HardDrive help

[lovsk8in247]

Im thinking about getting a bigger harddrive what my question is can i buy a new harddrive anywhere (ex. best buy) or do i have to buy it from my manufacturer (DELL)

Another question is there a way i can move my files(ex. downloaded movies) from an old drive to a new one and how would i do that

and is there a way i can just have one drive instead of two in the same computer because i just want one (120GB)

heres my computer stats if you need more info about my computer please ask
Windows XP Home
40GB harddrive
256MB of RAM(going to be 512MB when my order comes in)
verison 2002
Service Pack 1
Intel(R)
Pentium(R) 4 CPU 1.80GHz
1.79GHz

 

[Couriant]

Yes, you can format the drive to be 1 partition. Now from what you wrote, you machine is a DELL? You may void the warranty (if applicable) if you put in the hard drive. You can buy the hard drive anywhere you want.

Lastly you can keep the old drive connected as a slave and transfer the files to the new drive.

 

[LONGHAIR]

As long as the original drive is not so old as to be a problem, you are better off keeping it. Add an additional 80gig drive then do yourself a big favor by keeping a good back-up of the main drive there. This leaves you with a good sized (but not huge) main drive. This is helpful buy making system utilities (defrag, chkdsc, etc) run faster. It also makes formatting/reinstalling the OS far easier.

 

[lovsk8in247]

Is there a website that can tell me step by step how to transfer files and partition it to 1 and how to set it up

p.s. i can have 2 harddrives in my computer? and do they go side by side? ohh and if i can have two harddrives would i have to get another cable for inside my computer to connect it?

 

[lovsk8in247]

which type of harddrive should i get a Western Digital? and how many GB's should i get for it 80GB? and where do i go i my computer to see whats the biggest harddrive amount i can have or my computer can hold?

i have a dimension 4500S from dell

 

[LONGHAIR]

Sure you can have more than one hard drive. The cable you already have should work for both.
I only suggested 80gig because of your mention of a total of 120. The limit on size is determined by the BIOS.

 

[Couriant]

800Gig? lol longhair I think you are looking too fast into the future

Western Digital is a good brand, Maxtor, Segate are others...

The BIOS can detirmine the size, so check with the manufacturer of the motherboard.

If you buy a retail boxed hard drive, it will come with instructions on how to install a hard drive. (it should tell you how to set it so you can have 2 drives in)

Lastly, you can have up to 4 hard drives, though since you have a CD-ROM device, it will go down to 3. The only thing I would like to warn you is that you should consider getting another cooling fan. Hard drives can be tempermental in hot conditions. I know my WD was acting weird because there was not enough air going into the case.

 

[lovsk8in247]

ok thanks to both of you

one last question if i do install a second drive should what should i make the master and which one should i make the slave? and what files should i have on which one ?

and how and what should i backup on my system if i install a new harddrive and how would the backups get from one harddrive to the next

 

[lovsk8in247]

if i get a second harddrive would the harddrive have to be the same as the one i have in my computer now?

 

[lovsk8in247]

would this harddrive be good for my computer ?

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage...99777&type=product&productCategoryId=cat01043

 

[Whiteskin]

Usually you want to boot off the master: So, unless you are reinstalling windows, then just slave the new drive.

 

[lovsk8in247]

im kinda wanting to put windows XP home on the new harddrive and having the new drive boot and the old drive as the slave drive for backup

all i would have to do is install the new harddrive and put in my windows xp home install cd and put windows xp home on the new harddrive and it would boot from it? or is it not the easy?

 

[lovsk8in247]

im going to get the western digital and make that my master and put my windows xp and boot from that and have the old harddrive as a slave for backups

 

[pjblevin]

I've got a Dell with a pair of 40's......it came with a 40g hd, and then I bought a 2nd 40 (Western Digital) from Dell. I never did move my OS. I use the additional 40g hd to store all my stuff. If windows goes down, I don't lose anything. If you're buying an 80g hd, you should use that as storage, and keep the 40 for your OS. I just checked, and I've used up about 8g of space in my "windows" drive, and 9g (and climbing), in my storage drive.