Adding a second SATA drive

Question

Hi folks,   Got a new Dimension 5150 a few days ago and want to add a SATA drive from my old PC. It is formatted and partitioned with lots of data on it and was working well in the old PC.   I noticed that there was no spare power cable so have added one to the spare plug on the motherboard. There is however a spare plug at the end of the drive cable which I have fitted. However, the drive is not seen by the system. I have right-clicked My Computer>Manage>Disk Management and only 'C' is found. Do I have to enable something for this drive to be found? I have held the drive whilst the PC is booting and the drive does vibrate slightly so I think it is powered and spinning up.   Would be very grateful for any help you can give.

boronet · Answer

shesageordie   Sorry but how do I check setup?   The cable I had to buy was a blue cable, to link the shorter of the two connections on the drive to a plug on the motherboard. This is next to the existing power supply lead for the existing drive. The existing drive is connected to the first plug on the data cable. The end plug on this cable I have connectedto the drive I am adding.

shesagordie · Answer

boronet   Did you check the setup, if the second hard drive is set to auto [on]?   There should be second power connector for the hard drive, inside the case, but you will need a SATA data cable.   Bev.

Kanuk001 · Answer

The SATA drive requires an additional data cable. You will notice two SATA connectors on the MB. Only one is populated.

If you buy it from DELL, it is about $7 + shipping.

The cable is special in that in order to fit the case, the drive connector has to be a right angle.

Message Edited by Kanuk001 on 09-26-2006 09:56 PM

shesagordie · Answer

boronet

Either turn on, or restart your computer.
When the blue DELL logo is displayed, you must watch for the F2 prompt to appear.
Once this F2 prompt appears, press F2 immediately.

More information about your system, here,

http://support.dell.com/support/systemsinfo/documentation.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&~cat=12

Bev.

boronet · Answer

Thanks to shesagordie and kanuk001 for your help.   For reference, it was just as easy as you said. Altering the second SATA device to 'ON' was all it needed. Excellent!   I had bought a data cable on eBay for £2.50, it's not quite as long as the original so has to go a more direct route but is OK.   Live long and prosper!!

shesagordie · Answer

boronet     That's great, happy to hear the drive is running.    :)   Bev.

Storage, Drives & Media

Adding a second SATA drive

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