Adding 2nd hard drive

[dlh75]

I want to add a 2nd hard drive in addition to my already 25gb which is allmost used up. How would I hook up the cables. Can I hook them up on the same one?

[JacobM5727]

if you have a two device cable, turn off the comp, set the jumper to slave on the new drive, master on the old drive, pop it in, hook it up, turn it on, and it should be set - you can format it in windows if you have 2k or xp... if not you need a 98 boot disk, in dos do fdisk and format, you may be able to do it in 98 though, i just dont remember

[rpertusio]

Assuming there is no CD ROM (or other device) on the same ribbon (IDE cable), you should be able to hook the 2nd Hard Drive up.

Each ribbon can connect 2 devices (Primary and Secondary). Normally, you'll have 2 ribbons, allowing a total of 4 devices connected.

If possible, keep the CD-ROM drive(s) on a different cable than the Hard Drives.

Also, you may need to set the jumpers (on the back of the hard drive). The easiest way is to set them both to CS (Cable Select). (Or, follow JacobM5727's settings in the post above mine)

- rp

[speedstik]

I have a question related to this. If I want to install linux on a slave drive, will it still boot? I assume LILO will install on the MBR of the master drive, and allow me to boot to linux, is this true?

[dlh75]

I have windows XP not sure on secondary hookup on cable Have to open up pc and find out. Would I have to do anything besides just hooking it up and seting
the jumpers?

[griobhta]

Yep that is what LILO will do or GRUB depending on the flavour of linux you use. Both have no problems multibooting other OS's.

One thing to look out for when you add your second hard disk. If you make any fat or ntfs primary partitions then it will mess up the drive order. so my advice would be to put everything in as logical partitions in an extended partition. This way any new partition letter will add itself to the end of what ever you have now. Also if your cd drive letters were left as default they will also move, I alway set my burner and dvd rom letters to Q & R so as to remove this kind of juggleing about.

g

[robert39465]

i have added a second drive for storage here is a problem.first bios recognizes it.
but windows doesnt. i didnt put a os on it am i suposed to just for storage.what did i do wrong.the second is set up as slave.am i supposed to set anything on the master.

thanks

[griobhta]

You have to format it first. If you are using winXP go to control panel --> Administrative tools --> computer management --> Disk management
You should see your new hdd here right click on it and select format i think. You might have to create a partition but it should be fairly straight forward.

g

[robert39465]

thanks alot everyone i took everyons advice and hooked it up.and formated it through windows and it works perfectly.
you guys made it simple for me
thanks again
robert