What is the best way to install a new Hard Disk into my computer (internal)?

Question

I am unsure on the Master and slave part.

Unsure about jumpers and master and slave part

Answer 1

This depends if you buy a Serial (SATA) or Parallel ATA (PATA) Drive. Older PATA drives still have master and slave options, but SATA does not. If you were to use PATA, then you'd have to look at the drive and see if it has an markings or diagrams that indicate a master or slave position. If not available, check the website to find master and slave settings. When it comes to difference between the two settings, the master drive is the one that spins-up first. So, you want your primary drive to be the master. You can set your secondary drive to slave or cable select, but make sure that your master drive is set to be aware of the secondary drive if it is present.

Serial ATA the priority of the drive is based on the port that you plug it into, which you'll have to look at the mother-board manual or website for additional information. Everything else regarding hard drive installation should not be difficult since the cables can be only installed one direction.

Answer 2

You can set it up a few different ways. On the back of the hard drives are jumpers, you can place them on Master, Slave, or cable/selective. The best way is to have your current HD as the Master because it has your operating system located on it. If you place the jumper on cable/selective the master drive would be then end plug of an IDE cable. Otherwise you select your primary drive (current one) as the master and the new one as the slave. When your computer boots it should find the drive and bring it up for use after its been formatted with the accompanied disk.

Answer 3

There is two ways, if you set the jumpers to cable sellect, there is usually a diagram of the jumpers on each hard drive to show you which is cable sellect.

If you set them to cable sellect the IDE cable will determin which is the master - boot drive, and which is the slave - spare drive.

Your cable look like this

1]===========[2=====[3

ok, well not exactly...
sorry not the best diagram I know, but 1] is your ide connection for your motherboard, [2 is your ide connection for your slave drive, and [3 your connection for the master.

Note the the slave and master connection is close together, where is the mb connection is further away, for obvious reasons. But it lets you know which way round the cable goes.

hope that helps, thats the way I would do it.

There is the option to set the cable any way you like and just cange the jumper on one hdd to master and one to slave, and that does the same thing.

I know its easier if you are changing them round to change the jumpers, rather than uncrewing the hdds so you can set the cable, but jumpers can be fiddly, and by using cable sellect, its easy to know which is your master.

Answer 4

you will need to check what the current hard driveis set to. this done easiest in the bios, and then set your new hdd to the other setting either master or slave, you will normally be setting the second to slave, you may well find a jumper setting diagram on the hdd itself else the manufactures web site will list the settings.
Note, there are two ide channel on yor motherboard two masters or two slaves cannot exist on the same cable. You may well find it easier to check your drive settings through the bios as you will not be attempting a boot until you can see all devices

Answer 5

Do you want the new hard drive to be used as backup or a completely new copy of Windows? Master is basically the drive that is going to load first. You're going to have to manually adjust the jumpers if you haven't done so as well.

Answer 6

if you are using this new HDD for increase the space then you can make it slave but if you are going to use it as main drive then you should make it master drive so your system ll boot from this drive
as about the jumper setting its deference in each HDD manufacturer so you should tell what company HDD is this.

Answer 7

Your primary hard drive (where Windows is installed to) is your 'master' drive. Anything else would be a 'slave'

Answer 8

If you want to install the new hard drive in addition to your existing one then connect to spare power and data cables located in your CPU. and locate hard drive in spare slot. otherwise remove existing Hard Drive and replace with new one. if you are running two Hard Drives you can make either on ethe master by setting the keys in the BIOS. however the master must alway contain your OS. If you are replacing your existing Hard Drive ensure you copy all files you want to keep first

Answer 9

just remove the all the pins man dont be afraid it will the become slave..