ASUS M3A - How many hard drives?

"Paul" wrote in message
...
Rhino wrote:

"Rob" wrote in message
...
On 30/11/2011 14:16, Rhino wrote:
I have an ASUS M3A mainboard with two 750 GB hard drives. Both are
nearly full so I'd like to add a third, larger hard drive, probably a 3
TB drive since they have become fairly affordable at $150 for an
internal one.

Are there any negatives associated with adding a third drive to this
computer, especially one that is larger than the others? Is there any
reason why it would be better to make the new drive external than
internal?

Also, would I put the third drive on the same 80 conductor ribbon cable
as the existing two drives - I haven't had the case open in a while and
can't remember if there is a third connector on the cable - or would I
need to run a second ribbon cable from the motherboard? Is it even
possible to have a second ribbon cable from the motherboard? I am very
weak on matters of hardware so forgive my question, which may be very
foolish.

The main thing I'm storing on these drives is large standalone data
files if that makes any difference.

I'm running Windows XP with no immediate plans to upgrade to Win7.

--
Rhino

As Chris said, you should be fine, but the new drive will be SATA.
You do need to open the case and check that the power supply has
spare SATA type drive power connectors.
If not, you'll need a converter cable like this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16812104652

and don't forget a SATA data cable, if you don't already have one -
new drives don't often come with one.


Good catch, Rob. I didn't know whether I could take it for granted that a
new drive would come with everything I needed to connect it.

Do you have any thoughts on the pros and cons of an internal vs. an
external drive? I'm leaning toward internal because I've got lots of room
in the case and it's going to cost less than the same sized drive in an
external format but maybe there are some cons that I'm not considering.

--
Rhino

It would depend on whether the drive was for primary storage,
or was a backup device. Considering the reliability of
large drives like that, a second large drive wouldn't hurt.
Then, one could be internal, and one external. You unplug the
external one, after the backup operation is completed.

Unplugging the backup, protects the backup drive from lightning.
The contents of the computer can be destroyed by a direct lightning
hit (following along the power wires). If your backup drive is
disconnected at the time, it might survive.

If the data is really important, you keep the backup drive off-site
completely. That's to protect against fire or other disasters.

If the drive is being used for primary storage, then having it inside
the computer makes a lot of sense. Then, there is less wiring and
need for physical space, outside the computer case.


Thanks, that gives me the info I need.

I'm already on a UPS so I think I'm safe against lightning. At least I hope
so!
--
Rhino

"BobT" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 30 Nov 2011 09:16:23 -0500, "Rhino"
wrote:

I have an ASUS M3A mainboard with two 750 GB hard drives. Both are nearly
full so I'd like to add a third, larger hard drive, probably a 3 TB drive
since they have become fairly affordable at $150 for an internal one.

Interesting price--I haven't seen them that cheap for the last month
or so. Remember, if you want to be able to access all of the 3TB, you
will have to format it under GPT rather than FAT. And I don't think,
with the M3A, that you will be able to use it as a boot drive.

Well, I can't swear to the price. I was looking at them a few months back so
prices may have gone up again but they were about $150 the time I looked.

--
Rhino

Rhino wrote in :

I'm already on a UPS so I think I'm safe against lightning. At least I hope
so!

By no means. If you hang out in the amateur radio newsgroups and mailing
lists, you can get some really good advice on lightning protection. If your
house takes a direct strike, the UPS probably will be little or no help.

--
Mike Andrews, W5EGO

Tired old sysadmin

Rhino wrote:

Thanks, that gives me the info I need.

I'm already on a UPS so I think I'm safe against lightning. At least I
hope so!
--
Rhino

That kind of surge protection is not absolute.

You're not safe.

An external backup drive, disconnected when not in usage, is a good idea.

The ATX power supply, can fail, and deliver +15V on the +12V rail.
That can damage all the hard drives at the same time. That would be
another example of a fault, but in that case, no lightning was involved.
(It's basically a failure in the regulation inside the supply. That
power supply you bought for $29.95, could fail that way.)
Again, an external backup drive, powered by its own AC adapter, is your
best bet. All the drives inside the computer case could be ruined,
but your backup copy is still safe.

Some people keep a backup drive in the deposit box at the bank, but
that's carrying things to extremes :-)

Paul

"Paul" wrote in message
...
Rhino wrote:

Thanks, that gives me the info I need.

I'm already on a UPS so I think I'm safe against lightning. At least I
hope so!
--
Rhino

That kind of surge protection is not absolute.

You're not safe.

An external backup drive, disconnected when not in usage, is a good idea.

The ATX power supply, can fail, and deliver +15V on the +12V rail.
That can damage all the hard drives at the same time. That would be
another example of a fault, but in that case, no lightning was involved.
(It's basically a failure in the regulation inside the supply. That
power supply you bought for $29.95, could fail that way.)
Again, an external backup drive, powered by its own AC adapter, is your
best bet. All the drives inside the computer case could be ruined,
but your backup copy is still safe.

Some people keep a backup drive in the deposit box at the bank, but
that's carrying things to extremes :-)

Paul

Had a client that did that. When his system crashed, the bank was closed!

Chris

Rhino wrote:
"BobT" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 30 Nov 2011 09:16:23 -0500, "Rhino"
wrote:

I have an ASUS M3A mainboard with two 750 GB hard drives. Both are
nearly full so I'd like to add a third, larger hard drive, probably
a 3 TB drive since they have become fairly affordable at $150 for
an internal one.

Interesting price--I haven't seen them that cheap for the last month
or so. Remember, if you want to be able to access all of the 3TB,
you will have to format it under GPT rather than FAT. And I don't
think, with the M3A, that you will be able to use it as a boot drive.

Well, I can't swear to the price. I was looking at them a few months
back so prices may have gone up again but they were about $150 the
time I looked.

That was before the asian floods.