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November 24th, 2006 23:00

Add a second hard drive to Dimension 8200

Hi: My original hard drive that vame with my Dimension 8200 is making some odd noises when first started up. Kind of goes away when I tap on the top of the case. I am concerned it may be on its way out. I would like to add a second hard drive to the computer and have a couple of questions.
 
Please tell me the type and brand of drive that will work for me. I don't care about the money. Just want a good drive  that is quiet (I have a hearing disorder).
 
If I install the hard drive so I need to do anything special or is it ready to go?
 
 
Also, once instaled can I just copy the original drive over to the new one (programs, documents and all) or is ther a special and difficult process  that I need to go through? I was hoping that I could install the new drive and copy everything  over to it and then use it as a replacement fo the old one.
 
 
Sure would appreciate any help or tips you can offer. I am not tech oriented at all but wiling to give it a shot.
I read in another post that my BIOS may me an issue. Mine is A05.
Thank you so very much.

shesagordie

10 Elder

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46K Posts

November 25th, 2006 01:00

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Try to buy either a 7200rpm 8mb cache ATA/IDE Seagate, Western Digital, Samsung or Hitachi.  Maxtor is not a good buy at this time, due to high failure rates.  Check the lenght of the warranty, there's one to five years [Seagate] on hard drives.
 
To install a hard drive larger than120gb in the D-8200 requires, Windows XP SP1 or SP2 and BIOS to A02 or higher.

How to install a second internal HD in the D-8200.

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim8200/replace.htm#1102155

Remember to set the HD's jumpers to cable select, as noted in the instructions, enter the setup and check that the second hard drive is set to auto [on].

After the drive has been installed, it must be patitioned and formated.   These are generic instructions for installing an additional hard drive using Windows XP Disk Management, they are by Seagate, but apply to all brands,
 
To clone the hard drive, you need a imaging utility, such as Acronis True Image 10.0.

The Acronis True Image 10.0 Manual in PDF, can be download from here,  
 
You can download a full retail copy of True Image 10.0 @ $31.90 and burn it to a CD, from here,

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E1681528708SF

Install the new drive as the secondary, image the exsisting C:/ to it. Then shutdown the system, switch the data cable, to make the new hard drive the master and see if the system boots correctly.    You could use XP disk management to partition and format the old hard drive to use as storage, if you so wish. 

Before cloning a hard drive, be certain that existing drive has no corruption or virus on it, as these will be transfered to the new hard drive.

Bev.
 
 
 
 
Please don't send me questions about your system by DCF Messenger.
Post the issue in the appropriate Board, where they will be answered.
         

 

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123 Posts

November 26th, 2006 01:00

Thank you Bev. Seems like a lot to do but you have laid it out clearly for me so I feel I can give it a try. Thank you agai, Ed

shesagordie

10 Elder

 • 

46K Posts

November 26th, 2006 01:00

Ed.
 
Good luck.
 
Sometimes it helps to print everything to use a reference.
 
Bev.
 
 
 
 
Please don't send me questions about your system by DCF Messenger.
Post the issue in the appropriate Board, where they will be answered.

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