Another Annoying Computer Question thats posted in the wrong section...

[Dash]

Hi Guys!

Computer Illiterate Guy here.

I was browsing through the malls and the electronics stores today! What fun!

When I saw that they were selling the same brand name hard drives at the same store I bought my two 2x 250 GB hard drives. Western Digital is the brand name.At the end of an entire year of after having them installed and functioning inside my computer case. They are still in very excellent working condition.

Yes, you guessed it. I'm wondering if I can fit in one more hard drive into my computer, before they are sold out off the shelves.

Right now. I have an Asus Motherboard. I'll try to get the stats off of it when the startup screen comes up and I'll try to get into the BIOS to get the stats off of the computer from the screen BIOS display. (Anyone know how to get into the BIOS? I forgot. Its been a year since I did that.)

I currently have one primary harddrive 40 gb and two secondary hard drives which are 250 gb each. I believe I have an expansion card or bus (or whatever you call it to accomodate for the extra hard drives.)

I think I remember that I do have one more plug for one more hard drive to be installed.

How do I know for sure that I can accomodate one more hard drive into my computer for certain- considering its really cheap right now - before I go out and buy it and find out I can't fit another hard drive into my computer - I'd like to know for certain that my computer can accomodate one more hard drive for sure. How do I find out for certain?

Thanks.

 

[ig-88]

To get into your motherboard's CMOS to adjust BIOS settings, you will need to watch your computer while it is booting up. It will give you instructions on how to enter the BIOS, e.g. Ctrl+S.

For internal hard drives, it depends on how many devices your motherboard supports. What kind of drive interface do you have? IDE? Parallel ATA? Serial ATA (SATA)? Usually, you can support 2 hard drives and a CD-ROM drive straight out of the motherboard.

Also, if you've used up all your internal hard drive slots, you can try getting external hard drives, which connect via USB. Then, you can have as many drives as you have USB ports.

 

[tboy]

What I would do is get rid of your 40.....there is an app out there in netland that will allow you to move your OS to anther drive as well as all the apps on the primary drive.

Then you can install yet another 250....so I have to ask: what the hell do you need 750 gb FOR?

If it is data storage like movies (porn) then I'd suggest you burn em to a DVD and get em off your system. IF one of your drives fail, you're fuct if you dont'

Plus if you burn em correctly you could simply play them through your dvd player on your tv.

 

[Cobster]

Other thing to keep in mind is, your operating system.
Assuming it's XP?
If so, ASSSSUMING it's legit, is it the retail or OEM version?
If it's OEM, you may not be able to change your harddrive and reinstall XP.
If it's a retail version, you will be able to.
If it's not legit...

 

[tboy]

Other thing to keep in mind is, your operating system.
Assuming it's XP?
If so, ASSSSUMING it's legit, is it the retail or OEM version?
If it's OEM, you will not be able to change your harddrive and reinstall XP.
If it's a retail version, you will be able to.
If it's not legit...

Are you sure about that? (the oem statement) I mean you "should" be able to because what happens when the hard drive on the computer you bought it orignally for cacks out? Just because the original computer's hard drive is toast you "shouldn't" be forced to buy another copy of windows.

I know that you can only automatically activate it so many times then you have to call in. That happened to me when I did/do my periodic clean up.....

 

[Cobster]

tboy, pretty sure, cpu, harddrive and motherboard card constitute a "new computer" according to M$.

 

[loco2.0]

tboy, pretty sure, cpu, harddrive and motherboard card constitute a "new computer" according to M$.

Bullshit. Thanks for misinforming once again shelf boy.

 

[Cobster]

LOCO, I understand you're a miserable old man, but what exactly is bullshit?
I've encountered OEM issues with M$ for a friend when installing a new motherboard.

 

[loco2.0]

Either one of us must have misunderstood something here, since I believe that a new motherboard was never discussed. I strongly suspect it's you, but with all that work you had to do for the holidays stocking shelves and pretending to be busy at Best Buy it's only natural for you to be tired.

To the thread starter: Just do as someone suggested and replace your 40GB with another 250GB. You can also get an external HDD case so u can house the old 40GB drive, and still have some use for it as a backup drive.

FAGSTER: so now you have beef with MS too? LMAO Make a list of all the companies you have beef with to humor me one of these days.

 

[Cobster]

tboy, pretty sure, cpu, harddrive and motherboard card constitute a "new computer" according to M$.

Look above, "motherboard" was mentioned.

I should have put and/or in the whole thing, but it was late/tired, xgf was over - (free sex, but you can't relate to that can you).

That said, if you get a new motherboard, then you can't use your OEM version of XP on a new machine.
New harddrive is fine however.

Resorting to name calling again Loco?

 

[loco2.0]

cockster

 

[Joxxer]

Not a big deal

Most motherboards have 2 IDE connectors. Newer ones also have SATA connectors.

Sounds like you already have 3 drives + a CD/DVD/whatever.

If you have an expansion board, it gives you more spigots (my term) for more disks. If not, pick one up at Tigerdirect for ~ $25.

You might need a power splitter cable or possibly a better power supply if you keep jamming in drives.

Otherwise, piece of cake.

P.S. If you keep doing this, you should consider bigger drives. Sooner or later you'll run out of space (physical), spigots, power, etc. Tiger has 400G drives for about $130.