[Gary D]

To help others, do a system summary with Everest 2.20. Get it from my signature.

Save the report and attach it to your next post. Do not paste and copy as it is a mile long. This will help the others

[BR7]

I got me a Seagate 160GB HD not that long ago I have to say that I am very pleased with it so far

[ed klein]

Hopefully, your motherboard has at LEAST two SATA connections, maybe four SATA connections? Depending on how many SATA connections your current motherboard has do the following:

1st hard drive primary SATA connection
2nd hard drive secondary SATA connection

or in my case

1st hard drive primary SATA connection
DVD-RW drive Plextor 716SA secondary SATA connection

or is your DVD-RW burners and hard drives IDE connections or SATA connections?
Use up all of your SATA connections first, then the primary and secondary master connections next, and last connections primary and secondary slave connection on your IDE connections on your motherboard.

[Chewy]

Hi Doc

http://reviews.cnet.com/Dell_Dimension_4600/4505-3118_7-30529709-3.html?tag=toc

looks like it'll be a tight fit

My search ran accross a reference to sata hard drive

everest should give us a motherboard name

[Dr Klovernutz]

ok here is the summary from everest

Chewie, I already lookied into the system and there is already a open slot to install a second HD (right next to the original HD)

[Chewy]

ok doc, "houston we have a problem", I get specs that show sata but everest
says you have a pata drive, you will need to visually confirm.
you need to google and learn the difference between what the connectors and cables look like. If your mobo is sata capable I would put a serial hard drive in.

my everest computer/summary quick report
shows my serial controllers, even the one I have turned off in bios!

SCSI/RAID Controller VIA Serial ATA RAID Controller
SCSI/RAID Controller WinXP Promise SATA378 (tm) IDE Controller

[Dr Klovernutz]

well I looked inside my comp.
basically there is a ribbon cable and a power plug (the same type plugged into my optical drives) plugged into my current HD. does this help?

[NightTran]

my second hard drive have to put in an award area, because I dont have those stick that was come with the first HD, I wonder where I can buy them?, the one I bought with Newegg was bare and nothing come with it. I also have anther question: what is the dif. between ATA, SATA and PATA hard drive?

Thanks

[Chewy]

pata just was added to differentiate from sata, parallel vs serial
ata is no longer functional


doc,
check that everest reference I cited

[NightTran]

The reason I ask about ATA, SATA and PATA just compare when I want to buy new one,what about those stick that help connect to the computer, Now I still have another space so I may think about another HD, I also have another question, How do I know about my power supply limitation I check everest but it did not say anything unless I look into the wrong place?

thanks

[Dr Klovernutz]

chewie,
Idon't know what u want me to do.

here is what my everest says about storage
Storage:
IDE Controller Intel(R) 82801EB Ultra ATA Storage Controllers
IDE Controller Intel(R) 82801EB Ultra ATA Storage Controllers
Floppy Drive Floppy disk drive
Disk Drive WDC WD800BB-75CAA0 (74 GB, IDE)
Optical Drive _NEC DVD_RW ND-3550A
Optical Drive HL-DT-ST DVD-ROM GDR8162B (16x/48x DVD-ROM)
SMART Hard Disks Status OK

[Chewy]

doc,
looks like no serial controller but just to be sure
post an everest computer/summary quick report

night,
everst in sensor quick report
you might see some voltages reported, as long as the voltages look strong
you should be able to add a drive

Voltage Values:
CPU Core 1.47 V
+3.3 V 3.31 V
+5 V 5.13 V
+12 V 12.16 V

[Dr Klovernutz]

--------[ EVEREST Home Edition (c) 2003-2005 Lavalys, Inc. ]------------------------------------------

------------------

Version EVEREST v2.20.405
Homepage http://www.lavalys.com/
Report Type Quick Report
Computer
Generator
Operating System Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition 5.1.2600 (WinXP

Retail)
Date 2006-04-29
Time 15:03


--------[ Summary ]-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------

Computer:
Operating System Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
OS Service Pack Service Pack 2
DirectX 4.09.00.0904 (DirectX 9.0c)
Computer Name
User Name

Motherboard:
CPU Type Intel Pentium 4, 2600 MHz (13 x 200)
Motherboard Name Dell Dimension 4600
Motherboard Chipset Intel Springdale i865PE
System Memory 1024 MB (PC3200 DDR SDRAM)
BIOS Type Phoenix (08/26/04)
Communication Port Communications Port (COM1)
Communication Port ECP Printer Port (LPT1)

Display:
Video Adapter GeForce FX 5200 (128 MB)
Video Adapter NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 (128 MB)
3D Accelerator nVIDIA GeForce FX 5200
Monitor Dell 1800FP (Digital) [18" LCD]

(7R47732C06QK)

Multimedia:
Audio Adapter Creative SB Live! Series Audio Processor
Audio Adapter Intel 82801EB ICH5 - AC'97 Audio Controller [A

-2/A-3]

Storage:
IDE Controller Intel(R) 82801EB Ultra ATA Storage Controllers
IDE Controller Intel(R) 82801EB Ultra ATA Storage Controllers
Floppy Drive Floppy disk drive
Disk Drive WDC WD800BB-75CAA0 (74 GB, IDE)
Optical Drive _NEC DVD_RW ND-3550A
Optical Drive HL-DT-ST DVD-ROM GDR8162B (16x/48x DVD-ROM)
SMART Hard Disks Status OK

Partitions:
C: (NTFS) 76261 MB (9605 MB free)

Input:
Keyboard Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2

Keyboard
Mouse Logitech-compatible Mouse PS/2
Game Controller Microsoft PC-joystick driver

Network:
Network Adapter Intel(R) PRO/100 VE Network Connection

(69.168.212.79)

Peripherals:
Printer Canon i850
USB1 Controller Intel 82801EB ICH5 - USB Controller [A-2/A-3]
USB1 Controller Intel 82801EB ICH5 - USB Controller [A-2/A-3]
USB1 Controller Intel 82801EB ICH5 - USB Controller [A-2/A-3]
USB1 Controller Intel 82801EB ICH5 - USB Controller [A-2/A-3]
USB2 Controller Intel 82801EB ICH5 - Enhanced USB2 Controller

[A-2/A-3]
USB Device CanoScan LiDE 50
USB Device Logitech Cordless RumblePad 2 USB
USB Device USB Printing Support

[Dr Klovernutz]

so what kind of HD must I buy
SATA
PATA
IDE
??

my currrent HD is hooked up via ribbon cable and all of my documentation says ultra ATA

-DrK