Suggestion needed for 1 TB Hard Drive

Yoda · 21-06-2009, 02:48 PM

Hi friends,

I'm planning to buy a 1 TB Internal Hard Drive.

My options are...
Western Digital Sata 2 (32 MB Buffer) (1 Terabyte) --- Rs. 4875/- approx.
Seagate Sata 2 (32 MB Buffer) 1 Terabyte --- Rs. 4725/- approx.

I have a few questions to ask ???

1. My Mobo. has only 2 SATA Ports and 1 is occupied with 320 GB SATA-II Hard Drive.

2. Since my Mobo. and Win. XP doesn't recognize my 320 GB SATA HDD (No native support for SATA in mobo.), I had to use a Modded OS with SATA drivers slipstreamed while installing the OS. Now if I install another 1 TB SATA HDD, how to make the Mobo. / XP recognize it. Since F6 is not functioning in my BIOS to add 3rd party drivers, should I install the SATA Drivers before booting into XP in BIOS / after booting into XP.

3. Are there any Jumper settings in SATA HDD to make it Master / Slave. If they are no jumper settings how will the Mobo. / Win. XP will recognize which SATA HDD is Master / Slave.

4. Is my PSU / SMPS sufficient enough to power the new 1 TB Hard Drive ?

My PC Config
OS = Windows XP Professional with SP3
CPU Type = AMD Athlon XP, 1913 MHz (11.5 x 166) 2600+
MotherBoard = ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe REV 2.xx
Motherboard Chipset = nVIDIA nForce2 Ultra 400
Main BIOS = Phoenix AwardBIOS (BIOS Date: 05/20/04)
System Memory = 1024 MB (DDR SDRAM)
Hard Disk Drive = ST332062 0SV SCSI Disk Device (320 GB, 7200 RPM, SATA-II)
Graphics Card = Gigabyte GV-R96X128D (ATI Radeon 9600XT) (128 MB DDR)
Optical Drive = BENQ DVD DD DW1640 (DVD Writer) (IDE)
Optical Drive = LITE-ON DVDRW LH-20A1S SCSI CdRom Device (DVD Writer) (SATA)
SMPS = AC 230V ATX-Switching Power Supply Model: LC-B500E (Total Output: 500W)
Zebronics ATX Cabinet Model = ZEB-211A-Elegance
Logitech NewTouch Multimedia Keyboard
Microsoft USB Mouse
AltecLansing AVS 300 2.1 Speakers System
Monitor = HP w1907 19" TFT LCD Widescreen

Please recommend me a reliable Brand and answers for my queries. I live in Bangalore

Regards
Yoda

surinder · 22-06-2009, 09:25 AM

Answers to your queries are:-

1. If your MOBO has two SATA Ports and one of them is occupied so that means other is free then what is the problem use it for the second HDD.

2. I really haven't heard of "no sport for SATA "with MOBO who have connectors for the same. BTW you can update BIOS and install SP3 for your OS Windows XP.

3.Yes jumper settings are available in SATA HDDs for determine it as master/slave. BTW it can be determine by BIOS as well by using on mobo SATA connectors first connector makes a HDD as master others make them slaves to all of other added HDDs.

4. Don't know about your PSU a lot but HDDs don't consume great amount of power. you can go with western digital 1TB HDD @4.8K model number WD10EADS it is from their green power series consumes just six watts at most if you are in concern with power consumption.

surinder · 22-06-2009, 10:53 AM

I Google for your MOBO and found your mobo has SATA 1 (SATA 150 actually) interface And it is hard/impossible to get a 1 TB HDD with SATA 1 interface. But your newly yet to be purchased 1TB SATA 2 (SATA 300 actually) HDD should automatically get into SATA 1 mode or you may have to use its jumpers to limit it to SATA 1. But still potential of the HDD will gone wasted as SATA 1 mode support upto 1.5Gb/s compare to SATA II 3.0Gb/s.

Yoda · 22-06-2009, 11:39 AM

Thanks very much surinder for the kind help and reply. So far the BIOS has never detected my SATA II 320 GB HDD. My 320 GB SATA-II HDD was detected by Windows XP SP3 only when the SATA drivers were loaded from the SATA drivers slipstreamed Modded OS before installing the OS for the first time (XP SP3).

Yesterday I have updated my BIOS but still the BIOS won't recognize my 320 GB SATA HDD.

1. Now if i connect a new 1 TB SATA-II HDD will my XP SP3 detect it or how to make it detected by XP SP3 after installing the 1 TB HDD ?

2. Since my BIOS does not detect the HDD, how to make a SATA HDD Master / Slave in mobo. Which SATA ports in my mobo. is master and slave and how to identify it ?

3. And will XP SP3 has the capability to detect and support both 320 GB and 1 TB SATA HDD as master and slave in my existing PC config. and with the specific device drivers installed ?

I'm planning to post "BIOS not detecting my SATA HDD" issue in ASUS Forum. Hope they can solve the issue.

Thanks and Regards
Yoda

hell_storm2006 · 22-06-2009, 12:21 PM

Well for the brand i would say WD Caviar Green 1TB! Don't go for Seagate. Not reliable, reduced warranty and serious firmware issues in the recent past. WD performs better too!

Rest, i think, Surinder has made clear to you.

surinder · 22-06-2009, 03:29 PM

Here we go :-

1. Yes, there are great chances that your PC's OS can detect newer HDD.

2. Don't think it is going to happen with every drive so if BOIS detects your new HDD either it will detected as master or slave to use it other way just use opposite connectors from MOBO very easy act since there are only two of them.Or you can simply set HDD's jumper to master/slave.

3. Windows XP SP3 has no such limitation issues it is happening only due to your MOBO's SATA interface which is sadly the older one. BTW as I said earlier don't think this conflict of detection is going to happen with every drive go get your required HDD first after that one way or the other problems will be solved.

The Sorcerer · 22-06-2009, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hell_storm2006

....and serious firmware issues in the recent past.

Yeah but 7200.10 and 7200.12 rpm have no issues at all- the ones who have reported are using substandard power supply which is bound to happen. In any case any hard drive can drive due to multiple issues. Besides in 7200.11 rpm drives, only 2-3 of them used to brick the HDs.

static_x · 22-06-2009, 03:57 PM

IMO you go for WD10EADS. I'm using this HD and am very much satisfied with it. Go for it!!

Yoda · 22-06-2009, 07:35 PM

Thanks for all the replies and many thanks to surinder for kind help. Will soon decide

Power_user_EX · 23-06-2009, 10:28 PM

Lately Seagate's customeerCase/RMA forum was flooded with replies of problems dealing with high capacity seagate HDDs. Seagate it working on it.

http://arstechnica.com/hardware/news...ll-support.ars

For the time being WD is better - but seagate will come up again.