problems after installing second hard drive

[Jennifer]

My computer can handle up to 80 gb hard drive, 18 gb came installed on
the computer. I ordered an 80 gb to replace the 18gb. I tried to
install the new one without taking the first one off so I could try to
clone the data from the old HD. When I turned on the computer the
hard drive was making a bunch of noises and the computer froze/hung.
I had to disconnect the new HD and the system runs fine. Question:
Will that happen if you have more gb than your system can handle or
should only 62 gb be seen? If the problem happened because of too
much gb can I still clone the old HD somehow? Thanks.

 

[Rod Speed]

My computer can handle up to 80 gb hard drive,

How did you decide that ? If it can, it can likely handle 120GB too.

18 gb came installed on the computer. I ordered an 80 gb to
replace the 18gb. I tried to install the new one without taking
the first one off so I could try to clone the data from the old HD.

Yeah, generally the best approach.

When I turned on the computer the hard drive was
making a bunch of noises and the computer froze/hung.

Urk, looks like its dead out of the box.

I had to disconnect the new HD and the system runs fine. Question:
Will that happen if you have more gb than your system can handle

Quite a few systems have a problem with drives over
32GB and hang when a drive over 32GB is plugged in.
Shouldnt make any noises tho, it should just hang.

There are ways around that particular problem.

or should only 62 gb be seen?

Nar, its always the physical drive size that matters.

If the problem happened because of too much
gb can I still clone the old HD somehow?

Yes, but it shouldnt be making the noises if thats the problem.

There should be a 32GB size limit jumper on the drive.
You can try that if you want. The jumper often isnt
documented on the label on the drive, usually on the hard
drive manufacturer's web site. Which drive did you buy ?

 

[Jennifer]

The hard drive is a deskstar 80gb. I tried the jumpers on the 32gb
and it still did not work. I also tried just the new hard drive and
it did not work so the hard drive must be dead. Got a message saying
primary and secondary channel not found. Got the old hard drive back
in with no problems, but still get message about the channels not
found, but the system works. I only get that message if I push del
during startup. Other than that it loads fine.