Adding New Hard Drives & Memory

[Guest]

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

Could someone please provide assistance with adding new hard drives.

I have recently purchased a Dell Dimension 8400 P4 3.2 system and wish
to make some of my own upgrades.

The units has 1GB of RAM, 1 x Maxtor 250GB Hard Driver, 1 x DVD ROM and
1 x DVD RW(16x).

I have breifly looked inside and what seems to be the HDD location has
1 drive installed with two bays remaining.

The case also seems to have a lot of wasted space, probably for
airflow.

My problem is I am not sure if there is a limit on the hard drive size,
the installed one seems extremely small to previous ones I have seen.

Also, the connector is not a ribbon, therefore I assume it is SATA and
not ATA, the DVD drives have ribbons.

What do I need to buy, i.e. another Maxtor, do I need power cables, and
how do I connect it all up, there seem to be an awful lot of wires in
there.

Please help


--
bedhead

 

[ray]

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

I am looking at buying the same machine...how is it working? Are you happy
with the system?
Any advice?

Karim


"bedhead" <bedhead.1iod7n@news.computerbanter.com> wrote in message
news:bedhead.1iod7n@news.computerbanter.com...
>
> Could someone please provide assistance with adding new hard drives.
>
> I have recently purchased a Dell Dimension 8400 P4 3.2 system and wish
> to make some of my own upgrades.
>
> The units has 1GB of RAM, 1 x Maxtor 250GB Hard Driver, 1 x DVD ROM and
> 1 x DVD RW(16x).
>
> I have breifly looked inside and what seems to be the HDD location has
> 1 drive installed with two bays remaining.
>
> The case also seems to have a lot of wasted space, probably for
> airflow.
>
> My problem is I am not sure if there is a limit on the hard drive size,
> the installed one seems extremely small to previous ones I have seen.
>
> Also, the connector is not a ribbon, therefore I assume it is SATA and
> not ATA, the DVD drives have ribbons.
>
> What do I need to buy, i.e. another Maxtor, do I need power cables, and
> how do I connect it all up, there seem to be an awful lot of wires in
> there.
>
> Please help
>
>
> --
> bedhead

 

[Guest]

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

"bedhead" <bedhead.1iod7n@news.computerbanter.com> wrote in message
news:bedhead.1iod7n@news.computerbanter.com...
|
| Could someone please provide assistance with adding new hard drives.
|
| I have recently purchased a Dell Dimension 8400 P4 3.2 system and wish
| to make some of my own upgrades.
|
| The units has 1GB of RAM, 1 x Maxtor 250GB Hard Driver, 1 x DVD ROM and
| 1 x DVD RW(16x).
|
| I have breifly looked inside and what seems to be the HDD location has
| 1 drive installed with two bays remaining.
|
| The case also seems to have a lot of wasted space, probably for
| airflow.
|
| My problem is I am not sure if there is a limit on the hard drive size,
| the installed one seems extremely small to previous ones I have seen.
|
| Also, the connector is not a ribbon, therefore I assume it is SATA and
| not ATA, the DVD drives have ribbons.
|
| What do I need to buy, i.e. another Maxtor, do I need power cables, and
| how do I connect it all up, there seem to be an awful lot of wires in
| there.
|
| Please help
|
|
| --
| bedhead

Your computer came with a manual on the harddrive in PDF format. (complete
with pictures Originally there was a shortcut to it on the desktop. The
file name on mine is W7026EN0.pdf. See page 95 "Installing a harddrive."

The same manual is available online @
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim8400/SM/index.htm

Buy a standard desktop (3.5") SATA harddrive. If you buy a boxed kit it will
come with a data cable. If you buy an "OEM" drive you'll need to purchase a
data cable. A spare set of drive rails are screwed to the side wall inside
the case.

I'm thinking about getting this one;
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=22-148-063&depa=1

Once installed use Windows XP's disk management to partition and format the
drive.



--
D

I'm not an MVP a VIP nor do I have ESP.
I was just trying to help.
Please use your own best judgment before implementing any suggestions or
advice herein.
No warranty is expressed or implied.
Your mileage may vary.
See store for details.

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