Replacing Hard Drives In A Server

I plan to purchase two replacement hard drives for my business server
and I have a few pre-sales questions to ask.**The server is the center
of my restaurant's Point Of Sales cash register system. My server
information follows:

* * *Manufacturer:* G.B.T. Technology Trading GMbH
* * ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** *(GIGABYTE Technology Co., LTD reported
by cpu-z)
* * *Model:* GA-6VXC7-4X
* * *CPU:* Intel Pentium III EB* (Codename: Coppermine* * *Brand ID: 2)*
733 MHz
* * *Bus Speed:* 133 MHz
* * *BIOS:* AMI 62710* (05/04/2001)
* * *On-Board IDE:* 2 IDE bus master (UDMA 33/ ATA 66 /ATA100) IDE ports
* ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** *for up to 4 ATAPI devices
* ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** *Supports PIO mode 3, 4 (DMA 33/ATA 66)
IDE &*
* ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** *ATAPI CD-ROM
* * *Storage:* dual mirrored 20 GB hard drives (WDC WD200AB-00BVA0)
* * *OS:* Windows Server 2000* (all updates installed)

I operate the server continuously 24/7.* These hard drives are nearly
six years old.* The CPU has been producing a high pitched whining noise
for about two years, which I suspect is from the hard drive(s).* I
suspect that they are approaching their end of life.* I wish to replace
the dual mirrored hard drives with two independent 80 GB or larger hard
drives, not in a mirrored configuration.* I have been looking at Western
Digital hard drives that* use various interface nomenclatures EIDE,
SATA, ATA-100.* Here is my question:

Are these hard drives backward compatible with my server both in
form/fit factor and in communications interface?* i.e.* Will they work
in my server?* Can I just remove the existing hard drives and slip these
new ones in?* I am aware of the issues regarding breaking the existing
mirror.* I have collected considerable information from Microsoft and
other sources to do this.* I don't want to purchase two hard drives and
then discover that they don't fit and/or don't work in my server.* Also,
should I be aware of any BIOS issues?

I plan to purchase Norton Ghost to transfer the data from the existing
storage media to the new drives.

Thank you.

--


Kurt Todoroff


Markets, not mandates and mob rule.
Consent, not coercion.

Kurt R. Todoroff wrote:
I plan to purchase two replacement hard drives for my business server
and I have a few pre-sales questions to ask. The server is the center
of my restaurant's Point Of Sales cash register system. My server
information follows:

Manufacturer: G.B.T. Technology Trading GMbH
(GIGABYTE Technology Co., LTD reported
by cpu-z)
Model: GA-6VXC7-4X
CPU: Intel Pentium III EB (Codename: Coppermine Brand ID: 2)
733 MHz
Bus Speed: 133 MHz
BIOS: AMI 62710 (05/04/2001)
On-Board IDE: 2 IDE bus master (UDMA 33/ ATA 66 /ATA100) IDE ports
for up to 4 ATAPI devices
Supports PIO mode 3, 4 (DMA 33/ATA 66)
IDE &
ATAPI CD-ROM
Storage: dual mirrored 20 GB hard drives (WDC WD200AB-00BVA0)
OS: Windows Server 2000 (all updates installed)

I operate the server continuously 24/7. These hard drives are nearly
six years old. The CPU has been producing a high pitched whining noise
for about two years, which I suspect is from the hard drive(s). I
suspect that they are approaching their end of life. I wish to replace
the dual mirrored hard drives with two independent 80 GB or larger hard
drives, not in a mirrored configuration. I have been looking at Western
Digital hard drives that use various interface nomenclatures EIDE,
SATA, ATA-100. Here is my question:

Are these hard drives backward compatible with my server both in
form/fit factor and in communications interface? i.e. Will they work
in my server? Can I just remove the existing hard drives and slip these
new ones in? I am aware of the issues regarding breaking the existing
mirror. I have collected considerable information from Microsoft and
other sources to do this. I don't want to purchase two hard drives and
then discover that they don't fit and/or don't work in my server. Also,
should I be aware of any BIOS issues?

I plan to purchase Norton Ghost to transfer the data from the existing
storage media to the new drives.

Thank you.


Kurt,

Based on the info you have posted, I don't think you will have an issue.
My only two pieces of advice would be: don't go too large on the
replacement drives (or check the limits if any imposed by your
motherboard) and ensure you buy PATA drives (not SATA).

Good luck!
Jonathan