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#1
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HD IDE Cable - New XPS Gen 3
Quick question... I just purchased a new XPS Gen 3 (3.6) with a single 74GB
10,000 RPM HD. I did not get a second drive since I already have some large drives here that I planned to add. Problem is since I only ordered the computer with one drive, the primary IDE cable for the HD only has a single connector. Is this typical? Can I just pick up a standard two-connector IDE cable in order to add the second drive? TIA for your suggestions! Doug |
#2
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Are you talking about the IDE cable or the SATA cable. The 74GB drive is
not an IDE drive. It is a SATA drive and it requires a SATA cable. If you order the retail version of the drive, it will come with a SATA cable. "Doug Miannay" wrote in message ... Quick question... I just purchased a new XPS Gen 3 (3.6) with a single 74GB 10,000 RPM HD. I did not get a second drive since I already have some large drives here that I planned to add. Problem is since I only ordered the computer with one drive, the primary IDE cable for the HD only has a single connector. Is this typical? Can I just pick up a standard two-connector IDE cable in order to add the second drive? TIA for your suggestions! Doug |
#3
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I guess that in my ignorance I ordered a configuration where I can't add an
IDE drive to the same cable as the SATA drive. Am I correct? That poses a problem for me... I'm going to have to find some other solution to allow me to use the 160GB IDE drive I have all my data on from the computer the XPS is replacing. "WSZsr" wrote in message om... Are you talking about the IDE cable or the SATA cable. The 74GB drive is not an IDE drive. It is a SATA drive and it requires a SATA cable. If you order the retail version of the drive, it will come with a SATA cable. "Doug Miannay" wrote in message ... Quick question... I just purchased a new XPS Gen 3 (3.6) with a single 74GB 10,000 RPM HD. I did not get a second drive since I already have some large drives here that I planned to add. Problem is since I only ordered the computer with one drive, the primary IDE cable for the HD only has a single connector. Is this typical? Can I just pick up a standard two-connector IDE cable in order to add the second drive? TIA for your suggestions! Doug |
#4
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If you only have one optical drive, the IDE drive can go on that. If it
only has one connector, then, yes, a cable with two connectors is all you need. tom "Doug Miannay" wrote in message ... I guess that in my ignorance I ordered a configuration where I can't add an IDE drive to the same cable as the SATA drive. Am I correct? That poses a problem for me... I'm going to have to find some other solution to allow me to use the 160GB IDE drive I have all my data on from the computer the XPS is replacing. "WSZsr" wrote in message om... Are you talking about the IDE cable or the SATA cable. The 74GB drive is not an IDE drive. It is a SATA drive and it requires a SATA cable. If you order the retail version of the drive, it will come with a SATA cable. "Doug Miannay" wrote in message ... Quick question... I just purchased a new XPS Gen 3 (3.6) with a single 74GB 10,000 RPM HD. I did not get a second drive since I already have some large drives here that I planned to add. Problem is since I only ordered the computer with one drive, the primary IDE cable for the HD only has a single connector. Is this typical? Can I just pick up a standard two-connector IDE cable in order to add the second drive? TIA for your suggestions! Doug |
#5
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plus you could also by an external usb2 HDD enclosure
"Tom Scales" wrote in message ... If you only have one optical drive, the IDE drive can go on that. If it only has one connector, then, yes, a cable with two connectors is all you need. tom "Doug Miannay" wrote in message ... I guess that in my ignorance I ordered a configuration where I can't add an IDE drive to the same cable as the SATA drive. Am I correct? That poses a problem for me... I'm going to have to find some other solution to allow me to use the 160GB IDE drive I have all my data on from the computer the XPS is replacing. "WSZsr" wrote in message om... Are you talking about the IDE cable or the SATA cable. The 74GB drive is not an IDE drive. It is a SATA drive and it requires a SATA cable. If you order the retail version of the drive, it will come with a SATA cable. "Doug Miannay" wrote in message ... Quick question... I just purchased a new XPS Gen 3 (3.6) with a single 74GB 10,000 RPM HD. I did not get a second drive since I already have some large drives here that I planned to add. Problem is since I only ordered the computer with one drive, the primary IDE cable for the HD only has a single connector. Is this typical? Can I just pick up a standard two-connector IDE cable in order to add the second drive? TIA for your suggestions! Doug |
#6
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I installed my spare IDE drive in a $27 USB2 external hard drive enclosure.
Works great! "Doug Miannay" wrote in message ... I guess that in my ignorance I ordered a configuration where I can't add an IDE drive to the same cable as the SATA drive. Am I correct? That poses a problem for me... I'm going to have to find some other solution to allow me to use the 160GB IDE drive I have all my data on from the computer the XPS is replacing. "WSZsr" wrote in message om... Are you talking about the IDE cable or the SATA cable. The 74GB drive is not an IDE drive. It is a SATA drive and it requires a SATA cable. If you order the retail version of the drive, it will come with a SATA cable. "Doug Miannay" wrote in message ... Quick question... I just purchased a new XPS Gen 3 (3.6) with a single 74GB 10,000 RPM HD. I did not get a second drive since I already have some large drives here that I planned to add. Problem is since I only ordered the computer with one drive, the primary IDE cable for the HD only has a single connector. Is this typical? Can I just pick up a standard two-connector IDE cable in order to add the second drive? TIA for your suggestions! Doug |
#7
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There are adapters made by several manufacturers that
will convert between PATA and SATA. You could use one of those to connect your PATA drive to the SATA controller. If your PC's PCI Express bus is backward compatible with PCI, another alternative is to get a PCI card with an ATA controller on it. You can get those from Promise, SIIG, HighPoint, etc. *TimDaniels* "Fixer" wrote: plus you could also by an external usb2 HDD enclosure "Tom Scales" wrote: If you only have one optical drive, the IDE drive can go on that. If it only has one connector, then, yes, a cable with two connectors is all you need. "Doug Miannay" wrote: I guess that in my ignorance I ordered a configuration where I can't add an IDE drive to the same cable as the SATA drive. Am I correct? That poses a problem for me... I'm going to have to find some other solution to allow me to use the 160GB IDE drive I have all my data on from the computer the XPS is replacing. "WSZsr" wrote: Are you talking about the IDE cable or the SATA cable. The 74GB drive is not an IDE drive. It is a SATA drive and it requires a SATA cable. If you order the retail version of the drive, it will come with a SATA cable. "Doug Miannay" wrote: Quick question... I just purchased a new XPS Gen 3 (3.6) with a single 74GB 10,000 RPM HD. I did not get a second drive since I already have some large drives here that I planned to add. Problem is since I only ordered the computer with one drive, the primary IDE cable for the HD only has a single connector. Is this typical? Can I just pick up a standard two-connector IDE cable in order to add the second drive? |
#8
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On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 21:43:33 -0500, "Doug Miannay"
wrote: I guess that in my ignorance I ordered a configuration where I can't add an IDE drive to the same cable as the SATA drive. Am I correct? That poses a problem for me... I'm going to have to find some other solution to allow me to use the 160GB IDE drive I have all my data on from the computer the XPS is replacing. My Dimension XPS (Gen 2, almost a year old), was ordered and shipped with a single SATA drive. I added two "old" IDE drives (which, along with CD and DVD burners, makes a total of 4 IDE devices). And since I have a drawer-full of old IDE drives, I installed one of those removeable drive ports, so I can swap them in and out. And, as I recall, there is still a second SATA receptacle on the mother board, so I could add a second SATA drive, giving 4 internal HDs. Doesn't your Gen 3 have two IDE channels? --John W. Wells |
#9
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NO, four SATA and one PATA.
"John W. Wells" wrote in message ... On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 21:43:33 -0500, "Doug Miannay" wrote: I guess that in my ignorance I ordered a configuration where I can't add an IDE drive to the same cable as the SATA drive. Am I correct? That poses a problem for me... I'm going to have to find some other solution to allow me to use the 160GB IDE drive I have all my data on from the computer the XPS is replacing. My Dimension XPS (Gen 2, almost a year old), was ordered and shipped with a single SATA drive. I added two "old" IDE drives (which, along with CD and DVD burners, makes a total of 4 IDE devices). And since I have a drawer-full of old IDE drives, I installed one of those removeable drive ports, so I can swap them in and out. And, as I recall, there is still a second SATA receptacle on the mother board, so I could add a second SATA drive, giving 4 internal HDs. Doesn't your Gen 3 have two IDE channels? --John W. Wells |
#10
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Thanks everyone for the valuable comments. My choices are clear:
1. Get an SATA to PATA adapter PCI board, or 2. Pick up a new SATA HDD drive (which includes the cable). I believe choice # 2 is the way to go since a new HDD will increase the overall storage I have on our home network. The IDE drive I wanted to install in the new XPS Gen3 can just stay in my older Dimension 8250 since it's on the network anyway. I really just need a second larger drive in the XPS so I can get all my data off the primary partition (74GB WD HDD). Drives are pretty cheap so adding more storage space is the right way to go here. Again, thanks for all the responses. Doug "Doug Miannay" wrote in message ... Quick question... I just purchased a new XPS Gen 3 (3.6) with a single 74GB 10,000 RPM HD. I did not get a second drive since I already have some large drives here that I planned to add. Problem is since I only ordered the computer with one drive, the primary IDE cable for the HD only has a single connector. Is this typical? Can I just pick up a standard two-connector IDE cable in order to add the second drive? TIA for your suggestions! Doug |
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