Questions about Installing 2d Hard Drive

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bob Stringer
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Bob Stringer

I asked a question here a couple weeks ago about how easy it
might be to install a second hard drive (which I'd like to
use for imaging). The answer was that it was reasonably
simple -- a matter of identifying the jumper on the new
drive marked slave, and then attaching the appropriate
connector on the IDE cable to it.

I picked up a second hard drive and opened up the computer
(a Dell Dimension 4100) to connect the new drive as the
slave, and I just can't figure out a couple of things.

First, I was told that the IDE cable (which I assume is the
ribbon-shaped cable thing that's currently attached to the
existing hard drive) has two connectors -- and that the one
farthest from the mother board goes to the master. But I
don't see a second connector for the slave. The cable
basically looks like one long ribbon, with one end connected
to the original hard drive and the other to something else
(the mother board, I'd say) without much room for extras. I
expected to see a loose connector hanging from the ribbon
(maybe with a cap or something on it), so what I had to
connect would be obvious, but everything I see inside the
computer is connected to something else.

So what am I missing? For example, do I have to get a new
cable with two connectors one it to replace the old cable;
is there something that's currently connected to something
else which I can unhook and then connect to the slave, etc.?

Second, even if I could see a loose connector that I could
simply attach to the new hard drive, I don't see where the
second hard drive is supposed to fit inside the case or how
to hold it in place. There's empty space, but nothing that
looks like a slot designed to hold a second hard drive (the
one thing that does look like it is like a little shelf that
has the cable going right in front of it with little room to
spare; so maybe that's it, but it looks both rather cramped
and at the same time looks like the second drive wouldn't
sit there very firmly). Is there some sort of fixture I have
to buy for it?

Thanks.

Bob Stringer
 
Bob,
If you're learning, the best thing to do is deal with Dell. It may cost you
10% more than the cheapest price you can find, but the hours consumed and
frustration costs calculated in will more than make up the difference.

First, never go into your box without a statice wrist strap. You may not
think you've damaged anything, but when things don't work later, the
frustration and $$ will far exceed the savings you're trying to achieve by
buying at the lowest price and saving a shop labor charge.

The answers are. I suggest you get another ribbon or round cable to replace
the original with the correct length and with two plugs. You can add a plug,
if the cable is long enough, and correctly install in in the proper
location. To mount the HDD, you will need a mount to reduce the width from
the 5 1/2" bay to the width of the HDD. Mount the second HDD where the cable
plugs line up in their proper order to plug in the cables. Oh, set the new
HDD to slave; you mentioned you knew that though..

When you start to work on the computer, it's best to remove any static
disparity between you and the box by removing all plugs from it, plugging in
the power cord again (DO NOT turn power on), remove the case and touch the
power supply. The ground on the power cable is grounded from the round pin
on the wall plug to the power supply. It will not shock you. Then you still
need a static strap, but this procedure dissipates vertually all the charge
to the case and yourself. But the cards and MoBo are still very susceptible
to damage by charges caused by static. Don't do it on carpet. Don't wear
clothing that causes static electricity, especially socks. Dang, what a
dissertation. Sorry. Be careful.

good luck,
don
-----------

I asked a question here a couple weeks ago about how easy it
might be to install a second hard drive (which I'd like to
use for imaging). The answer was that it was reasonably
simple -- a matter of identifying the jumper on the new
drive marked slave, and then attaching the appropriate
connector on the IDE cable to it.

I picked up a second hard drive and opened up the computer
(a Dell Dimension 4100) to connect the new drive as the
slave, and I just can't figure out a couple of things.

First, I was told that the IDE cable (which I assume is the
ribbon-shaped cable thing that's currently attached to the
existing hard drive) has two connectors -- and that the one
farthest from the mother board goes to the master. But I
don't see a second connector for the slave. The cable
basically looks like one long ribbon, with one end connected
to the original hard drive and the other to something else
(the mother board, I'd say) without much room for extras. I
expected to see a loose connector hanging from the ribbon
(maybe with a cap or something on it), so what I had to
connect would be obvious, but everything I see inside the
computer is connected to something else.

So what am I missing? For example, do I have to get a new
cable with two connectors one it to replace the old cable;
is there something that's currently connected to something
else which I can unhook and then connect to the slave, etc.?

Second, even if I could see a loose connector that I could
simply attach to the new hard drive, I don't see where the
second hard drive is supposed to fit inside the case or how
to hold it in place. There's empty space, but nothing that
looks like a slot designed to hold a second hard drive (the
one thing that does look like it is like a little shelf that
has the cable going right in front of it with little room to
spare; so maybe that's it, but it looks both rather cramped
and at the same time looks like the second drive wouldn't
sit there very firmly). Is there some sort of fixture I have
to buy for it?

Thanks.

Bob Stringer
 
I'm off to get another ribbon and a mount now.
Click to expand...

Reporting back.

Just to make sure I bought exactly the right things, I took
the computer in to a local computer repair place that had
been helpful to me in the past.

The owner told me that all of my connections were accounted
for, and so I had to get a control card. I bought one for
$59 and the installation was very straightforward.

I'm posting another question here because, as knowledgeable
and helpful as the repair guy is (seems to be),
unfortunately English isn't his first language and it's hard
as hell to understand his explanations, as opposed to his
statements to do this or do that.

So, here's the question. When I've asked questions here
about connections etc. for a second hard drive, no one
suggested that I might need some kind of a control card, and
so I'm guessing that's somewhat unusual. Since my computer
(Dell Dimension 4100) has only standard stuff (zip drive --
which I never use), two cd slots, and a floppy drive), I'm
wondering why I would need a control card.

Thanks.

Bob Stringer
 
Dell has an excellent description of what you need to do and how to do it on
their website, I'd suggest you go there and study their pictures and
diagrams. Here's a link to just one of them describing the secondary hard
drive.
http://docs.us.dell.com/docs/systems/dzuul/rr.htm#secondary_hard_disk_drive

If I understand you correctly, you have the following devices in your case.
A Zip drive
2 CD devices
A Hard drive
For a total of 4 installed devices.

If that's the case, then you DO need the additional IDE controller card. If
you DON'T have four devices installed then you DON'T need the controller
card.
 
Dell has an excellent description of what you need to do and how to do it on
their website, I'd suggest you go there and study their pictures and
diagrams. Here's a link to just one of them describing the secondary hard
drive.
http://docs.us.dell.com/docs/systems/dzuul/rr.htm#secondary_hard_disk_drive
Click to expand...

Thanks very much. I actually had looked around the Dell
site a bit, and I saw this particular page referred to on
the "Dimension 4100 System Reference" page. I just didn't
go there because the description of the secondary hard drive
is in a section on replacing parts, whereas I was looking
for something about adding parts, and that wasn't referenced
anywhere that I found.

Now that I've seen your reply, referring to an "IDE
controller card," I was able to do a search for such a thing
on the Dell site, and there were some 18 articles on
installing such cards, but I still haven't found anything
which would tell a computer idiot such as myself whether I
needed such a card in the first place.
If I understand you correctly, you have the following devices in your case.
A Zip drive
2 CD devices
A Hard drive
For a total of 4 installed devices.

If that's the case, then you DO need the additional IDE controller card.
Click to expand...

That's my situation. Thanks for confirming that I needed the
card.

Does this mean that instead of getting the card, I could
have disconnected the zip drive (which I never use any
more)and connected the second hard drive in its place?

Thanks again.

Bob Stringer
 
You understand correctly. 2 IDE devices per IDE channel(header/cable)
one Master, one slave, mix and match as desired.
 
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