How to install extra hard drive?

Hi;

I want to install an extra harddrive on my system. I can physically connect it, set jumpers, set it up in bios. But after that im not sure what to do --- do i have to partition and format it??

If so, how do I do that step by step?

Cheers!

 

what windows are you using?

 

Sorry, Im using XP Pro.

 

sweet that saves alot of time of go to star menu then run then type diskmgmt.msc and press enter.(take all cd's out b4 opening diskmgmt.msc). then it will your old hardrive(s) listed and hopfully the new one if u see the new one right click it and click create active partition and it should work.

 

i mean dont click mark active partition click "format..."

 

Let me explain what I have done to date.

1. I started with my OLD HDD with XP Pro installed.
2. I removed the OLD drive and attached the NEW drive, and installed XP Pro onto my NEW drive
3. I physically installed both drives - NEW: jumper on master, plugged into master connector on IDE cable .... OLD: no jumper (slave), plugged into slave connector on IDE cable.
4. Set up drives in BIOS

Now, if i get into windows/disk management, right click on my OLD drive and click format, will everything be good? I dont want to keep any old data, i want a fresh install.

 

Yeah it should work.

 

if you are a little iffy on the matter just hit F1 while in disk managment and it will tell you what to do better than i can.

 

What about partitioning? Do I HAVE to do that as well? Or not worry?