Adding a second internal hard drive.

[Frazierface]

Hello, I attached a second internal hard drive to my computer with the same ribbon or connectors as the original hard drive.  When I go into my computer it is not recognizing any second hard drive has been added. Looking for any help on this and what process I should follow from here. I did double check all of the pins were attached properly.  Thank you,

Marc

[Allan]

You need to format it before Explorer (My Computer) can see it. Go to START - RUN - type: diskmgmt.msc (then press ENTER) and find the new drive - it will show as unallocated space. Right click on it and format it.

[Frazierface]

Thank you, I did that and this is what the result is.  Is does not give me the option to format it as format is a grey color which you cannot chose.  Well I tried to do a print screen but that would not work and I could not copy and paste it.  When I right click on it the only options it gives it delete volume...   or help.  It does show it is 100% free.  Any ideas would be wonderful. 



Thanks,

Marc

[Frazierface]

I did attach the screenshot.

Marc

[year+ old attachment deleted by admin]

[hartbeatmr]

Good evening Frazierface and welcome back

Thank you for the screen shot. But something is not making since. Also you may already know but your "C" drive is 99% full and that is why you are putting in another HD.

That hard drive is only 27.98 gigs? so it maybe a old 30.00 gig hard drive? the hard drive you put in is smaller that the other one that is already installed? Is this hard drive a old IDE hard drive or is it a sata hard drive.

Just in-case you do not know older hard drives jumpers were not the same on all hard drives from different companies. Example a old western digital 40.00gig hard drive the jumper may have been the 3 jumper on the right and a maxtor one may be the second one on the left of the jumpers when they were set as master. Hopefully that makes since

The next odd part the newer hard drive is listed as drive 0 and you haven't given it a driver letter yet. I would double check the jumpers if your original hard drive that is in the PC is set for cable select then set the new one that you are doing as cable select also (on IDE drives). Sata HD do not require jumpers and only one HD per cable can be used.

You should be able to right click on that drive and delete the partition, then when that is done just right click on that drive and partition it for it's full size than you can format it and give it a drive letter.

Hope this helps, Mike 

I would double check the jumpers if the hard drive is IDE 

[Frazierface]

Thanks, I was able to name it J, now can I move some of the C: contents on that or will it just start accepting new data on that drive.  Sorry so many questions, newbie.  I should probably get a big external hard drive, that would help me out  they seem pretty expensive.  Any pointers on a place/company to purchase them?

Thank you,

Marc

[hartbeatmr]

Good evening Frazierface and welcome back

I am glad that you got it all set so you can use it.

Once it is partitioned, formatted with a drive letter yes you can start put your data on it.

As far as a good company that would depend on where you live. But my self I love dealing with NewEgg http://www.newegg.com/Store/Category.aspx?Category=15&name=Hard-Drives when you are there just look on the left side. If you want a internal or external etc. The cost are not that bad. If you go to buy another internal hard drive i would not buy a "green Drive label" I only buy "Blue and Black label drives" in my experience green label drives have a very high failure rate.

As far as good companies that make hard-drives I normally buy Western Digital, Seagate and a lot of others have been around along time. Just do your research and when you have a question just ask.

You can buy a good one that is external for about 75+ for a 500 gig HD on up and on some for another 20-25 dollars you can almost double the storage size. 

Hope this helps and have a good night, Mike