[Beano52]

My current hard drive is getting full. I have a used 120gb with data on it I want to add. I intend on running both harddrives. I am using XP sp2 OS.

Can I just install the 2nd hard drive as the slave, confirm the original is master and XP just recognize the newly added drive and do a clean up on the 2nd drive after boot up?

Thanks in advance for any help

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If by cleanup do you mean partition and format then yes.

[rshaffer61]

If by cleanup do you mean partition and format then yes.

[Beano52]

Thanks, thats exactly what I mean. I intend on wiping the used 2nd hard drive and using it for storage. Just wasnt sure if it would (obviously, it might) cause boot problems or if there was anything to look for and do prior to installing the 2nd hard drive.

p.s. will "formating" erase all the data? (hopfully, yes ))

Thanks for your help!

Edited by Beano52, 01 March 2010 - 02:57 PM.

[rshaffer61]

better then format delete the partition on the second drive. Then set it back up and format using ntfs and you should be good to go.
You can do all this from within windows once the drive is installed.

[Beano52]

Ok, just popped open the exsisting computer. It has a SATA connected hard drive. The 2nd one is a ATA (ide) connection.

It looks like the mobo has a connection for both. What sort of problems am I lookin forward to upon boot?

Thanks again for the help and speedy replys !!

[rshaffer61]

Shouldn't be any problem at all. My wife has a 250 gig SATA for her extra and a 80 gig IDE for her main. No problems booting.

[Beano52]

Lets give it a try and see what happens, booting as we speak ))

[Beano52]

boot starting out looking good, the windows "start" button in the task bar is smaller that usuall... graphics card fan humming louder (probably just a grain of dust down there...

[Beano52]

2 hard drives showing up on "my computer".. looking better ))

[Beano52]

ok, with cover back on, video card fan back to normal...
I was able to open a couple files on the new hard drive...
tried to open a .pdf and i may have tapped the on/off switch, but it just rebooted...

Edited by Beano52, 01 March 2010 - 06:21 PM.

[Beano52]

an update to exactly the wires i moved arround.

-moved the existing ata cable running down from the to cd and dvd drives to the "other" slot on the mobo.

-moved the power cable from cd drive to new hard drive.

-plugged the ata cable from new hard drive into where the cd/dvd cable used to be plugged.

[rshaffer61]

OK so everything is back up and running?
Once that is done then is there data you want to get off the 2nd drive before we continue?
Let me know and I will reply with the instructions on how to do this to be sure nothing is left on the old drive and you have a fresh hd to put data on.

[Beano52]

THANKS for the help. Things seem to be working as intended. Now to make some use of this new space.

Thanks again !

[Beano52]

OK so everything is back up and running?
Once that is done then is there data you want to get off the 2nd drive before we continue?
Let me know and I will reply with the instructions on how to do this to be sure nothing is left on the old drive and you have a fresh hd to put data on.

Yes, please... I want to wipe it I suppose.

[rshaffer61]

This next set of instructions will allow me to see what you see and then I can give you exact instructions in how to continue.
Go to Start then to Run
Type in compmgmt.msc and click Enter
On left side click on Disk Management
On right side you will see you hard drive.
Now I need you to take a screenshot and attach it to your next reply. Do the following to take a screenshot while the above is open and showing on your desktop.

To do a screenshot please have click on your Print Screen on your keyboard. It is normally the key above your number pad between the F12 key and the Scroll Lock key
Now go to Start and then to All Programs
Scroll to Accessories and then click on Paint
In the Empty White Area click and hold the CTRL key and then click the V
Go to the File option at the top and click on Save as
Save as file type JPEG and save it to your Desktop


Attach it to your next reply