Hard Drive Help

[PaulaDawn]

Just bought a Dell Dimension 1100, I saved the hard drive from my old
computer a Maxtor Diamond max Plus 9 120GB ATA/ 133 HDD. The computer only
has one connector for the hard drive, but since it did not come with the DVD
drive I was wondering if I could put it on that EDE cable OR it has a spare
IDE slot so could I use the cable that I have and connect it on that? OR
should I just wait and get a new cable? and the Maxtor is 7200 RPM, should I
use that as my primary drive? and How do I find out what the specs are for
the drive that came with the computer?
Thanks

 

[Ron Martell]

Just bought a Dell Dimension 1100, I saved the hard drive from my old
computer a Maxtor Diamond max Plus 9 120GB ATA/ 133 HDD. The computer only
has one connector for the hard drive, but since it did not come with the DVD
drive I was wondering if I could put it on that EDE cable OR it has a spare
IDE slot so could I use the cable that I have and connect it on that? OR
should I just wait and get a new cable? and the Maxtor is 7200 RPM, should I
use that as my primary drive? and How do I find out what the specs are for
the drive that came with the computer?
Thanks

You could do either, whichever works best for you for installing and
connecting up the cables. If there is another drive connected to the
same cable make certain that the drive jumpers are set properly for
master/slave configuration. If it is an 80 wire cable then you can
use cable select settings.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."

 

[PaulaDawn]

How do you find out if it is a 80 pin cable?
They are finer in texture aren't they?

 

[RonK]

Yes

How do you find out if it is a 80 pin cable?
They are finer in texture aren't they?

 

[Anna]

How do you find out if it is a 80 pin cable?
They are finer in texture aren't they?

Paula:
To the best of my knowledge the Dell Dimension 1100 came standard with an 80
GB HD. Is that not what you have now installed in that machine?

I assume from your query that you're considering using that 120 GB Maxtor
either to replace the 80 GB drive as your booting drive or using the 120 GB
HD as a secondary drive for storage or some other purpose. Is my
understanding correct?

If it is, I really don't think substituting the 120 GB HD for the 80 GB HD
as your booting HD will yield any appreciable performance enhancement in
your present system. It will, of course, give you some added disk space
capacity on your booting drive but I don't know if that's really important
to you.

If you're planning to use the 120 GB HD as a secondary drive, I'm not sure
if you can accomplish that in your present system. My understanding is that
the 1100 came standard with a CD burner and that device is installed as a
Slave to the HD. Since that machine contains only a single IDE connector to
which the HD and the optical drive are connected, you don't have available
IDE connection for your second HD under the present circumstances.

If, of course, you would uninstall the optical drive then you could install
the second HD on the same IDE cable used by your primary HD. (Most certainly
the IDE ribbon cable presently in use is an 80-wire cable, suitable for hard
drives). But I hardly think you would want to remove a CD burner to achieve
this capability. I do note your statement that the machine did not come with
a "DVD drive", but I'm not clear if you mean the computer didn't come with
*any* optical drive. If that is indeed the situation, then you could simply
install the Maxtor on the same IDE cable that your primary HD is connected
to. This, of course, assumes the IDE ribbon cable contains two connectors -
an end & middle connector. I'm sure you do understand the secondary HD would
have to be correctly jumpered as mentioned by Ron. I believe, but am not
absolutely sure, that the Dell configuration in that computer is set up for
cable select.

Assuming I have all this right, i.e., your current configuration at this
point contains one HD & one optical drive connected to a single IDE
connector, there *is* a way you could install a secondary HD in your
machine. If you have an available (vacant) PCI card slot in your machine (on
the motherboard) you could purchase a HD controller card such as the Promise
Ultra 133 TX2 (sells about $35 or so) and plug it into that PCI slot. The HD
would then be connected to the controller card and then you would have two
internal HDs.

Have you thought about using your Maxtor in a USB external HD enclosure?
Anna

 

[Fred S *****]

Paula,

I'm in general agreement with all of the post replies so far except that
if there is indeed only one EIDE connector on the MB, and you elect to
go with an external enclosure, then I would connect the second HDD to
the onboard connector.

I would then connect the optical drive to an external enclosure (USB
2.0) - this way the HDD gains the most benefit in usage and speed via
the internal cable.

Fred S

 

[PaulaDawn]

I have thought about just using USB, they are not easy to find here, small
town. The option then would be to buy another cable and install the hard
drive, nice of them to put only one connector for the hard drive. There is
two connectors for the CD drive an extra one for the DVD I would guess, can
I switch cables? I am not really sure if there is any difference between
cable used for Hard drives and the ones used for CD drives.If so that would
be an option.

 

[Anna]

I have thought about just using USB, they are not easy to find here, small
town. The option then would be to buy another cable and install the hard
drive, nice of them to put only one connector for the hard drive. There is
two connectors for the CD drive an extra one for the DVD I would guess, can
I switch cables? I am not really sure if there is any difference between
cable used for Hard drives and the ones used for CD drives.If so that would
be an option.

Paula:
I really think that in your present situation installing that second HD in a
USB external hard drive enclosure would be the most desirable course of
action. Those enclosures are commonly available in local retail computer
shops and there are scores of online vendors who carry these items. Just do
a Google search on "USB external hard drive enclosures" and you'll be
pointed to many of these sources.

I assume you're going to use that second HD as a backup device. If so, it's
a much more desirable situation to install it as an external device rather
than as an internal one. It's simply a more secure environment for a backup
system.

You do understand that if you go the USBEHD enclosure route, you simply use
the (usually) provided USB cable to connect the device to one of your
computer's USB ports, yes? No IDE cable is used in that situation.
Anna

 

[PaulaDawn]

Well that sounds like a better idea then, I just want to get the hard drive
installed for backup, I am tired of putting everything on if there is ever a
problem. USB it is then!
Thanks for all the help.