Adding IDE Drive to system

Question

Hi. I recently purchased a Dell Dimension C521.  I had planned to add a second 160 GB IDE hard drive that I have, from my old computer, but I can not figure out how I would connect it. I only see the SATA connectors - and only one of those which is already connected to the main drive, and the other to the DVD burner.  Is there a way to do this - an adapter of some sort? I see no IDE connectors.   Meg

ejn63 · Answer

The C521 won't take more than one internal hard drive anyway, so external is the only way to go.

shesagordie · Answer

megbergen

The C521 system has no support for IDE drives, only SATA,

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dimC521/en/SM_EN/techov.htm#wp1052632

You could use an powered external USB 2.0 IDE enclosure, same as shown here,

There's only support for two SATA and one floppy drive on the mother board of the C521 small format system.

http://www.shop4tech.com/user.htm?go=view_item&id=5140&cata=3&s_cata=184

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817145378

Make certain, it's a metal enclosure, not plastic.

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.

rickmktg · Answer

megbergen wrote:

Hi. I recently purchased a Dell Dimension C521. I had planned to add a second 160 GB IDE hard drive that I have, from my old computer, but I can not figure out how I would connect it. I only see the SATA connectors - and only one of those which is already connected to the main drive, and the other to the DVD burner. Is there a way to do this - an adapter of some sort? I see no IDE connectors.

Meg

In the future, by using the Advanced Forum Search on the bottom of this page, you can quite easily find the answer to this often asked question.

Right, the C521 is a SATA-only machine. You'll need to buy a Promise 100 TX2 card for $30, or buy a SATA drive.

megbergen · Answer

Thanks - I was thinking I might go the external USB route, so that I don't fill up my PCI slots - and I don't have an external hard drive already.   Thanks.   Meg

megbergen · Answer

Thanks - I searched but did not find the answer for my machine.  Perhaps I should have been using different search terms. Meg

shesagordie · Answer

Pleased to have helped.   :)   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.

Storage, Drives & Media

Adding IDE Drive to system

Was this post helpful?