Installing a new hard drive

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Vasco

Vasco

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I want to buy a new hard drive for my 3 year old computer. My current drive is a Maxtor 160GB IDE ATA drive, and I'm looking at a Seagate 320GB (ST3320620A). Now I was wondering about a few things:
1) Is this compatible with my system? I noticed it has perpendicular recording, there are no special needs for this are there?
2) How do I install the new drive? (Do I need drivers, etc)
3) I want to backup some data (music, installers) from my current drive to the new one before formatting it. How would I go about doing this?

My computer has been randomly shutting down (no error message, just the system has recovered from a serious error) and I think it may be because my HDD hasn't been formatted for a year or two. Basically the plan is backup data from the old drive to the new one, format old drive, reinstall windows on old drive and all should be good.
 
Make sure you get another ATA drive, and not a SATA.

On your questions.
1 - Should not make a difference from what I have seen.

2 - You will not need drivers. You may need to change a Bios setting, but most of those come default to auto detect these days. Hardware wise, put it on the primary IDE cable as a slave device. This usually means moving a jumper on the back of the drive. Then just plug it in on the same cable.

3 - When you boot into Windows after plugging in the new drive, format it to the data system you want to use, NTFS is the standard for Win XP platforms now and it has large partition support. Then just copy the files that you would like to keep like you would copy anything else.

To make life easier in the future, this is normally how I run my primary hard drive. I do two different partitions, one reserved for Windows and programs I have the discs for and such, and the other for media and stuff that will not need reinstalling. This way, when I need to format and reinstall, I can just nuke the Windows partition and not have to external or remotely backup my files.

Seagate should include software to manage and create partitions. If not, I have found the Partition Magic software to work quite well.
 
Thanks for the help, partitioning sounds like a good idea for when I need to format in the future.
 
About the pc randomly shutting down. Have you cleaned the pc recently?
The cause could be that your pc is overheating because the dust is preventing air from flowing in your pc. Especially the cpu fan can get really dusty.
 
DustDriver
About the pc randomly shutting down. Have you cleaned the pc recently?
The cause could be that your pc is overheating because the dust is preventing air from flowing in your pc. Especially the cpu fan can get really dusty.
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Or the power supply could be ready to blow

Do you have any software to check the voltages?
 
Uh no I don't. Is there any freeware that can do check voltages for me? I'll give the computer a clean this weekend, I clean it about once a month. Thanks again for the help guys
 
Good way to figure out your Mobo is the Memory checker over at Crucial's site... they will check what model of Mobo it is and settings on it. Quite handy, as I used it to find out what model of mobo I had one day when I was being lazy >.>;
 
Thanks guys, I've checked my motherboard model number and will get scanning it soon. Will the program actually tell me if my power supply is stuffed or will I have to make that conclusion myself based on the temps?
 
DODGE the VIPER
Thanks guys, I've checked my motherboard model number and will get scanning it soon. Will the program actually tell me if my power supply is stuffed or will I have to make that conclusion myself based on the temps?
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On voltage not temperature

Here is a table I found for acceptable voltages

Nominal Voltages / Min / Max
3.3 V / 3.135 V / 3.465 V
5 V / 4.75 V / 5.25 V
12 V / 11.4 V / 12.6 V
www.certiguide.com/apfr/cg_apfr_TestinganATXPowerSupply.htm
 
I also recently installed a 500GB IDE HD (as slave) and 1GB ram (replace 256MB)
my pc also shuts down itself suddenly about 2 times a week after the installation
Would that be overheating? or something to do with the power supply?
 
It depends what power supply you have. Do you have a 250W power supply unit? Or is it more?

Does it actually conforms to the motherboard and the processor, the RAMs?

Submerged
 
franz
I also recently installed a 500GB IDE HD (as slave) and 1GB ram (replace 256MB)
my pc also shuts down itself suddenly about 2 times a week after the installation
Would that be overheating? or something to do with the power supply?
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Is the shutdown always random or it is when you are doing something CPU (or GPU, RAM, etc.) intensive?

Download Speedfan if you want to monitor your temps. If you have an Intel dual core download Intel Thermal Analysis Tool. If you really want to decide if it is overheating, give Prime95 a run on the torture test.

(sorry, I'd put in links but I have to be getting ready for work)
 
2 - You will not need drivers. You may need to change a Bios setting, but most of those come default to auto detect these days. Hardware wise, put it on the primary IDE cable as a slave device. This usually means moving a jumper on the back of the drive. Then just plug it in on the same cable.

3 - When you boot into Windows after plugging in the new drive, format it to the data system you want to use, NTFS is the standard for Win XP platforms now and it has large partition support. Then just copy the files that you would like to keep like you would copy anything else.
Click to expand...

Ok so now that I have the drive (yeah I know it's been a long time huh) this is all I'll need to do to install it right? Because I'm confused as to how I can 'connect' it to my computer exactly (I think the mobo only has one IDE connector, so do I connect it to the other hard drive?).
 
Well yeah, there's only one IDE connector, but the wire SHOULD have two connectors, with the one on the end being the master and the other the slave.

UNPLUG the computer! We don't want you fried, and we DEFINITELY don't want fried hardware. :P

Oh, and you'll need to connect the power wire. TO THE HDD.
 
If the drive is a Western Digital, Seagate or Maxtor it should have come with decent installation instructions. If not, or if it's a secondhand drive, the manufacturer's website should have the instructions.
 
Rotary Junkie
Well yeah, there's only one IDE connector, but the wire SHOULD have two connectors, with the one on the end being the master and the other the slave.

UNPLUG the computer! We don't want you fried, and we DEFINITELY don't want fried hardware. :P

Oh, and you'll need to connect the power wire. TO THE HDD.
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Okay... don't confuse the guy. Those two connectors on the IDE cable have nothing to do with Slave or Master, that is entirely determined by jumpers on the back of the HDD. From what I recall, you are backing up data onto this new drive, so setting it to Slave would be best.

Oh, and you should have 2 IDE cables, one running to your Optical drive, the other to your current HDD. Just use the other connector on the one plugged into the HDD. Once the IDE is plugged in, plug the 4 pin power connector in, and don't worry about having either correctly orientated; they both have shaping to make sure you plug them in the correct way.

After all that, just boot up and format and then just copy away.

FYI - when I open the case to a computer to work on, I generally have it unplugged (though not always) and I touch the metal in the case to ground myself, thus preventing static damage. Though in all my years of computer work, I've never had anything get damaged, and I've fiddled alot with computers. So don't think its easy to fry stuff in there and what not, they aren't nearly as delicate as many people think.
 
Some "small form factor" machines only come with single-drive cables, usually because there's no place to actually put another drive. One of these cables might have been used by a cheapie manufacturer to save $.03 a unit.

A lot of drives come with a cable. Modern drives need the 80-wire cable, so be sure you've got that.

And some machines DO select master or slave by cable position, hence the "cable select" jumper position on the drives. HP/Compaq does this a lot.
 
Azuremen
Okay... don't confuse the guy. Those two connectors on the IDE cable have nothing to do with Slave or Master, that is entirely determined by jumpers on the back of the HDD. From what I recall, you are backing up data onto this new drive, so setting it to Slave would be best.

Oh, and you should have 2 IDE cables, one running to your Optical drive, the other to your current HDD. Just use the other connector on the one plugged into the HDD. Once the IDE is plugged in, plug the 4 pin power connector in, and don't worry about having either correctly orientated; they both have shaping to make sure you plug them in the correct way.

After all that, just boot up and format and then just copy away.

FYI - when I open the case to a computer to work on, I generally have it unplugged (though not always) and I touch the metal in the case to ground myself, thus preventing static damage. Though in all my years of computer work, I've never had anything get damaged, and I've fiddled alot with computers. So don't think its easy to fry stuff in there and what not, they aren't nearly as delicate as many people think.
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Some machines do use the cable to determine which drive is master and which is slave. That's why HDD's today have jumper settings for master, slave and cable select.

Good point on touching bare metal on the machine somewhere. It's an often overlooked precaution, and many people aren't even aware of it.
 
BobK
Some machines do use the cable to determine which drive is master and which is slave. That's why HDD's today have jumper settings for master, slave and cable select.

Good point on touching bare metal on the machine somewhere. It's an often overlooked precaution, and many people aren't even aware of it.
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Umm... this would be news to me. I've NEVER heard of that, and EVERY HDD I have ever worked with in the last 12 years have had jumpers... they are not a new thing.

Unless you are refering to the Cable Select option, which I completely forgot about :dunce: I never use it just because I've been setting things manually for so long, and I've had issues with it. That, and I generally swap drives in and out often, and sometimes its just easier to mount the Master where it would normally get the slave part of the cable.

Bah, thats what I get for working with IDE 40 cables way back in the day... at least the new 80's don't have a cut wire in them, I believe.

I still recommend setting the jumpers, not really all that hard... and I think both drives have to be on CS to work properly that way anyhow.
 
Azuremen
Umm... this would be news to me. I've NEVER heard of that, and EVERY HDD I have ever worked with in the last 12 years have had jumpers... they are not a new thing.

Unless you are refering to the Cable Select option, which I completely forgot about :dunce: I never use it just because I've been setting things manually for so long, and I've had issues with it. That, and I generally swap drives in and out often, and sometimes its just easier to mount the Master where it would normally get the slave part of the cable.

Bah, thats what I get for working with IDE 40 cables way back in the day... at least the new 80's don't have a cut wire in them, I believe.

I still recommend setting the jumpers, not really all that hard... and I think both drives have to be on CS to work properly that way anyhow.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I don't set the jumpers for cable select either. That way I don't have to worry about which connector is master and which is slave, or whether the drive already there is jumpered to master even though it's on what's supposed to be the slave connector. I had enough trouble trying to remember which connector was which back in the floppy drive days.
 
Hey I have a problem...after connecting my HDD to the IDE cable (and power), these two new DVD drives appeared out of nowhere and even though the computer can detect my ST3320bla bla drive (the one I just put in) it's not showing up in My computer. I haven't been to the BIOS or formatted it yet (how can I do that without erasing my main C drive) so yeah...any help would be appreciated.

Both the hard drives have a small black bar (which I think is this jumper you are talking about) on the second column from the left out of four columns on the back if that helps.

wtfqu9.jpg
 
That odd that those drives showed up, more so because they are SCSI... interesting. Not sure what to say on that actually.

You do not want to format your C drive. Windows can handle the formating... just go to Control Panel (I am using Classic View)-> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management. Once there, go the Disk Management under Storage. It should show you all the drives attached, their capacity, file system, etc. Right click on your new drive and say Format. You'll want to do NTFS.

Or, likely, your drive came bundled with software that will do that for you.

Bah, so much better than working with Fdisk, lucky people :P

On the SCSI bit... looks like Windows may have loaded some extra drivers it did not need... not sure though still...
 
Wai wai wait. BACK IN the floppy drive days?

My comp's got one. Of course, it doesn't have the processor to run Fable. And yet it runs fine. 913mhz Celeron, 256 RAM, 40GB hdd, 128mb nVidia GeForce FX5200 video card, and a cheap dial-up modem out of an HP. DVD drive, check, CDRW, check. It's a pile.
 
Ok now it's showing up fine and I have backed up all the stuff that I wanted to on it. Thanks guys. So the final step (yeah I know I'm quite new to this installing hardware thing) to format my first drive would be to right click it in that computer management section and click format? Or does the format process involve a Windows CD? And then once formatted I'm presuming that I'll be able to reinstall Windows onto my other hard drive (I set up a partition of 30GB for it) by just inserting the Windows CD into my drive and starting up the computer.

Now I want to do this so that all the video/music files I have on that second drive will work once I've reinstalled the appropriate playback programs (I had a situation once where my files just suddenly became incompatible with my computer and just didn't work anymore).
 
Dodge, do you have music you purchased though iTunes or similar service? Cause the DRM on it could be the problem with your music becoming incompatible. If its not, any Mp3, WMA, AAC player will be able to play it back after its copied.

In regard to formating your C: drive, you can't really do it from Windows like you did the other drive. Otherwise it would be trying to delete the program that doing the formating, which would be tricky :sly: Use the Windows CD to boot up into the installation mode, and it should give you the option to format the C: drive and install on it. Thats how I remember it going anyhow. Just make sure you have want you want backed up, otherwise you'll be in some trouble :P

And Rotary, yes, way back when in the Floppy drive days. The big ones, when 486 was fast, 4 megs of ram cost 100 dollars, and a 200 meg HDD was huge. I've been working on computers longer than you've been alive :sly:
 
Azuremen
I've been working on computers longer than you've been alive :sly:
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And I can say the same of you, my friend :D

My first computer was very similar to this except mine had four times the memory; eight 2102's instead of a pair of 2101's. My next machine didn't even come with a hard drive, or even a floppy drive for that matter, and 16K (that's right, kilobytes, not megabyes) of expansion RAM cost $100. A floppy drive was soon made available for it, and later on you could even add a 5 MB hard drive, for the low price of $1995.
 
BobK
And I can say the same of you, my friend :D

My first computer was very similar to this except mine had four times the memory; eight 2102's instead of a pair of 2101's. My next machine didn't even come with a hard drive, or even a floppy drive for that matter, and 16K (that's right, kilobytes, not megabyes) of expansion RAM cost $100. A floppy drive was soon made available for it, and later on you could even add a 5 MB hard drive, for the low price of $1995.
Click to expand...

Those days predate me, this is true. My father on the other hand has been working with computers for, in all odd, the better part of half a century. When I cleaned out the basement, I tossed out a 10 meg storage unit that was about 2 feet by 3 feet by about 10 inches in size and weighed 40 pounds. Of course, he also worked with them when you had to build the switches and such yourself with nice fatty capacitors and such.

Oh man, the good ole days :P I still can't get over how a gig of ram costs less than 40 bucks, and the ever decreasing price of HDD's... though is it just me or does there seem to a be 40 dollar limit HDDs never go under?
 
If I can find two 512mb PCI-style (not DDR) sticks of ram for less than $50, I'd be really happy.

Then all I'd need is a new mobo, followed by 1-2gb DDR ram and a good video card (not saying that my 128MB FX 5200 sucks, but...).
 
You mean old 164 PIN? PC133... yeah, right. That SDRAM is ancient and more of a collectors item than anything else. Looking at prices, its about $50 just for a stick for 512mb.

You need a full bore redo of the mobo and such... but if you are using PC133 ram, then you'd have to get a new processor, RAM, and a PCI x16 Card I would say, since AGP is pointless now.
 

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