D8400 Question

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Does the D8400 have both IDE and SATA capabilities. so that if I replace my
4550, I can put my drives into the 8400? And if so how many drives can the
8400 hold.

--

Rob

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

The 8400 has four SATA connectors and acommodates two SATA drives. It also
has a single PATA connector for two PATA optical drives.

"Robert R Kircher, Jr." <rrkircher@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:duidnRcamLOgngjcRVn-pw@giganews.com...
> Does the D8400 have both IDE and SATA capabilities. so that if I replace
> my 4550, I can put my drives into the 8400? And if so how many drives can
> the 8400 hold.
>
> --
>
> Rob
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Ok so I'm now looking at the docs online and it looks to me that I could
actually get 4 HDs in there if I remove the floppy, exactly what I've done
with my 4550.

Is this the case?

--

Rob

"There's nothing wrong with a little bit of Mayberry in everyone's lives;
where life was simple and parents took responsibility for the children."


"WSZsr" <nospam@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:nW8ld.23400$bP2.4266@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com...
> The 8400 has four SATA connectors and acommodates two SATA drives. It
> also has a single PATA connector for two PATA optical drives.
>
> "Robert R Kircher, Jr." <rrkircher@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:duidnRcamLOgngjcRVn-pw@giganews.com...
>> Does the D8400 have both IDE and SATA capabilities. so that if I replace
>> my 4550, I can put my drives into the 8400? And if so how many drives
>> can the 8400 hold.
>>
>> --
>>
>> Rob
>>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Robert R Kircher, Jr." <rrkircher@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:vamdndaBE7081AjcRVn-gg@giganews.com...
> Looks like there are two HD bays then one internal "zip drive" bay and one
> floppy bay. As with my 4550, I have two drives in the HD bays and then
> one in the floppy bay and one in the bay just below the floppy. (Zip Drive
> bay)
>
> --
>
> Rob
>


As far as drive bays, it's identical to your 4550 case, Rob.


Stew

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Cool Stew, Thanks.

--

Rob

"There's nothing wrong with a little bit of Mayberry in everyone's lives;
where life was simple and parents took responsibility for the children."


"S.Lewis" <stew1960@cover.bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:e9eld.9109$IQ.3665@bignews6.bellsouth.net...
>
> "Robert R Kircher, Jr." <rrkircher@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:vamdndaBE7081AjcRVn-gg@giganews.com...
>> Looks like there are two HD bays then one internal "zip drive" bay and
>> one floppy bay. As with my 4550, I have two drives in the HD bays and
>> then one in the floppy bay and one in the bay just below the floppy. (Zip
>> Drive bay)
>>
>> --
>>
>> Rob
>>
>
>
> As far as drive bays, it's identical to your 4550 case, Rob.
>
>
> Stew
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Robert R Kircher, Jr." <rrkircher@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:vamdndaBE7081AjcRVn-gg@giganews.com...
> Looks like there are two HD bays then one internal "zip drive" bay and one
> floppy bay. As with my 4550, I have two drives in the HD bays and then
> one in the floppy bay and one in the bay just below the floppy. (Zip Drive
> bay)
>
> --

I can't be arsed to open my case up but am interested in adding a third
drive - I have two drives and a floppy, is it a regular hard drive you've
got in the Zip Drive bay and did you use the green plastic things to mount
it?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Brad Stokes" <brad.stokes@nospam99ever.net> wrote in message
news:Htqld.27468$Q7.15940@fe1.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
>
> "Robert R Kircher, Jr." <rrkircher@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:vamdndaBE7081AjcRVn-gg@giganews.com...
>> Looks like there are two HD bays then one internal "zip drive" bay and
>> one floppy bay. As with my 4550, I have two drives in the HD bays and
>> then one in the floppy bay and one in the bay just below the floppy. (Zip
>> Drive bay)
>>
>> --
>
> I can't be arsed to open my case up but am interested in adding a third
> drive - I have two drives and a floppy, is it a regular hard drive you've
> got in the Zip Drive bay and did you use the green plastic things to mount
> it?


In my 4550, yes. I used the supplied green rails and slipped a third HD
into the bay that would be used for an internal Zip Drive. Just recently, I
removed the floppy drive and used it's green rails to add a 4th drive which
is in the floppy drive bay.

It seems that according to Stew and a review of the user manual online, the
8400 should accommodate hard drives in the same manner.

--

Rob

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Robert R Kircher, Jr." <rrkircher@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:tPydnbUlvKIK3QvcRVn-uQ@giganews.com...
>
> "Brad Stokes" <brad.stokes@nospam99ever.net> wrote in message
> news:Htqld.27468$Q7.15940@fe1.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
>>
>> "Robert R Kircher, Jr." <rrkircher@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:vamdndaBE7081AjcRVn-gg@giganews.com...
>>> Looks like there are two HD bays then one internal "zip drive" bay and
>>> one floppy bay. As with my 4550, I have two drives in the HD bays and
>>> then one in the floppy bay and one in the bay just below the floppy.
>>> (Zip Drive bay)
>>>
>>> --
>>
>> I can't be arsed to open my case up but am interested in adding a third
>> drive - I have two drives and a floppy, is it a regular hard drive you've
>> got in the Zip Drive bay and did you use the green plastic things to
>> mount it?
>
>
> In my 4550, yes. I used the supplied green rails and slipped a third HD
> into the bay that would be used for an internal Zip Drive. Just recently,
> I removed the floppy drive and used it's green rails to add a 4th drive
> which is in the floppy drive bay.
>
> It seems that according to Stew and a review of the user manual online,
> the 8400 should accommodate hard drives in the same manner.
>
> --
>
> Rob

Thanks for that............the one caveat with the 8400's is that you need a
floppy if you're using SATA drives so I reckon three hard drives is about
your lot :-(

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Brad Stokes" <brad.stokes@nospam99ever.net> wrote in message
news:MRsld.9812$P7.908@fe2.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
>
> "Robert R Kircher, Jr." <rrkircher@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:tPydnbUlvKIK3QvcRVn-uQ@giganews.com...
>>
>> "Brad Stokes" <brad.stokes@nospam99ever.net> wrote in message
>> news:Htqld.27468$Q7.15940@fe1.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
>>>
>>> "Robert R Kircher, Jr." <rrkircher@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>>> news:vamdndaBE7081AjcRVn-gg@giganews.com...
>>>> Looks like there are two HD bays then one internal "zip drive" bay and
>>>> one floppy bay. As with my 4550, I have two drives in the HD bays and
>>>> then one in the floppy bay and one in the bay just below the floppy.
>>>> (Zip Drive bay)
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>
>>> I can't be arsed to open my case up but am interested in adding a third
>>> drive - I have two drives and a floppy, is it a regular hard drive
>>> you've got in the Zip Drive bay and did you use the green plastic things
>>> to mount it?
>>
>>
>> In my 4550, yes. I used the supplied green rails and slipped a third HD
>> into the bay that would be used for an internal Zip Drive. Just
>> recently, I removed the floppy drive and used it's green rails to add a
>> 4th drive which is in the floppy drive bay.
>>
>> It seems that according to Stew and a review of the user manual online,
>> the 8400 should accommodate hard drives in the same manner.
>>
>> --
>>
>> Rob
>
> Thanks for that............the one caveat with the 8400's is that you need
> a floppy if you're using SATA drives so I reckon three hard drives is
> about your lot :-(


Only to get the OS installed. Afterwards, you can remove the floppy and add
in the drive or just do the OS install with the floppy hanging loose and
button everything up when the OS is complete.

Also there is a thread here about a couple of months ago that describes how
to do the OS install w/o RAID enabled eliminating the need for the floppy.

--

Rob

 

[sparky]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Brad Stokes wrote:

<snip>

> Thanks for that............the one caveat with the 8400's is that you need a
> floppy if you're using SATA drives so I reckon three hard drives is about
> your lot :-(

Or get a USB floppy.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Sparky" <nemo@moon.sun.edu> wrote in message
news:98vld.276$GV4.500862@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net...
> Brad Stokes wrote:
>
> <snip>
>
>> Thanks for that............the one caveat with the 8400's is that you
>> need a floppy if you're using SATA drives so I reckon three hard drives
>> is about your lot :-(

Are you sure, I hada problem a few days ago, which resulted in the need to
reinstall Windows, I phoned the DELL technical support and was talked
through the installation, expertly I may say too. I do have an internal
floppy drive in my machine, but the DELL advisor brought my system to life,
with resort to a single floppy disk. My Dimension 8400 has 1 250Gb SATA
drive, and as you see I am using it to respond to this message.

So I think you have been misinformed.

We made use of F2 and F12 at the Dell Logon page.

>
> Or get a USB floppy.

'nuf said,

73 de John

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Mr John C McCulloch" <john@jcmcc1srp.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:cn86cd$uus$1@news7.svr.pol.co.uk...
>
> "Sparky" <nemo@moon.sun.edu> wrote in message
> news:98vld.276$GV4.500862@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net...
>> Brad Stokes wrote:
>>
>> <snip>
>>
>>> Thanks for that............the one caveat with the 8400's is that you
>>> need a floppy if you're using SATA drives so I reckon three hard drives
>>> is about your lot :-(
>
> Are you sure, I hada problem a few days ago, which resulted in the need to
> reinstall Windows, I phoned the DELL technical support and was talked
> through the installation, expertly I may say too. I do have an internal
> floppy drive in my machine, but the DELL advisor brought my system to
> life,
[correction]
> withOUT resort to a single floppy disk. My Dimension 8400 has 1 250Gb SATA

> drive, and as you see I am using it to respond to this message.
>
> So I think you have been misinformed.
>
> We made use of F2 and F12 at the Dell Logon page.
>
>>
>> Or get a USB floppy.
>
> 'nuf said,
>
> 73 de John
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Mr John C McCulloch" <john@jcmcc1srp.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:cn86g2$rqu$1@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk...
>

Ah, I suspect he simply guided you through a system restore.

If you want to remove all the stuff that gets bundled with a new Dell and
start your installation from scratch, you'll need a floppy if you're using a
SATA drive.

In this age of USB memory sticks, it all seems a bit of a technological step
backwards to me.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Brad Stokes" <brad.stokes@nospam99ever.net> wrote in message
news:6yXld.15330$P7.1125@fe2.news.blueyonder.co.uk...
>
> "Mr John C McCulloch" <john@jcmcc1srp.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:cn86g2$rqu$1@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk...
>>
>
> Ah, I suspect he simply guided you through a system restore.

Ah, but there you are wrong, system restore didnt work!

The system was brought back to life after a reinstallation of Windows XP,
which wiped all the data on my main drive, with the exception of the small
DELL partition.

No recourse was made to the Floppy Drive, either before the re-installation
of Windows or after it.

My only Hard Drive on this system is the 250GB SATA Drive originally fitted!

As I stated in my original response the setup F2 key was used to change the
configuration of the set in order that 1] the Windows (Purple)
reinstallation Disk would be recognised and 2] to enable the SATA drive to
be recognised and enabled, this was all done prior to the installation of
Windows XP Pro!

>
> If you want to remove all the stuff that gets bundled with a new Dell and
> start your installation from scratch, you'll need a floppy if you're using
> a SATA drive.
>
That might indeed be true, for those who obliterate the small DELL
partition, but for those who don't the converse is true! Might I suggest
that that alone is a good enough reason for retaining the DELL partition.

> In this age of USB memory sticks, it all seems a bit of a technological
> step backwards to me.
>
Perhaps, if you, and the rest of the so called experts on here who advocate
a clean start, knew a little more about the operation of the DELL low level
system calls and the DELL partition, there would be less need for USB memory
sticks and floppies.

I was assured by the DELL technician in Bangalore that there was no need for
a floppy drive in these new sets.

It might even have been that the DELL partition wasn't strictly required
either, although that is merely a guess on my part, I not knowing where the
F2 and F12 related links are held. They could be held in the BIOS, if so no
requirement even for the DELL partition.

At any rate I was wholly satisfied with the service DELL provided and would
recommend there use to anyone else, in difficulty.

73 de John

 

[Tellme]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Unless you know what you are doing it is not easy to install an ide
drive. Certain connections have to be changed. Maybe one of the techs
on here can give you directions.



>
>"Robert R Kircher, Jr." <rrkircher@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>news:vamdndaBE7081AjcRVn-gg@giganews.com...
>> Looks like there are two HD bays then one internal "zip drive" bay and one
>> floppy bay. As with my 4550, I have two drives in the HD bays and then
>> one in the floppy bay and one in the bay just below the floppy. (Zip Drive
>> bay)
>>
>> --
>
>I can't be arsed to open my case up but am interested in adding a third
>drive - I have two drives and a floppy, is it a regular hard drive you've
>got in the Zip Drive bay and did you use the green plastic things to mount
>it?
>