Help in adding a hard drive

poot

Distinguished
Jul 30, 2008
4
0
18,510
I have a Dimension 4600 from Dell I would like to add a hard drive, but I am basically a computer illiterate. Here are my concerns:

1) Can I add a hard drive without have my reinstallation disks?

2) What hard drive requirements do I have to worry about?

3) Any tricks or dangers to know about installing a hard drive?

Thanks for any help, I am trying to avoid an external and would love to add some additional storage.
 

lasttarget

Distinguished
Jun 14, 2008
129
0
18,680
Find out if you have sata or IDE. You probably only have IDE cause my 4600 has only IDE. Next youll need to know how many HDD your already have. If you already have 2 that means you have to take one out before installing a bigger one. If you have one you can go on. Next set the jumpers( usually blue and square shaped on the back of the HDD attached to pins) on the new HDD to CS and if that doesnt work set it to Slave. Look on the top of the HDD for where to put the jumper for the CS/Slave setting. Make sure you keep your old HDD that Windows is installed on, on the end of the IDE cable. Put your new HDD on the second to end interface on the IDE cable. If your IDE cable only has one connector interface then youll need to get a new one. Turn on the computer and if it doesnt pop up then right click on my computer and select manage disk. Im too lazy to put the rest up :) helped you enuff ne way