Forum Home
Press F1
Thread ID: 59155	2005-06-23 07:16:00	Adding additional hard drive	Mantis (3703)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
366321	2005-06-23 07:16:00	I currently have a Soltek SL-KT400-C/KT400-A4C motherboard with a dvd writer (master) and another cd writer (slave)... A 120gb hdd and a couple of pci cards (network and modem). This is all in a case with a 300w power supply.... I want to install another 120 or 160gb hdd. I installed the dvd writer myself and set them up as master and slave... When installing another hdd, is it basicaly the same method?? I'm guessing my current hdd is Master on the Primary ide channel?? Is there any way to check this without opening my pc?? Also where abouts is it best to mount the extra drive? I have two spare 5 1/4 slots in the front of my machine .... would using something like this be the best place to put it?? www.dse.co.nz Will my 300w psu (I can;t find any visible branding on it, so am assuming its probably a cheap model) be powerful enough to power my pc and an external usb powered soundcard like a MBox? Thanks for all the help as usual.... PS. Athlon 2500+, Windows XP Home, SP2. (If it matters) M.	Mantis (3703)
366322	2005-06-23 07:35:00	Yup, the current hdd should be on Primary Master . Just connect the new hdd to the primary IDE middle cable . Change the jumper on the new hdd to slave, and put it on Primary slave in the BIOS . And put a spare molex power connection on it . (The IDE cable should have 3 connections on it . The mobo end, the middle, and the end, which connects to the main / primary hdd) . And yup, its the same as configuring a cd or dvd on a system . You'll still have to open the case to put this mounting kit in . That should be OK, if u have no spare bays/compartments in the case . The PSU should be OK, if something is powered by power . You'll soon find out if something doesnt work properly / or fails, its time to get a higher PSU .	Speedy Gonzales (78)
366323	2005-06-23 07:48:00	Also where abouts is it best to mount the extra drive? I have two spare 5 1/4 slots in the front of my machine .... would using something like this be the best place to put it?? M. You could but there will be space under or above the other HDD to put another one. Unless its a really tiny, cramped, small case.	pctek (84)
366324	2005-06-23 07:56:00	Yup, the current hdd should be on Primary Master . Just connect the new hdd to the primary IDE middle cable . Change the jumper on the new hdd to slave, and put it on Primary slave in the BIOS . And put a spare molex power connection on it . Thanks for the advice . What is a molex power connection? and how difficult is it to change the setting in the bios? I have not messed with my bios before and am a little hesitant . . . . Thanks . M .	Mantis (3703)
366325	2005-06-23 08:02:00	You could but there will be space under or above the other HDD to put another one . Unless its a really tiny, cramped, small case . At the moment from memory my hdd is in the space under my floppy drive . . . I thought it might be better to put in the middle of the two cd drives as it might be a little cooler?? Thanks . M .	Mantis (3703)
366326	2005-06-23 08:08:00	A molex power connection are the power plugs/connectors that come from the power supply . That you plug into hdd/cd's/dvds etc . Thats what theyre called . If you installed that DVD or CD, you would had to go into the BIOS to configure them . Otherwise windows wouldnt know they exist . As the BIOS has to be configured first, before windows knows an IDE device exists . You have to press either F1, F2, F10, or the delete key to get into the BIOS . Just find the primary IDE slave option, go into its settings and put it on AUTO . Then save the settings and reboot . If the slave has been configured properly, it should appear when u reboot (on the post screen, which shows the brand/model of whatever device/s are on the ide primary/secondary connections) .	Speedy Gonzales (78)
366327	2005-06-23 08:24:00	A molex power connection are the power plugs/connectors that come from the power supply . That you plug into hdd/cd's/dvds etc . Thats what theyre called . If you installed that DVD or CD, you would had to go into the BIOS to configure them . Otherwise windows wouldnt know they exist . As the BIOS has to be configured first, before windows knows an IDE device exists . You have to press either F1, F2, F10, or the delete key to get into the BIOS . Just find the primary IDE slave option, go into its settings and put it on AUTO . Then save the settings and reboot . If the slave has been configured properly, it should appear when u reboot (on the post screen, which shows the brand/model of whatever device/s are on the ide primary/secondary connections) . OK, thanks for explaining . . . . When I installed my dvd writer, I already had 2 cd drives in my case, I just swapped the dvd with the maser and the cd writer to the slave . . . Thus I didn't need to go into my bios . . . One more question . . . . I currently have one stick of 512 MB DDR PC2100 266MHZ in one of the three slots on my mobo . I would like to put another stick of 512 in . . . Do I have to put pc2100 266mhz in? Or would any speed work? Does mixing speeds cause any conflicts? What is the best combination? Thanks . M .	Mantis (3703)
1