icomputergeekman
New Member
I know this might be considered a stupid question, but i want to add a HD to my computer. i have windows vista home premium 64 bit. Will i have any trouble adding a new one?
New hard drive
- Thread starter icomputergeekman
- Start date
TrainTrackHack
VIP Member
Depends. Almost certainly no, you won't have any trouble. Just throw the drive in, hook up the cables, make sure that the dirve is mounted properly and you're done. If you do encounter some problems, it's most likely any of the following:
1)DOA HDD
2)Insufficient PSU (I find this unlikely, but has happened to me, so might as well mention this)
3)Loose cable / some other common mistake
1)DOA HDD
2)Insufficient PSU (I find this unlikely, but has happened to me, so might as well mention this)
3)Loose cable / some other common mistake
Simply adding a second drive may shift the arrangement in the boot order found in the bios at first. If your current if sata? hard drive just happened to be plugged into the second sata port(primary slave) or any other then the first(primary master) it will be moved to the second in the list making the new drive default.
For an ide drive if the current drive is mastered at the end of the cable you may have to set the jumper to cable select if not readily available as slave. The advantage of sata is all that is decided by port not jumper setting and cable position.
In the boot order section of the bios you should see hard drives as an item where you highlight that and press enter to have all hard drives installed seen in the list there. If the Vista drive is seen at the top it has remained the default. If not the instructions to the right will indicate usually two NumPad keys to move it to the top there.
Once in Windows a trip into the Disk Management tool will be needed even if you use a 3rd party drive partitioning tool in order to see the one or more partitions you first have to create formatted. Those will then appear as logical drives then available.
Windows will detect and install any new drive automatically if set up properly unless you should happen to get a defective drive. You still have to see it partitioned and formatted first however for it to appear in the Computer icon or any explorer window. It doesn't matter for the most if you are running a 32bit or 64bit edition of Windows since this is an internal storage device using default drivers included in Windows.
For an ide drive if the current drive is mastered at the end of the cable you may have to set the jumper to cable select if not readily available as slave. The advantage of sata is all that is decided by port not jumper setting and cable position.
In the boot order section of the bios you should see hard drives as an item where you highlight that and press enter to have all hard drives installed seen in the list there. If the Vista drive is seen at the top it has remained the default. If not the instructions to the right will indicate usually two NumPad keys to move it to the top there.
Once in Windows a trip into the Disk Management tool will be needed even if you use a 3rd party drive partitioning tool in order to see the one or more partitions you first have to create formatted. Those will then appear as logical drives then available.
Windows will detect and install any new drive automatically if set up properly unless you should happen to get a defective drive. You still have to see it partitioned and formatted first however for it to appear in the Computer icon or any explorer window. It doesn't matter for the most if you are running a 32bit or 64bit edition of Windows since this is an internal storage device using default drivers included in Windows.
You will need to go into Disk Management and Partition and format the drive after you install it like hack said.
Someone around here named hack? I haven't run across that in the members list so far?
If you are unfamiliar with the Disk Management tool you go into that by way of "Control Panel>Administrative Tools>Computer Management>Storage" and click the plus sign seen at the left to open up the catagory list. Once clicking on the DM you then see a new popup window where all drives are displayed.
The new drive will be seen there where you right on that to create a new partition or to simply format one or more created by a program like Partition Magic or even the free Linux tool GParted. You will have the option for quick or full format. With a brand new drive most simply use the quick format option. For a drive used for any lengthy period seeing a lot of clutter with temp folders and other things then some will use the full format which takes a bit longer.
If you are unfamiliar with the Disk Management tool you go into that by way of "Control Panel>Administrative Tools>Computer Management>Storage" and click the plus sign seen at the left to open up the catagory list. Once clicking on the DM you then see a new popup window where all drives are displayed.
The new drive will be seen there where you right on that to create a new partition or to simply format one or more created by a program like Partition Magic or even the free Linux tool GParted. You will have the option for quick or full format. With a brand new drive most simply use the quick format option. For a drive used for any lengthy period seeing a lot of clutter with temp folders and other things then some will use the full format which takes a bit longer.
TrainTrackHack
VIP Member
Most of the time I'm referred to as hack, simply because it's shorter and easier than my whole screen name. Straglehold isn't the only one who does it. I have nothing against this.
That was simply a pun there. I knew who was being referred to. But you never made any reference to the Disk Management tool in your post before. Someone else goofed on that!
I really believe something is wrong with you and it getting worse by the post.
TrainTrackHack
VIP Member
Oh, no, It's just that I been using linux for last... well, for a while now, and I said that the HD has to be properly mounted, instead of using the Windows-specific dictionary.
You're the only one that seems to be having some problem. But take it elsewhere thank you!
icomputergeekman
New Member
Hey both of you shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Lol