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best and cheap hard drives for a dell optiplex 3020 MT
hey guys, i am once, once again looking for advice on my computer. i got it and it says "Alert! No Hard Drive Found" so i ran some diagnostic tests and came to the conclusion that my computer didn't come with a hard drive. so i am asking for anyone who can help me find one that is cheap, good, and that is compatible with this computer. thanks everyone.
redxps630
7 Technologist
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10.4K Posts
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March 27th, 2021 20:00
It is possible you already have a 3.5 caddy (blue one in lower right cage) in your pc. maybe a 3.5 hdd is missing?
if yes you can save that for 3.5 hdd
here is a caddy that contains a 2.5 adapter for ssd.
you mount a 2.5” ssd on the black 3.5 to 2.5 adapter using up to 4 screws.
cozzi
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March 27th, 2021 21:00
im gonna go with the ssd with the caddy. now, another user recommended this:
i wanted to make sure if that's the best option. not saying it's a bad one it's just that i- (!update!) i was in the middle of writing that last sentence and i calculated all the parts and the total is 249.16!!! that's just 74 cents behind my budget!
so let me know if it is the best option for the price and if there are other better options, not to diss chino de oro's suggestion, but it would help if i could save some money to spend on necessities.
(OPTIONAL) after a reply, if it is ok with you all, i will post all my parts so we can look over them and see if i could get any others for a better value.
thank you all so much. you are making my dream a reality.
redxps630
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March 28th, 2021 10:00
That looks like the least $ 256 gb ssd option.
redxps630
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March 26th, 2021 22:00
3.5” Hard Drives
1TB SATA3 7200 RPM HDD
500GB SATA3 7200 RPM HDD
Chino de Oro
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March 27th, 2021 01:00
@cozzi , If you are looking for a good and cheap SSD drive, you might want to check out this Timetec 256GB SSD. Some of their products are made by Lite-on, which is one of OEM drives used by Dell.
I am just wondering how much will it cost after you complete building your computer while a complete Dell Optiplex 3020 MT is selling for as little as $99.
Mary G
4 Operator
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20.1K Posts
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March 27th, 2021 10:00
Open it up and see what else is missing. No hard drive means you have to buy a windows license. Consider the cost ($100 or more for Pro) before buying a hard drive. Maybe a newer computer with everything would be better.
cozzi
30 Posts
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March 27th, 2021 14:00
thanks for your help. i got my dell for $100 after shipping and all my parts (excluding the memory, and a hard drive) come to a total of $202. my budget is $250 but i could make it $300 if i need to.
i am a bit confused. are a hard drive (the thing i need to boot up my computer) hdd and ssd in the same group? because i thought hdd and ssd were memory and a hard drive was a whole other can of worms.
so the bottom line is a hard disk drive necessary, or can i just get an ssd to make my computer boot up.
let me know if i could help by answering any questions you might have. thanks
redxps630
7 Technologist
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March 27th, 2021 16:00
Re: got my dell all my parts (excluding the memory, and a hard drive)...are a hard drive (the thing i need to boot up my computer) hdd and ssd in the same group? i thought hdd and ssd were memory and a hard drive was a whole other can of worms...the bottom line is a hard disk drive necessary, or can i just get an ssd to make my computer boot up.
since you are able to power up your pc and see the error on monitor, you do not need memory. you already have memory installed.
hdd=hard drive. it is not memory. to boot your pc you need either an hdd or ssd (solid state drive) that contains OS (operating system). ssd is just a newer drive technology than traditional mechanical hard drive. it costs more than hard drive of same capacity. it is also 2.5" whereas hard drive is 3.5" for your pc. to install ssd you need a 3.5 to 2.5 adapter.
Chino de Oro
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March 27th, 2021 16:00
@cozzi , the hard drive and SSD are in the same group, they are storage. That is what you need to install operating system (Windows 10). I don't know how to say this, but for $250 budget, you could get a better and complete, ready to use computer. I just took the liberty to configure one at that budge. Here is what you could have gotten: a newer model 3050 MT, i5-6500 processor, 8 GB of RAM (memory), 256 GB SSD (hard drive), windows 10 professional, free shipping and 100 days warranty from Dell.
cozzi
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March 27th, 2021 17:00
thanks man ill look into it. i appreciate the help.
cozzi
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March 27th, 2021 17:00
thanks for this suggestion. any chance you know what is the maximum amount of gigabytes the 3020 can support and could you elaborate?
cozzi
30 Posts
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March 27th, 2021 17:00
thank you, this really helps. could you elaborate on: "it is also 2.5" whereas hard drive is 3.5" for your pc. to install ssd you need a 3.5 to 2.5 adapter." and list where i could find this adapter? thanks.
Chino de Oro
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March 27th, 2021 18:00
@cozzi , watch this video on upgrading a Dell Optiplex 3020 MT. You will see and understand the use of the adapter. You can search for it on Amazon or eBay, average cost around $7.
You may also open up your computer and look around to see what else is missing as suggested by another member on here. Maybe taking a picture of your computer will help us to understand your needs better.
cozzi
30 Posts
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March 27th, 2021 19:00
thank you so much. i will reply back with any questions.
redxps630
7 Technologist
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March 27th, 2021 20:00
You have two memory chips already. All you need is a 500gb 3.5” hdd if you want to save a few $ and don’t mind the sata3 hdd speed. or you can buy a 120-240 gb ssd + the caddy that has 2.5 adapter.