Redwing278

There is a spare SATA power connector for a second hard drive inside the case

Use one of the SATA power connectors [P3, P5, P8 and P9] inside the case, see here.

The optical drives are SATA, the E521 does not support IDE [aka PATA].

Bev.


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Thanks for the reply.  The cable I saw inside the case is indeed the power cable and the plug is labeled P5.  I am missing the blue SATA cable.  I see a socket on the System Board labeled SATA.  Can I get this cable from Dell or from any computer supplier?

 

Again, Thanks for the help.

Redwing278

Yes, you should be able to buy the SATA data cable from Dell Spare Parts here, or from here

Bev.


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Shesagordie,

 

Thanks again for the ultra-quick reply.

 

I have ordered the hard drive from Dell and the cable from an outside source.

 

All of the phone calls I made on these matters to the Dell support phone numbers left me in

frustration.  I couldn't understand any of the people on the other end of the line.

 

Maybe you could answer the phones too! (just joking).

 

I'll reply again to this post when the drive is installed and working.

 

Again, thanks

Rod

Rod.

Pleased to have helped.

Yep, I''ve had that fustration feeling too and know how you feel.

Good luck with the upgrade.

Bev.


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Shesagordie,

Well, I purchased a Western Digital 500GB Sata11 drive from Dell and a SATA data cable from another retailer.  Now, my computer won't recognize the drive.  I connected the cable to the last remaining SATA connector on the system board.  Do I have to somehow turn on this connector?  I ran a series of Western Digital tests and they passed, but the drive doesn't show up in MY Computer.

Thanks again.

Redwing278

Yes, you need to enter the setup and check that the SATA port the drive is connected to, is enabled [on].

System Setup.

After the drive is recognized in the the setup and for windows to recognize the second hard drive, it must be patitioned and formatted, using disk management.

If you wish to have the procedure for using disk management, please post the version of windows being run.

Bev.


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Shesagordie,

    

Once again thanks.  My second hard drive is installed, formatted and now contains a backup of all the data on my main drive.  I didn't need to enter Setup as I knew the SATA connector was enabled because the Western Digital diagnostics was able to run.  Once I found the Disk Management program you told me about, the rest was pretty easy.

 

I wasn't able to enter System Setup anyway.  Nothing happened when pressing F2 either when steadily pressing or tapping during startup.  I also can't bring up the Boot menu to start in Safe Mode by pressing F11.  The only way I can start in safe mode is by selecting it in msconfig.  I am running Vista Home Premium.

 

     I wish the same could be said for the apalling service I got on the phone from Tech Support.  Are there really no numbers in North America to contact?

 

Say "Hello" to your cute cat.  Thanks again.

 

Redwing278

Pleased to have helped.

Sorry, to say, no. The only phone numbers for Dell's Technical Support are the ones, listed in their literature

I'll tell 'Bubbles' that you said, Hello. :)


Bev.


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