[Moose78]

I'm a newb to doing this sort of thing, and was wondering how hard it is and if any additional cables or anything like that is required.

Dell Dimension 4600

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Generally, the cable has two connections, so that is not an issue, as long as you don't have other devices which take up the spots. For IDE, you can have two devices per channel and there are typically two channels. Sometimes, not sure with Dell, they put the two devices (disk and CD/DVD) on the same channel to save a little bit of money.

I have also seen with Dell that they include the drive slides in the computer, at least with some models. Many computers don't use a slide, so it is not an issue.

Typically it is pretty easy, although sometimes trying to get the case open can be the hardest thing to do.

One thing to consider, depending on what you are adding the second hard disk for, is whether to use an external disk or not. This allows you to remove the disk, if you don't need it all the time.

[Kemasa]

Generally, the cable has two connections, so that is not an issue, as long as you don't have other devices which take up the spots. For IDE, you can have two devices per channel and there are typically two channels. Sometimes, not sure with Dell, they put the two devices (disk and CD/DVD) on the same channel to save a little bit of money.

I have also seen with Dell that they include the drive slides in the computer, at least with some models. Many computers don't use a slide, so it is not an issue.

Typically it is pretty easy, although sometimes trying to get the case open can be the hardest thing to do.

One thing to consider, depending on what you are adding the second hard disk for, is whether to use an external disk or not. This allows you to remove the disk, if you don't need it all the time.

[Moose78]

its an internal, and i have two cd drives(cd-rom and dvd-rom), do I just need to uninstall the cd-rom and use that ide cable??

[Kemasa]

There are several choices. First, which I don't recommend, is to just add the drive to the empty location. Second, make the new drive the master on the second IDE channel and then move that device to another location, either as the slave to the primary IDE channel or the secondary, which ever is not in use. The only choice is in deciding which to put where. I would tend to put the CD with the first disk, but then if you have a DVD boot disk, you might not be able to use it.

You can have 4 devices on the two IDE channels (two & two), so there is no need to remove a device, just move it.

[Moose78]

Not sure if I really understand, this is really the first time that I've dealt with anything like this. My ide cable has two connections on it, one black(master I believe) and the second one the slave which is gray. I thought I would have to connect the master to my new dvd/cd rom drive and the other two my new hard drive, is that correct?

But if I can still install the new hard drive and still have my second cd rom drive hooked up that would be great, but I didn't quite understand as to how


And if it helps, my hard drive is a Western Digital Caviar SE EIDE 160gb

Edited by Moose78, 24 February 2007 - 08:06 PM.

[Kemasa]

There should be a total of 4 spots for IDE drives, two on each cable. You mentioned that you had a hard drive, a CDROM and a DVDROM. That leaves one spot open, so if the list of devices you listed is correct, you don't need to remove anything (unless there is a space issue inside the machine.

You then should be able to connect the new disk to the master of the second IDE channel. Make sure that the jumper is configured to either master or cable select (I prefer being specific and setting the jumper to master, but it is a bit easier if the cable is marked to use cable select). Then, check the second device on that channel to make sure that it is slave or cable select.

You can just add the new hard drive to the open position, but I prefer it to be the master on a channel.

[AnthonyJ]

some computers come stock with a single connection ide cable on the main ide. what he is saying is since you have 1 hdd and 2 cd's. more than likely both cd's are on the same cable. you can hook the second hdd up to the same cable as your first hdd, in which case needs to have the jumper set as slave.

[Moose78]

There should be a total of 4 spots for IDE drives, two on each cable. You mentioned that you had a hard drive, a CDROM and a DVDROM. That leaves one spot open, so if the list of devices you listed is correct, you don't need to remove anything (unless there is a space issue inside the machine.

You then should be able to connect the new disk to the master of the second IDE channel. Make sure that the jumper is configured to either master or cable select (I prefer being specific and setting the jumper to master, but it is a bit easier if the cable is marked to use cable select). Then, check the second device on that channel to make sure that it is slave or cable select.

You can just add the new hard drive to the open position, but I prefer it to be the master on a channel.

Ok now I understand. My pc only has the one IDE cable as AnothyJ referred to. And there actually is a space issue inside. The current ide cable is only about 12 or so inches, which would not reach the hard drive, so I ordered a second one with plenty of play in it.

Cool, thanks for all the help Kemasa&AnthonyJ