Adding a new hard drive

Question

I just bought a dell 8400 and I would like to take one of my hard drives out of my old computer so I can put it in the new dell. It just has music on it.   It is an IDE drive and the cable for the IDE is being used by the cd/dvd-rom and the dvd burner.   Do they make cables with more than 3 outputs on it -- or what Am i supposed to do?   Thank You

shesagordie · Answer

jdh28.

The D8400 motherboard has one IDE connector for two IDE devices, if you have two IDE devices already installed, if there's a spare PCI slot, then you could buy a IDE PCI controller card [cost $30-$40] that has two IDE ports, allowing you to install four more IDE drives. You also, could buy a converter kit to convert IDE to SATA.

Personally I would prefer to use the PCI controller card, but if you don't have a spare PCI slot, then you will have use the convertor.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=12-107-112&depa=0

Bev.

B4runo · Answer

Add an IDE controller PCI card is one option. I don't believe that I have ever seen a 3 'output' IDE cable, only 2 - master & slave device configurations.

B4runo

DIMM 4400
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Win XP Home Edition, SP2
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Iomega 80GB USB 2.0 External HDD
XFX GeForce FX 5700LE 128MB DDR 8X AGP w/ TV & DVI
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SIIG US2275 USB 2.0 / 1394a / NIC PCI card

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jdh28 · Answer

Thanks. I've purchased the PCI Slot Card off of Amazon.   josh

truthfinder · Answer

You have an 8400 system which most likely has a SATA hard drive. If it were my system, I would invest in another SATA hard drive. If you use your old ATA drive, it will slow your system down a great deal. You would be going backwards........................

You can get a SATA 80 gig drive for about $80.00 bucks.

truthfinder · Answer

Would it not be a more wise thing to spend $80.00 bucks and invest in a second SATA 80 gig drive. This would keep the system running a peak speed and not bring it backward......................... An older ATA drive is not the answer......................

Just my 2 cents worth.

Steve :-)

chris_r_231 · Answer

Hi i am wanting to put another hard drive in my tower but i also whant to use this other cable that has it where i can hook both to the hard drive jumpers but i need to put a seccond rack in is there any way i can put the hard drive i am putting in with my one in my dell 2400 on the same rack but by screwing the hard drives rack that is going in to the rack in the pc now ?

chris_r_231

Storage, Drives & Media

Adding a new hard drive

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