I want to use my old hard drives...?

Question

Okay, so I have an old Compaq Hard Drive from an older computer, which I know is still in great condition- just with out a laptop (DK23AA-12). I also have a HP Hard drive from a pavilion.

They both were interchangeable for the two computers, meaning they have the same "plugs". I now have this brand spanking new computer, and the extra 90 gigs wouldn't hurt (even if it were external space). My new computer is a Dell Inspiron E1705 running Vista. What ways can I use these two hard drives, and yes I am okay only using one of them. I don't care if it is external or internal, I just am curious to how I would go about it. Connections, programs needed, yata yata.

Any questions you may have, make sure to leave them in your answer and check back later because I will update the question as you all ask.

Answer 1

Use them as slave drive this way:

1. Check first the jumper settings. Follow the guide on the stickers or the casing of the drive itself. Set jumpers as SLAVE.

2. If you want it to run fast, put it as slave on the same ribbon cable as your current master drive. That cable is usually plugged in to IDE1 on the motherboard.

3. You may opt to plug it in the same cable connected to the optical drive (CD or DVD). If 40 wire cable is used here instead of 80, your hard drive would run slower compared to the one in item 2. If an 80wire cable is used here, the hard drive will only slow down when the optical drive is also in use.

Once connected, BIOS should detect your additional drives and after Windows has loaded you should see it in My Computer.

Answer 2

homestead windows XP will recognize maximum exterior USB difficultcontinual enclosures. merely be warned nevertheless - a lot of those now place self assurance in a double USB lead. One USB plug is for archives, the different attracts greater desirable skill for thecontinual. now and lower back those reason problems with desktops whose USB controllers are actually unable to grant adequate skill. additionally it skill which you would be able to desire to apply 2 USB ports quite than merely one - and laptops generally have not got all that many ports. it incredibly is recommended to think approximately an enclosure that includes a separate skill grant which may be utilized instead to the twin USB lead. besides the incontrovertible fact that evaluate a powered USB hub.

Answer 3

you can add it as a slave.
Do the following:check the jumper on the old drive and set it to slave then connect it. this will work.

Answer 4

add the largest drive as a slave ( put the jumper on slave) and use it internally

Answer 5

you can add one more as an internal slave.