How Do I Install a Second Hard Drive?

How do I set up a slave hard drive? I can do the mechanical installation but the setting up is worrying me.What I want to do is to install the slave drive(a used one) then format it . Then transfer all data from themaster to the slave. Format the master then. bring back my data to the master. The reason is so as to have a "clean"installation. The master is 3.1 gb the slave is 4gb. I will then "back up" data to the slave.The master is only 50% used as I do not play games at all although I am just getting interested in digital photography . sw

This question was answered on January 16, 2003. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.

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That isn't whatcha call a "Clean installation" In fact, if you do what you are planning, there is a good chance you will run up against something called a "Phantom Image" on your current drive What that may do, if anything, is next to impossible to tell Formatting a drive does not "erase" it The process merely sets up the disk so the computer interprets the media as being completely available.

Leave your "master" drive alone It's not good practice Don't transfer all the data back and forth Often, Windows files are dynamic in nature, and your "copy" may not even boot

There is a program called Norton Ghost, which can make images of drives, which are then usable to restore troubled hard disks, if that is what you desire.

If you are having problems with current settings and installations on your primary drive, address those problems separately.

The 4 gig will probably make good place to store backup data Just don't completely rely on any disk drive.

As for drive configuration, there are jumpers which needs to be set on both your master and slave drives Sometimes the markings can be hard to see, and there is a slight possibility somebody might have tossed out the jumper on your current drive, entirely.

Do a Google search on the model numbers for each drive Great illustrations are generally available online.

Put both drives on the same cable, that is, IDE channel It's good practice to put the master drive at the end of the cable, then put your slave drive on the connector near the middle of the cable.

There are many Internet pages which explain the details involved in installing a second hard drive As there may be additional considerations, and I would like you to have access to all the information Go to Google com Type "Installing a Second Hard Drive" Whatever can go wrong, just may It is not a difficult process -- usually

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Posted by Robert of Mesa Community College on January 16, 2003

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