Which SATA connector?

I don't know of any reason that you cannot connect the HD to any available SATA connector.

You will need to buy another data cable.  There are no spares that come with the machine.

Peter

That is what i assumed.

The instructions worried me for a minute.

Why are the SATA connectors not contiguous?

Or am i being stupid now?

Chris

I suspect that the numbering has something to do with what was removed from your motherboard.

A "full" motherboard (e.g. 9200) has 6 SATA: 4 for HD's (two RAID arrays) and 2 for optical drives.  I think they stripped yours down to 2 for HDs (no RAID) and 2 for optical drives.  They removed what would have been sockets 2 and 3 and left 0, 1 (for the HD) and 4, 5 (for the opticals).  Of course, it doesn't really matter because they are all the same in the end (except the default boot device is the lowest numbered).

Peter

The mist is clearing! Slowly.

Thanks Chris.

HDD connected up.

SATA port turned on in setup.

Drive is recognised by computer, but i cannot format it in administrative tools!

Will i have to format via boot disc?

Chris

Did you partition it in Disk Management?

Peter

It wont let me.

It says Disc 2 With a red stop symbol across it, unknown, not initialized.

When i right click on the drive the drop down box has "New Partition" in it but it is not highlighted. so i cannot click on it. The other options "Help and "properties are highlighted.

Maybe i should just call a computer Whiz, and get out my Cheque book.

Regards Chris

Did you try initializing it?  I don't remember exactly where the option is, but probably right click on it and select Initialize.

Peter

Right click over the bit where it says not initialized. Click on initialize, the wizard then started up.

And away it went.

Job done thanks.

Why could it not have said that in help?

Thanks for your help.

Dont suppose you want to come round and set up my web site?

Buy you a beer?

Thanks again Chris.

I agree that initialization is not well understood or documented.  I believe that most drives are initialized but not partitioned when you get them, so it is often a non-issue.  You'd also think that it could just initialize before partitioning if it needed to. (I believe that initialization writes the MBR/partition table on the drive)

At least you got it working and now you know all about initialization.

Peter

Peter,

You have 'sort of' answered my question but I'm not entirely clear.

I also have a 9200; two based mounted hd's, DVD, 3.5" floppy and card reader.  RAID is disabled.  I would like to add another hd; presumably that would be in the slot below the DVD?  Or could I replace the floppy with a new SATA hd? 

Many thanks,

Rex 

You can replace the floppy with a HD.  The airflow is not as good in that slot so it might get a bit hotter.

Peter

Thanks, perhaps that is what I'll do.

Rex