Hard drive

[mungbeanz]

I have an external hard-drive but the power cable is broken - 25 pounds for a new one- I'm certainly not paying that, but it has lots of important stuff on it.

So i have had the idea to put the hard-drive inside my computer as a second hard drive. Problem is I have no idea how. I took the case off and it looks like there is a power connecter and a place for it to go, but not the other wide plug and cable.

My question is: Is this task possible? I looked at some step-by-step instructions on other sites, but they aren't very clear. Any advice is welcome.

[MarkRae]

What make and model is the drive? Chances are that if it's fairly new it will be moulded inside its case. Even if you did manage to remove it, you may find that it doesn't have the same connectors as a "regular" internal hard drive...

[ChuckFickens]

There are two types of hard drive connectors, SATA and IDE

SATA
http://t2.gstatic.com...UWQf4ak4KkHkuNKHKprww

IDE
http://t2.gstatic.com...px3KJDx9Y9ZJnfcRy&t=1

They are not compatible with each other, so if your external drive is SATA and your computer only has IDE connector it won't work.

[mungbeanz]

I took it out of its case and it looks the same as the hard drive in my computer.

It is a 3.5" Lacie 240gb .

[mungbeanz]

Its IDE then ChuckF and so is the computer

[Old_Geezer]

What sort of power cable is that ? A mains lead shoudn't cost that, and even if it had the ac/dc convertor at the plug end, a substitiute should be possible at lower cost.

First thing, if you are to mount it internally, would be to find out what data cable it uses. SATA, PATA, IDE, SCSI, whatever.

[Old_Geezer]

There's a reasonable chance you have 2 IDE plugs on your motherboard, each capable of driving 2 drives (master & slave).

What have you connected already ?

[mungbeanz]

At the moment there is the main hardrive and a DVD drive. THey both have the same connection. There is a spare small 4 pin plug which i assume is the power, but there is no other IDE? (the wide plug) cable. It seems strange that there is a space to put another drive, but no cable.

[ChuckFickens]

You can (as OG said) connect two devices to each IDE port on the motherboard, but a lot of computers come with single connector cables.

If this is the case you simply need a double connector IDE cable.

http://www.amazon.co....qid=1305556242&sr=8-2

[mungbeanz]

OK thanks for all your answers.

ChuckF, that looks like exactly what I need. Thanks. I will get one and see what happens. at 2.95 a bargain as well.

[Old_Geezer]

Without looking at the motherboard difficult to be sure, but do you not see a similar plug on teh main board as the one the existing cable plugs into ? They are usually close together. If not then you may just have the one.

In your shoes I'd be tempted to temporarily replace the DVD connections with the drive just to see if it can be seen after boot-up.

Usually the position on the cable sorts out which device is master or slave; but it ultimately depends on the jumper settings on the back of the drives.

Your other alternative is to buy an external drive caddy with USB connection, and use that, but you would probably be back to the larger expense again :-(

[mungbeanz]

Good idea. I'll try the DVD cable. If it works then I can get one of those adapters. That looks like the perfect solution to my quandry

I've read about jumper settings, so hopefully there will be no problems there.

[Old_Geezer]

Hopefully, but if it is, as it seems, 2 cables you have with just one device on each, then there should be no conflict problems. Otherwise you will need to identify the drive, check the internet for info on its jumpers, and change them to suit.