Maybe a stupid question but......

Chr15_2

I have a 20gb and 40gb HD in my computer, what I want to do is add the 20gb to the computer for extra storage. Is it easy to just plug it in and then it works or do I need to install windows on that as well, or does it work from being formatted?

Netviz

One thing that you will need to check is that the Cable Select (CS) jumper setting is selected on the rear of both hard disks. Use the the little back plastic plug to cover the two pins. This is to configure the computer to figure out which disk is master and which is slave.

basmic

Make sure the 40gb is jumpered as a Master, and is on the end of the cable.

The 20gb should be set as a Slave, and should be on the middle connector on the ribbon cable.

If you're using SATA drives, it should almost as easy as screw the drive in, attach cables and use.

After attaching the cables, make sure your BIOS recognises the 20gb drive. There's usually an auto-detection option in the BIOS.

I don't agree with using CS myself, but that's probably just me being stubborn, and liking things to be perfect.

totalsolutions

Hi
>or does it work from being formatted?

By the size/capacity of the drive it might just need setting as a slave by the jumper new the connection pins. Drives must be "partitioned" before formatting can take place. Don't format the 40Gb drive!

Note
Older systems used the Master/Slave form but I noticed that PC's like Dell and a couple of others used the Cable Select method, either is correct however the ide ribbon cable would need to be of the 80 wires type having a blue connector (motherboard end), grey (middle connector and slave) and black far end (last drive, master)