Adding a Second Hard Drive: Hints for the Clueless

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thogek

This seems to be a common enough question around here...

I'm considering adding a second hard drive (for data-partition usage
only) to my current computer (which has a single hard-drive with
multiple partitions), and while I can probably muddle through such an
installation, I'm a bit clueless as to what considerations I might have
to make before deciding:
(1) whether my system will support a second hard drive, and
(2) if there's anything specific about the second hard drive
it would need for my system to support it.

This may turn out to be a simple "duh" question, but... I'm more a
programmer than a hardware mechanic, and have little experience working
in the realm of the latter. (In tinkering with a computer's insides,
I've installed RAM into an existing computer, and that's about it.)
I've poked around on the 'Net after this question, but am so far not
feeling too enlightened. And I don't want to go buy a drive and find
out later that it's the wrong kind for my existing machine, or some
other issue.

My current drive is listed as a "Seagate Alpine 80GB 8MB Cache SATA
Hard Drive."
The motherboard is listed as an "Intel D875PBZ ATX Motherboard."

Any thoughts? Questions? Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks.

- Tom Kiefer
thogek @ earthlink . net
 
This seems to be a common enough question around here...
I'm considering adding a second hard drive (for data-partition usage
only) to my current computer (which has a single hard-drive with
multiple partitions), and while I can probably muddle through such an
installation, I'm a bit clueless as to what considerations I might have
to make before deciding:
(1) whether my system will support a second hard drive, and
(2) if there's anything specific about the second hard drive
it would need for my system to support it.

This may turn out to be a simple "duh" question, but... I'm more a
programmer than a hardware mechanic, and have little experience working
in the realm of the latter. (In tinkering with a computer's insides,
I've installed RAM into an existing computer, and that's about it.)
I've poked around on the 'Net after this question, but am so far not
feeling too enlightened. And I don't want to go buy a drive and find
out later that it's the wrong kind for my existing machine, or some
other issue.

My current drive is listed as a "Seagate Alpine 80GB 8MB Cache SATA
Hard Drive."
The motherboard is listed as an "Intel D875PBZ ATX Motherboard."

Any thoughts? Questions? Any input would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

Assuming that your computer case can accomodate additional disk
and power supply has enough power (99% sure), judging from
http://www.intel.com/design/motherbd/bz/bz_con.htm
you can buy additional SATA disk drive and connect it to K.
If you don't have/don't want to buy SATA power converter,
look for SATA drives with a regular power plug.
 
This seems to be a common enough question around here...
Click to expand...
I'm considering adding a second hard drive (for data-partition
usage only) to my current computer (which has a single
hard-drive with multiple partitions), and while I can probably
muddle through such an installation, I'm a bit clueless as to
what considerations I might have to make before deciding:
(1) whether my system will support a second hard drive, and
Click to expand...

There's very few reasonably modern systems that dont, and
those that do its mainly the tiny cases where there is no physical
space to fit the second hard drive, unless you have 3 optical
drives in addition to the hard drive and that would be very unusual.
(2) if there's anything specific about the second hard
drive it would need for my system to support it.
Click to expand...

Just make sure its SATA.

And be careful, the SATA connectors are VERY fragile.
This may turn out to be a simple "duh" question, but... I'm more a
programmer than a hardware mechanic, and have little experience
working in the realm of the latter. (In tinkering with a computer's insides,
I've installed RAM into an existing computer, and that's about it.)
Click to expand...

You shouldnt have any problem, its actually easier than adding ram.
I've poked around on the 'Net after this question,
but am so far not feeling too enlightened.
Click to expand...

Yeah, its surprising how rarely basic
questions like this are succinctly covered.
And I don't want to go buy a drive and find out later that it's
the wrong kind for my existing machine, or some other issue.
Click to expand...
 
Okay, I'm presuming that SATA (serial ATA) isn't the same as various
other *ATA buzzwords, such as "Ultra ATA", etc., so that I need
something that specifically calls itself SATA?

For example, I was looking at the "Seagate ST3200822A-RK 200 GB ATA
Internal Hard Drive", as listed on Amazon.com, which many say they've
installed as a second drive, but which bills itself as having an "Ultra
ATA/100" interface.
Click to expand...

Serial ATA, which is what "SATA" stands for, uses a different cable and
different signalling from any other kind of ATA. There are adapters
available but they cost as much as an 80 gig drive.

The drive you mention is not an SATA drive.
 
Rod said:
Just make sure its SATA.
Click to expand...

Okay, I'm presuming that SATA (serial ATA) isn't the same as various
other *ATA buzzwords, such as "Ultra ATA", etc., so that I need
something that specifically calls itself SATA?

For example, I was looking at the "Seagate ST3200822A-RK 200 GB ATA
Internal Hard Drive", as listed on Amazon.com, which many say they've
installed as a second drive, but which bills itself as having an "Ultra
ATA/100" interface.
Yeah, its surprising how rarely basic
questions like this are succinctly covered.
Click to expand...

I've noticed. Makes me wanna start my own blog or similar just for
these. :-/

Thanks!

- Tom Kiefer
thogek @ earthlink . net
 
Peter said:
Assuming that your computer case can accomodate additional disk
and power supply has enough power (99% sure), judging from
http://www.intel.com/design/motherbd/bz/bz_con.htm
you can buy additional SATA disk drive and connect it to K.
If you don't have/don't want to buy SATA power converter,
look for SATA drives with a regular power plug.
Click to expand...

Mmm, thanks for the diagram page. Kinda useful to get a picture of
what I'm considering poking at *before* I go crowbarring the case. :-)

- Tom Kiefer
thogek @ earthlink . net
 
Rod Speed wrote
Click to expand...
Okay, I'm presuming that SATA (serial ATA) isn't the same
as various other *ATA buzzwords, such as "Ultra ATA", etc.,
so that I need something that specifically calls itself SATA?
Correct.

For example, I was looking at the "Seagate ST3200822A-RK
200 GB ATA Internal Hard Drive", as listed on Amazon.com,
which many say they've installed as a second drive, but which
bills itself as having an "Ultra ATA/100" interface.
Click to expand...

That might well work, but its simpler to stick with SATA in your situation.
I've noticed. Makes me wanna start my
own blog or similar just for these. :-/
Click to expand...
Thanks!
Click to expand...

No problem.
 
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