Rickie Lee

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I know this is probably a stupid question but here goes. A friend gave me a new in box Western Digital 250 GB HD.
WD2500BEVT, LBA 488397168, SATA interface, 5400 rpm. I know this is normally for a laptop but is there any Practical way I could "finagle" it into my grandson's Dell desktop, L500r?
Wouldn't mind making brackets, etc, but don't know about connections.

Any help would be great !!!
 
Solution
OK - I looked up the specs on the L series - which seemed to be the only match. They did not have a manaul listed by model number but only for the Lxxxr series.

You listed above that he has two hard drives, and I assume he has an optical drive of some sort - DVD or CDRW. If so, he has used the three available power connectors and has no more left. He would have to replace.

He should have available inside an ATA data cable. It would be a cable with two connectiors, one filled and one available. You would need to confirm this, although it may be academic if no power is available.

Further, if it is a SATA laptop drive that is a further issue - a major one. You would need power and data cable adapters - which in theory are simple...

rockyjohn

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Sure it will work, as long as the computer has the correct power and data (SATA or ATA) connector. Which ones doe the hard drive and your computer have?
You will also need the correct cables to connect to mobo.

FYI - here are the types of connectors on a standard power supply:
http://www.antec.com/Believe_it/connectors.php?ProdID=27750

Note that the number in front of some just tells the number of connectors on the partilcular brand I stole the picture from. You need either the SATA connector for a SATA drive or the Molex connector for an ATA drive. Which would fit on the power connector on your laptop drive and does your computer have one?

And you don't even have to make the bracket - you can buy one:

http://www.quietpcusa.com/Scythe-25-Twin-Mounter-for-35-Bay-P552C3.aspx
 

Rickie Lee

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Dec 18, 2009
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Update:
Grandson's desktop: 7 yrs old.
Dell Dimension L500r
Intel Pentium III mobo
IBM-DPTA-371360 HD
HD IBM-DPTA-371360
Is there a chance that I could add this new HD instead of replacing old one?
 

Rickie Lee

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Sorry Rockyjohn, pc at grandsons home in Indiana, I'm in MI so data collection is difficult right now. Hoped maybe u were familiar enuf with the Dell to hazard an educated guess on what I might be getting into. The issue was really could I swap or add the free new HD without tremendous troubles.
Sorry I cannot give u the info u deserve to help me, at this time..

Thanks for trying
 

rockyjohn

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OK - I looked up the specs on the L series - which seemed to be the only match. They did not have a manaul listed by model number but only for the Lxxxr series.

You listed above that he has two hard drives, and I assume he has an optical drive of some sort - DVD or CDRW. If so, he has used the three available power connectors and has no more left. He would have to replace.

He should have available inside an ATA data cable. It would be a cable with two connectiors, one filled and one available. You would need to confirm this, although it may be academic if no power is available.

Further, if it is a SATA laptop drive that is a further issue - a major one. You would need power and data cable adapters - which in theory are simple plug ins but are not to be troublesome and not always work. An alternate, a more reliable one, for the data cable you could get a SATA pci card. That is regular mobos support them. But I don't know if there are any special issues with the Dell mobo or BIOS.

You might also inquire at the Dell forum, they might have members that have tried or done it. But you need to know whether it is a SATA or ATA drive as a minimum. And also confirm that he has no other optional or owner installed items filling up the second 3.5" bay - like another optical drive, or card reader, or something.

Another option would be to get a USB enclosure for it and connect it as an external USB drive. Obviously it would be very slow - USB speeds - and probably only the slower USB 1.0 not 2.0, but it could perhaps provide addtional storage that way.

I think that computer is older than your grandson. It has a Pentium III processor - goes back about 4 generations. By the way - here are the specs on it:

https://support.dell.com/support/edocs/SYSTEMS/dmum/specs.htm
 
Solution