The PCI bus onboard is 32 bit 33mhz.  Adding a PCI sata card would not be helpful.

The internal power will handle a second PATA drive.

Getting a Large Cheap Drive would be better served via and IDE to SATA bridge that fits on the back of the

SATA drive and uses your existing cables.  No Drivers required.

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0317195

Model: ADP-06 SATA to IDE Bridge Board Convert all SATA devices to IDE Support all SATA devices

 Data transfer rate up to 3.0 Gbps Two LED indicators for "power on (green) and "HDD (Red)

The $10 bridge would also allow you to buy a drive that would easily replace your internal drive with a single drive.

Thank you very much for the advice and link to the bridge. I am a new-bee, but learning fast. Can you explain the pros-cons to a SATA HD with the IDE bridge and a regular IDE HD as a second HD.

THX

Thank you very much for the advice and link to the bridge. I am a new-bee, but learning fast. Can you explain the pros-cons to a SATA HD with the IDE bridge and a regular IDE HD as a second HD. THX

I'd prefer a single SATA drive but if you don't have access to cloning software it can be challenging to copy the old drive contents over properly.

You can get a budget SATA card based on a Silicon Image chipset (I have used Syba and Rosewill brands in my Dells) for $15-20. You'll need an LED if you want the HDD activity LED to work.

I haven't tried the "bridge" so I can't comment on it. I *have* used Syba cards in 2350, 3000, and 4550 models and can attest to their smooth compatibility.

Oh, and I think that you will need to buy another drive bracket if you want to use two hard drives in your case. I bought one last week on eBay for $10 postpaid.

Thank you everyone for all your help and advice, but I'm a little bit confused at this point. If I understand correctly I have 3 options for adding a second hard drive. I want to have 2 separate drives. One for the OS and program files, and a second HD for mass storage. Can someone please explain the pros/cons of the following 3 options. Please correct me if I am wrong.

1. install a second IDE HD using the standard 40 wire IDE cable that is currently being used for my single C: drive

2. install a second SATA HD and use a bridge to connect it to the standard 40 wire IDE cable being used for my C: drive

3. install a second SATA HD and install a SATA card in one of the open PCI slots

I understand that I will have to buy another drive bracket, and that my current standard power supply will be enough to run both drives at the same time.

Am I on the right track?

THX

Mike

First option is to buy a PATA drive.

You can do that with it set to cable select and it will work.

2nd option is to buy a SATA Drive with an IDE Bridge.

Before you upgrade to Any new drive I recommend updating the bios to the latest version.

That way a 48 bit LBA Drive Aka one larger than 120 gigs will not be any kind of issue.

An Apricorn Drive wire comes with a BOOT CD that allows complete cloning of your old drive to the new drive no matter what OS or type.

The other reason for the bridge is that you get a better value for a drive being 500gigs or larger

working just fine on your old PATA system for a very good price.

Seagate Momentus ST905003N3A1AS-RK 500GB 7,200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 2.5" Internal Hard Drive
SKU: 646240

The Bridge to convert from SATA to PATA does not need drivers you just attach to the back of the drive when you go to put it in your machine.

Micro Center - Kingwin SATA to IDE Bridge Board ADP-06

Kingwin SATA to IDE Bridge Board
SKU: 376152

You can then use an Apricorn Drive wire for SATA or PATA Drive to clone from old to new drive.

Then you simply transfer the new drive to the machine and you have tons more space.

APRICORN DriveWire IDE/PATA/SATA to USB Hard Drive Adapter ...

Manufacturer Part# : ADW-USB-KIT   Dell Part# : A1164717

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/hard_drives_external/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=a1164717

Highlights Compatible with almost any 2.5" or 3.5" IDE/PATA or SATA Hard Drive Offers Plug-n-Play connectivity Bundled with USB 2.0 Cable, AC Adapter and Apricorn's Upgrade Suite CD

Overview The DriveWire IDE/PATA/SATA to USB Hard Drive Adapter from Apricorn is an ideal solution for transferring the data from a desktop or laptop PC to a new hard drive in a few easy steps. With this DriveWire Adapter you can easily transfer your OS, data, applications, documents, address books, e-mail, settings and preferences - from the old drive to a new drive, in few easy steps. DriveWire Adapter is bundled with Apricorn's ‘Upgrade Suite’ which features EZ Gig II cloning software for Windows and Shirt Pocket's SuperDuper for Mac. Just attach your 2.5" or 3.5" hard drive to the appropriate connector on DriveWire's cable head. Then connect the AC power adapter and the USB cable. Now, boot up your computer using the "Upgrade Suite" bootable CD and make and exact clone of the old drive onto a new drive. After the transfer is completed, install the new hard drive into the desktop or laptop, and the computer will boot up just like normal. This DriveWire adapter provides a SATA connector for the new style drives as well as 44-pin connector for a 2.5" laptop IDE/PATA Hard Drive and 40-pin connector for a standard 3.5" IDE/PATA Hard Drive, allowing you to connect a hard drive to any desktop or laptop computer with a USB 2.0 port. This adapter eliminates the need for a separate enclosure for every Hard Drive and is compatible with almost any 2.5" or 3.5" IDE/PATA or SATA Hard Drives. With all these features, this DriveWire adapter is an ideal solution for anyone needing immediate or temporary access to a Hard Drive.

Thank you everyone for all your help and advice, but I'm a little bit confused at this point. If I understand correctly I have 3 options for adding a second hard drive. I want to have 2 separate drives. One for the OS and program files, and a second HD for mass storage. Can someone please explain the pros/cons of the following 3 options. Please correct me if I am wrong. 1. install a second IDE HD using the standard 40 wire IDE cable that is currently being used for my single C: drive 2. install a second SATA HD and use a bridge to connect it to the standard 40 wire IDE cable being used for my C: drive 3. install a second SATA HD and install a SATA card in one of the open PCI slots I understand that I will have to buy another drive bracket, and that my current standard power supply will be enough to run both drives at the same time. Am I on the right track? THX Mike

 DirtBikeMike 

1. You need a three connector 80 wire, 40-pin, IDE data cable, not a 40 wire.

Bev.

Thank you all again for your replies.

 I do not need to clone or copy anything from my current C: drive. I am leaving the C: drive as is, I am just adding a second F: drive for mass storage.

If I am understanding correctly:

option 1 - install a old school IDE HDD to my current 80 wire cable and use the C select jumper setting

option 2 - install a SATA HDD with a IDE bridge to my current 80 wire cable - question: what jumper setting?

option3 - install a SATA HDD with a SATA card installed in one of the open PCI slots - question: what jumper setting?

THX

Mike

[quote user="DirtBikeMike"] Thank you everyone for all your help and advice, but I'm a little bit confused at this point. If I understand correctly I have 3 options for adding a second hard drive. I want to have 2 separate drives. One for the OS and program files, and a second HD for mass storage. Can someone please explain the pros/cons of the following 3 options. Please correct me if I am wrong. 1. install a second IDE HD using the standard 40 wire IDE cable that is currently being used for my single C: drive 2. install a second SATA HD and use a bridge to connect it to the standard 40 wire IDE cable being used for my C: drive 3. install a second SATA HD and install a SATA card in one of the open PCI slots I understand that I will have to buy another drive bracket, and that my current standard power supply will be enough to run both drives at the same time. Am I on the right track? THX Mike

 DirtBikeMike 

1. You need a three connector 80 wire, 40-pin, IDE data cable, not a 40 wire.

Bev.

[/quote]

Both kinds of cable have 40 pin connectors but the 80 wire versions also have color coded connections.

The Blue goes to the motherboard.

The Black goes to 1st drive.

The Grey goes to 2nd drive.

Usually Ships Within 24 Hours Manufacturer Part# 26961 Dell Part# A0011570 Length: 1.5 ft

Price $1.21

Thank you all again for your replies.  I do not need to clone or copy anything from my current C: drive. I am leaving the C: drive as is, I am just adding a second F: drive for mass storage. If I am understanding correctly: option 1 - install a old school IDE HDD to my current 80 wire cable and use the C select jumper setting option 2 - install a SATA HDD with a IDE bridge to my current 80 wire cable - question: what jumper setting? option3 - install a SATA HDD with a SATA card installed in one of the open PCI slots - question: what jumper setting? THX Mike

Option 1 is the easiest but I dont think the 2400 comes with the additional Drive bracket although the case can take it as its the same

as the 1st drive bracket just piggy backs onto it.

Option 2 gets more complicated because drives with bridges have Master and Slave but no cable select setting.

This is an issue due to intel chipsets.  You can set all your drives to master and slave configuration but if you mix them then

drives stop working.   You would have to move the CDROM drive to master then make the primary drive master then the 2nd drive slave

and use the 80 wire cables and all is well.

Option 3 is a non starter.   2400's have 33mhz 32 bit PCI slots.  You cannot do even UDMA 100 without the PCI bus starving

the rest of the system and locking up, corrupting all data and rebooting.   This has been an issue since the pentium3 days.

Thats why True UDMA 133 controllers are 133mhz 64 bit PCI-X.

DirtBikeMike

A Dell Dimension 2400  OEM tray/bracket for a second hard drive can purchased from either HERE, or HERE

Bev.

DirtBikeMike 

If you use 'Option' 1, the following may help:

As you already know a second hard drive bracket is needed for the Dimension 2400

 There are no instructions for installing a second IDE/EIDE hard drive in a 2400, but as the Dimension 4600 has the same chassis, you can use the 4600 instructions for the physical installation.

Set the second hard drive's jumpers to "Cable Select" and connect it to the middle connector on the cable.

How to install the HARD DRIVE.

After installing the drive, enter the setup and check that the hard drive is set to Auto [on].

 To enter the setup, tap the F2 key after a restart of the computer.

Use XP's disk management to partition and format the drive.

These are generic instructions for installing an additional hard drive using Windows XP Disk Management, they are by Seagate, but apply to all MAKES.

Bev.

THX Bev....you're the bomb!!

DirtBikeMike

:emotion-21:

Bev.

Excellent info Speedstep...thank you from a true newbe. Sounds like option 1 will be my best bet because it is the easiest. OK so I will search for a IDE HDD and plug it into my existing 80 wire cable using the C select jumper setting. I am bidding on another 2400 hard drive caddy right now on e-bay. It looks like it will just biggy back right on top of the original caddy. Is this correct? What is the best data transfer rate I can expect from this old school set up?

THX

Mike