How would I put a secondary hard drive in?

Question

What would I need to do to put in a second hard drive?I have Windows XP Professional edition.The first hard drive is still working,I just want more space.Will I have to somehow format the second hard drive?

Answer 1

You can just get an external hardrive connected through usb.
It is much easier, and you can move it to any computer you want to.

Answer 2

.
You should format the second hard drive
to remove the operating system, and system files
so that it will not conflict, and be clean for storage.

Open the case > touch metal to DEstatic yourself >
(that's very important);
find the SYSTEM ribbon. It will be plugged into the motherboard and the first hard drive; and it should have an extra plug-in on it.
Attach with screws the second hard drive into an accommodating area; and attach the system ribbon to the second hard drive, plus plug into it a power line. Look at the first hard drive as a guide.
You may see other ribbons:
1 for a floppy drive
1 for CD drive or burner (or both on the same ribbon)

While you are in there, use canned air to blow out the dust, and clean your fan.
Close the tower, and restart your computer.

If you plugged things in correctly, your Operating System should "see" the second hard drive as D.
If it does not, the go back into the case and reverse the plug-in on the ribbon.
Then restart your computer.
Then you can start moving files off of C onto D to free up hard drive space on C,
which WILL speed up your computer respectively.

Do NOT move your WINDOWS or SYSTEM files.
I'd leave most programs on C too.
You can move all YOUR stuff.

RIGHT click START > left click EXPLORE
In the left Explore panel you should see ALL the files on your computer.
To move them you
RIGHT click / hold down mouse key / drag the file to hover over D >
then let go the mouse button > select MOVE HERE

If you don't know what a file is, don't move it!!!

You will be very happy with the results.
You can also create a bit more speed by increasing your virtual ram (but that's another question).

h2h

Answer 3

that's easy to do

DO NOT LISTEN TO THE IDIOT THAT SAYS TO PULL THE POWER CORD ON THE MACHINE... you need the power cord there to ground everything and keep you from frying it with static.
If you don't take the power supply appart the voltage inside the rest of the computer is not enough to worry about AT ALL.

get a second drive and find some place where to put it in the case where the cables will reach to it properly.

Look on the drive for a set of 3 jumper connectors, they're usually labeled C S M.
M-Master
S-Slave
C-CableSelect
you want to put one of those little jumpers so short out the two pins where it says S (that puts it in slave mode). other drives show you how to connect the jumpers for the different modes... just look on the hard drive label.

Now there is a ribbon cable that goes from your cdrom to the motherboard
and one that goes from the existing hard drive to the motherboard. You can connect the new drive to either one of those cables as a secondary.
Either one of those cables should have an extra connector somewhere in the middle or at the end. If there are not 2 connectors on the cable, you need another cable with 2 connectors.
Connect the hard drive to the ribbon cable on the connector that is free and make sure the red line on the ribbon cable is facing the same direction as on the old drive.
Find a power connector (there should be a couple extras in there), they're the ones with the yellow red and black wires) Connect it to the hard drive the same way the other hard drive is connected.

You might have to go into your cmos setup to detect the new drive, or it might be automatic.
you're done.
Yes you might have to format the hard drive.
You might have to re-partition it as well
Make it an NTFS partition.
You do that by going to Start>Control Panel>AdministrativeTools>Computer Management>Storage>Disk Management

Answer 4

Of course you will have to format it. However, new hard drives come with a CD that will contain an easy to use utility that will let you do this. As far as how to put it in is concerned, the drive will come with instructions. The integrated controller on your motherboard should be able handle a second drive. The big ribbon cable that goes from the motherboard to the hard drive should already have a 2nd plug on it just waiting for your drive. The one thing I will caution you about is that if you have an old machine you may run into a problem with hard drives larger than 130 gig. The BIOS may not support 48 bit lba. That means that no matter how much larger than 130 gig your drive is, you will only be able to format and "see" 130 gig. Also, you will need XP service pack 2 or later for windows to handle > 130 gig. You will have to check with your motherboard manufacturer to see if the BIOS can handle it. If the machine is fairly new, then this should not be an issue.

Answer 5

Depends on the manufacturer.

Most internal Hard Drives are relatively easy to install. Make you you have a drive bay for it, connect the power plugin, then make sure that it is set as a secondary Hard Drive, AKA Slave, through use of the jumpers on the back.

When you book up your computer you will probably have to format before use, though some come pre-formatted. Since your running Windows XP, I'd reccomend formatting it under the NTSF file format.

Some Internal Hard Drives like Seagate and Western Digital come with Disks that help with the formatting of your computer.

For External Hard Drives, Its usually as simple as plugging it in a USB slot.

However, the speed of your hard drive will only be as fast as data can be processed over the USB, which can be a hinderence for the major Gamer who needs maximum performance.

Answer 6

You are specifying a second hard drive in your question which means you want to use it as a 'slave drive'. Look on top of the hard-disk; it will show the how to configure the jumpers. If you look in the back where your hard drive plugs in you will see 3 things; a large number of tiny pins together (data cable, better known as an IDE connector), a small number of tiny pins (jumper pins, the amount varies from 8 or 10) and 4 large pins (power input) you will find a small piece (called a jumper) in there that essentially completes the circuit between a set of pins. Following the diagram, place the jumper in the correct position for a slave drive.
Next open up your computer (make sure you power it down and disconnect your cables)and locate your original hard drive. Note that the data cable has a secondary input on the cable. You then want to mount your new hard disk in the chassis of your computer (should be in close proximity to the original). Once you have mounted the drive the next step is to hook it up to the secondary data connection to that hard drive. Be careful mounting it as it can only go one way; take special note to the notch in place where it is connected. Lastly, you will give it power. Find a spare power cable (usually a few available, just follow the power cables coming out of the power supply).
Close up your case and reconnect everything and power it on. If windows is working like it should, it will detect the new hard disk you have just installed. What you will need to do next is format it. Right click on My Computer and click manage. From there, click Disk management. You will see your hard drive there and it will need to be formatted. Look for the bar that shows unallocated disk space and right click. Next select format. That's all there is to it.

Answer 7

first pull the power cord from the machine, you'll then pull the side cover off of the right side of the computer. next, locate where the newHDD will. set the jumpers on the new drive to slave. insert the drive and secure it with the screws you got . plug the data cable that is used in the first one .into this drive. there is a second connector on the cable for doing this.then along with the power cable, you should be set. don't put the cover back on yet. power the machine up. check my computer for the new drive. should be labled "D" if it is there , then you can turn the power off and replace the side cover. if it isn't recognized, then you'll unplug the data cable and plug the secondary plug from the cd drive into this. just make sure the new drive is set to slave. replace the cover. power the system back on, check my computer. on the drive labled "D", right click it and in the drop down window, select format. don't use the fast format, use the other option and you can give the drive a name also..

Answer 8

They come with instructions - if you can handle 2 plugs and 2 little screws, you're there. BUT - why not just buy a Western Digital 300 gig USB drive? That's easier than eating ice cream.

Answer 9

Simple load the Bigger HDD with XP and connect it as primary master and another hdd as Primary slave. Dvd recorder as Secondary Master and Cd recorder as secondary Slave this is the usally way of installing which is the correct order which doesnt confuse.

Answer 10

Just get an external w. it's own programing, plug in it's USB, stick everything from HD1 on it then set it to auto back up. Stuff you never want to lose keep on both drives.

Answer 11

You should, instead of taking apart your computer, get a external one. You can get a good 80 gigabyte one for about 99 dollars. Just plug them into your spare USB port. Plus they are portable! So they can be put on any computer.