Adding SATA HD

[Mark Heath]

So I want to add a Samsung F3 1TB to an XP SP2 system. If it matters, the only hard drive in there atm is a 500GB SATA that is identified as an IDE drive in disk management.

a) What is the process I'd need to go through to install the new drive. (feel free to be obvious, just in case)

b) while I'm at it, why is it identified as an IDE drive?

 

[henydiah]

Shut down power from AC, Plug HDD..!

 

[Saga Lout]

So I want to add a Samsung F3 1TB to an XP SP2 system. If it matters, the only hard drive in there atm is a 500GB SATA that is identified as an IDE drive in disk management.

a) What is the process I'd need to go through to install the new drive. (feel free to be obvious, just in case)

b) while I'm at it, why is it identified as an IDE drive?

a) As has been said, remove the pwoer cable and open up the box. Keeping on hand on some bare metal whenever possible to earth any static you may be carrying, fit the new drive in a spare bay and plug the loose end of the cable into one of the SATA plugs on the motherboard - preferably the one next to the occupied one.

b) Disk Management isn't very smart. At the moment mine in this box thinks three of my Partitions are completely empty despite them running my Linux system! It doesn't describe the hard drive as either PATA or SATA. So long as your BIOS is set properly and everything works, don;t worry about M$ hardware reports.

I know you didn't ask a c) but in my book, I should be suggesting c) Install SP3 and the seventy some subsequent updates. Go on - you paid for it, use it - it will make your system more stable because without it, you no longer receive security patches for M$'s porous software.

 

[Mark Heath]

thanks. in regards to c), it's not only my computer and I only jsut got SP2 lol. If it were up to me everything would've been up to date long ago, but some people are a bit paranoid

So no special things in regards to drivers, sector sizes and all that?

 

[Saga Lout]

So no special things in regards to drivers, sector sizes and all that?

Drivers will only be an issue if you're installing XP on to it. Sector sizes are automatic but if you mean Partitions, set those as you wish. Partition Manager or GParted are good tools for tat job.

 

[Mark Heath]

Best answer selected by Mark Heath.