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Paul T

83 Posts

11879

March 16th, 2007 14:00

E520-SATA2 or SATA?

I want to pick up a new larger HD to install Dells Vista Premium OS when it arrives but wondered does my Dell E520 have a SATA or SATA2 HD? I saw a post here earlier (listed below) where he tried to put a SATA as a 2nd drive only to find out his E520 could only accept SATA2. I thought my E520 used a SATA drive but looking at my original config I see I have HARD DRIVE, 80G, S2, 7.2K, 8M, I take it the S2 means SATA2? Also I do not have a controller card so what is the best way to go about connecting the 2nd drive, just plug into the open SATA connector on the Motherboard? I plan on using the original 80gig HD as a back up after retrieving our documents and such off it when Vista is installed on the new larger drive. Thanks all in advance for your help, it is much appreciated!


http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=dim_harddrive&message.id=121396&query.id=119328#M121396

mombodog

12.7K Posts

March 16th, 2007 15:00

"only to find out his E520 could only accept SATA2"
 
Don't know where he got this one, Not True.
 
There is almost no difference between Sata1 and 2
 
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=37254  a rant here, but his facts are correct

Paul T

83 Posts

March 16th, 2007 16:00

So this Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 250GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive would be the correct drive for my Del E520?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148111

Message Edited by Paul T on 03-16-2007 12:47 PM

shesagordie

10 Elder

 • 

46K Posts

March 16th, 2007 17:00

Paul T

Yes, the hard drive shown in your Link should work fine in the E520. You will need to buy a SATA data cable, similar the one shown here, there should be a spare power connector inside the case.

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.

Wayne P

11 Posts

March 17th, 2007 02:00

I'm new to this forum.  This topic is just what I'm looking for.  I have a Dimension 4600 about three years old.  If you want me to start a new topic because my model number is different let me know.
 
I want to install an additional Hard drive.  The user manual states there are two SATA connections on the motherboard.  I bought a Western Digital WD5000KS drive (500GB capacity) and installed it. The computer didn't recognize the drive.  The install was easy enough.  I put the drive in the additional drive receptacle and plugged the one cable from the drive into the unused SATA connector on the motherboard.  The computer booted OK, but as I said it didn't acknowledge the new drive.  I even went into the setup menu at boot time and changed the second hard drive specification from "OFF" to "AUTO"  But when I backed out of the screen the the second hard drive specification said "UNKNOWN DEVICE".  Did I hook up the drive properly?
 
I contacted WD and they said this drive model was a SATA 2 drive.  They call it "second generation".  They said some controllers, and I assume motherboards, do not recognize the drive because it uses autospeed negotiation.
 
I'm now looking for another drive.  Seagate has a 300GB drive, model number ST3300622AS-RK.  Among the tech. specs. it says the drive uses Native Command Queing technology and that the controller must support this technology.  My question is, of course, will my machine support this technology without buying a new controller card in addition to the drive?
 
Thanks for you help.
 
Wayne

mombodog

12.7K Posts

March 17th, 2007 02:00

"They said some controllers, and I assume motherboards, do not recognize the drive because it uses autospeed negotiation."
This is a confusing statement to me, the whole purpose of autospeed negotiation is to be backward compatible to sata1.
 
 
Wayne P, try this for that 500 gigger, go here  http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=dim_bios&message.id=41042 and find your model PC and reset the NVRAM, and see if the bios will recognize the drive.
 
"it says the drive uses Native Command Queing technology and that the controller must support this technology."
Only if you want to use that NCQ technology, it should not be used on a desktop PC anyway, it was designed for server environments.No need for a controller.

Wayne P

11 Posts

March 19th, 2007 02:00

mombodog , thanks for your reply.  I haven’t had a chance to try your solution yet.  However I got to thinking about the cable connections and it occurred to me that I didn’t connect the cables properly.

Refer to the  instructions from WD. (http://www.glowfoto.com/static_image/18-191439L/2624/jpg/03/2007/img2/glowfoto) The cable that came with the drive was the Secure Connect cable.   I followed their instructions and plugged the Secure Connect cable to the drive as shown and connected the other end to the unused SATA interface connector on the motherboard.

 

The drive that came with the system used the other method to connect the drive (right diagram).  The power cable is connected to a plug that is in turn connected to some other point on the motherboard or somewhere else inside the case.  The interface connector is connected to the SATA interface connector on the motherboard.

 

It appears to me that there is no power source for the drive if the Secure Connect cable is only connected to the SATA interface connector on the motherboard.  I opened the case again and found that there is another connection for a power cable that goes to the same place as the one I described above for the original drive.  The connector has a rubber cap on it.

 

So, maybe I should buy a separate power cable and SATA interface cable and connect the drive as shown in the right diagram.  I would plug the power cable into the unused one I found.  The interface cable would be connected to the unused SATA interface connector on the motherboard.

 

What do you think?  Sorry for being so long winded.

 

Wayne

 

 

 

mombodog

12.7K Posts

March 19th, 2007 02:00

Yes, this will work, be warned Do Not Use both Power connectors on the Drive, one or the other. Damage will result if you do.
 
That is what you did wrong, the secure cable supplies no power, it merely blocks off the sata power connector, they made this silly cable so you could not connect 2 power sources to the drive and damage it. The left diagram is wrong, if you use the secure cable, you must use the legacy molex to give it power.
 
None of the  other drive manufacturers have the old molex power connectors on their Sata drives. Bad Idea.
 
Get a regular sata data cable and use the sata power connector, leave the molex unused.
 
   molex power      +    secure cable
 
Or
 
  sata power       +    data cable





Never use this combo.

 

 

  +  + 



Message Edited by mombodog on 03-18-2007 11:11 PM

Message Edited by mombodog on 03-18-2007 11:11 PM

Wayne P

11 Posts

March 19th, 2007 15:00

Thanks for your help.  I'll try it again.
 
Wayne

Wayne P

11 Posts

March 23rd, 2007 20:00

I thought I'd wrap this up for those that might be interested.
 
The drive is now installed and working.  I found out that I didn't need to buy an additional power cable.  The extra one I described above plugged into the back of the drive as is.  I did have to buy a SATA interface cable because I couldn't use the Secure Connect cable that came with the drive.
 
One last thing.  When the computer is booted after installing the new drive you have to press F2 on the Dell screen and go to the drive configuration section and change the Secondary SATA Drive specification from OFF to AUTO.  Then when it goes through the boot sequence the BIOS will find the new drive.
 
Thank you for your help.
 
Wayne

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