Can I Connect a Slave HDD to the Seconday Drive (CD-ROM) ?

[Yoda]

Hi,

I have an Dell "OptiPlex GX110" from Dell Computer Corporation.
My BIOS Version is "Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A05"

I have windows 2000 Professional 5.0 Service Pack 3 (Build 2195) Installed in my PC.

Processor -- Pentium III-E(B) SteppingB0
Motherboard -- Intel 810E PCI Chipset


*** TO make a HDD "Slave" I have to REMOVE that "Jumper" or "Pin" from the Back of the HDD. Is that Correct ***

I want to connect a Slave HDD, so that I can copy my stuff from my "Master" to "Slave" HDD, but I face a few problems.

a.) There is no additional "Data cable" as well as "Power Cable" in my System to connect the Slave HDD.


In the BIOS,
I see this,

Primary Drive 0 --> Hard Drive
Primary Drive 1 --> OFF

I'm unable to "ON" it or "Enable" the "Primary Drive 1" thru BIOS.

Secondary Drive 0 --> CD-ROM
Secondary Drive 1 --> OFF.


In this case,

Can I disconnect the CD-ROMs "Data Cable" and "Power Cable" and connect it to my "Slave HDD" without changing anything in the

BIOS. i.e. to connect my Slave HDD to "Secondary Drive 0".

Will this work. Are the "Data Cable" and "Power Cable" same for HDD and CD-ROM.

Should i have to change anything in the BIOS before doing it.

Will my "Slave HDD" be seen in the "WIndows Explorer".



Is this a correct Solution or any other solutions available.



Thanx in Anticipation
Arsenal.

[Nemesis]

dude dont u have the dell manual???? my manual explains everything really well....u could check out manuals online at dell's website. my dell dimension uses cable select which means that a single cable has 2 connectors-1 4 primary hdd and 1 4 secondary hdd so depending on which connector is connected, an hdd will b automatically assigned primary or secondary. i dont think that u can turn the slave on without first connecting a hard drive. and i think that a cd-rom drive uses a different type of cable...not sure wait 4 others 2 reply...

EDIT: check here 4 ur manual if u dont have it: http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...s/sm/index.htm

[JAK]

Originally Posted by Kumaresh_Arsenal

Hi,

*** TO make a HDD "Slave" I have to REMOVE that "Jumper" or "Pin" from the Back of the HDD. Is that Correct ***

well depends on ur HDD Make...

Its normally mentioned on the HDD Sticker....

In general cases
1st position is for Master
2nd position is for Slave
3rd position is for CS
4th position for limiting the capacity(with other combinations) incase BIOS doesnt support large capacity drives

(with the Sticker facing upwarrds)

Originally Posted by Kumaresh_Arsenal

I want to connect a Slave HDD, so that I can copy my stuff from my "Master" to "Slave" HDD, but I face a few problems.

a.) There is no additional "Data cable" as well as "Power Cable" in my System to connect the Slave HDD.

In this case,

Can I disconnect the CD-ROMs "Data Cable" and "Power Cable" and connect it to my "Slave HDD" without changing anything in the
BIOS. i.e. to connect my Slave HDD to "Secondary Drive 0"..

yes ofcourse...u can disconnect ur IDE cable from ur CDROM and connect it to the Second HDD..

Originally Posted by Kumaresh_Arsenal

Will this work. Are the "Data Cable" and "Power Cable" same for HDD and CD-ROM..

Normally the CDROM is connect to the Mobrd with a "40-pin IDE Conductor cable" and a HDD with the 80-pin IDE conductor cable as most HDDs operate with UDMA2+. .
well both the cables are Identical ie 40- pin IDE cable = 80- pin IDE cable except for transfer speeds.
So u can easily connect the 40-IDE conductor cable to the Second HDD and transfer all the data u need to transfer.
Same goes for the Power chord..u can connect it to ur second HDD

Originally Posted by Kumaresh_Arsenal

Should i have to change anything in the BIOS before doing it.
.

Nope... just shut ur computer down and do the changes and then boot up..ur BIOS will automatically detect the second HDD.....

Originally Posted by Kumaresh_Arsenal

Will my "Slave HDD" be seen in the "WIndows Explorer".
.

yup...
But only if its formatted or in other words if it cud be accessed in the computer from wher u removed it ....
If its a new HDD u might need to format it.....

Hope this Helps....

[theraven]

damn
everything said !

[Yoda]

Thanks Nemesis and JAK for ur replies. They will be really useful to me.