new hdd install

Hello. I need to buy and install a new harddrive for my computer so I can have 2. I am

running Windows XP. After I install it and my OS detects it will there be any other

configurqtions that I will have to do, if so, which ones??? I have a 40 GIG now, and plan on

buying at least an 80GIG. And there is a weird thing my PCs manual says. It says, if you plan

on installing a harddrive to take out the old one and place it on the secondary IDE controller

as master and the new harddrive in the primary controller as slave???? Why is that?????? And

do i have to do that??

When installing a new HDD, just add it to the IDE cable that your existing HDD is already on.
ensure that the pins are set to slave on the new, and the existing HDD is set to master.

If you do not have an IDE with the extra plug, buy one.

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on installing a harddrive to take out the old one and place it on the secondary IDE controller as master and the new harddrive in the primary controller as slave

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I THINK this is referring to the two different IDE controllers.
Where #1 would be for HDD's, and #2 for CD/DVD ROMS.
So I THINK there is a translation error ? and they meant to ensure that you plug master onto the end of the IDE #1, and the slave will plug into the middle [other end is to Mo/Bo :)]

Try for as big a HDD as you can afford [UK 160 GB £46 / $70 --- 200 GB £50 / $80] as the size DOES matter :D

Might I suggest you buy as much £Sterling from Foxy~ as you can.................he is offering an instant 15% profit :D

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And there is a weird thing my PCs manual says. It says, if you plan on installing a harddrive to take out the old one and place it on the secondary IDE controller as master and the new harddrive in the primary controller as slave???? Why is that?????? And do i have to do that??

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Is this a brand name computer with a recovery CD/drive? that would be the only reason I can think of, off the top of my head,for this rather odd procedure.................does it give any other instructions? I am wondering if there isn't some software on your current drive to "ghost" its image onto the new one?

I guess the idea might be to replace the "C" drive with the new one?

You don't have to do that, as Foxy says you can just add the new drive as a slave.

Can you give some more information on your make model.

:)

I have a Dell 4550... and I dont know if i said it right, but the manual said to place the first

harddrive in the middle connection of the IDE wire (it is currently connected on the end of the

IDE wire not the middle) as master and the new HDD where the old one was as slave of

course. But why cant I just place the new one on the middle of the wire as slave without

having to disconnect the old one and switching places???

ps. i guess i confused you guys with saying controller; thats where the IDE cable connects to the motherboard right:::

If the existing drive is jumpered as "Master" or in some cases "Master, Slave present" and the new drive is configured as "Slave" on the same IDE channel, (same cable), then it will be automatically recognized by the OS in Disk Manager. It may need to be formatted to be usable but it will be there if you have the hardware configured correctly.

After than you can use it as you please.... No need to install an OS on it or anything.... It's just a drive.

Well, I don't know that particular model, but here are Dell's instructions:

http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...ce.htm#1154906

They suggest that you take out your existing drive and put it in the bottom slot, then put the new drive into the top slot.

CONNECT THE END CABLE CONNECTOR TO THE FIRST (bottom) drive and the middle connector to the second drive (the new one that is now in the upper slot)

Dell are using "cable select" (CS) so make sure that your HDD jumpers are set to "CS"

Then you should be good to go.

From what you are saying, you either misread the manual, or there is an error in it?

;)

Well thanks a lot for your reply the picture on the link you gave really helped... i know exactly what i have to do now.