I currently have a Dell E520 with two 320 GB drives inside. I'm
thinking about getting another internal drive and wanted to know if it
was possible to add one more to the set up. If it's possible, besides
the drive will I need anything else for the install?
"Tracy" <muppettracy@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:21b823b6-1866-46d8-92cb-497f28131dc0@i12g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>I currently have a Dell E520 with two 320 GB drives inside. I'm
> thinking about getting another internal drive and wanted to know if it
> was possible to add one more to the set up. If it's possible, besides
> the drive will I need anything else for the install?
You will need a right-angle SATA cable like the one found here (not sure if
18" is long enough, but maybe someone here will know. You could always
measure the length of the current cable and go from there) : http://support.dell.com/support/edoc....htm#wp1211782
You'll want to enable/turn on/set to "auto" the 2nd drive in BIOS once the
drive is installed. Match the connector number you use on the motherboard to
the drive number in BIOS.
"S.Lewis" <Gossamer@interesting.com> wrote in message
news:7iLsj.73035$Mu4.23710@bignews7.bellsouth.net. ..
>
> "Tracy" <muppettracy@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:21b823b6-1866-46d8-92cb-497f28131dc0@i12g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>>I currently have a Dell E520 with two 320 GB drives inside. I'm
>> thinking about getting another internal drive and wanted to know if it
>> was possible to add one more to the set up. If it's possible, besides
>> the drive will I need anything else for the install?
>
>
> Instructions for the drive install are here:
> http://support.dell.com/support/edoc....htm#wp1211782
>
> You will need a right-angle SATA cable like the one found here (not sure
> if 18" is long enough, but maybe someone here will know. You could always
> measure the length of the current cable and go from there) :
> http://support.dell.com/support/edoc....htm#wp1211782
>
> You'll want to enable/turn on/set to "auto" the 2nd drive in BIOS once the
> drive is installed. Match the connector number you use on the motherboard
> to the drive number in BIOS.
>
> Stew
>
>
Actually, sorry. I just noted you're asking about adding a THIRD drive, not
merely a second drive. In that case you'll probably wish to follow the
instructions for a floppy drive install using the external 3.5" bay:
(1) Ok, I'll have to open my case and check out the cable arrangement.
So on the motherboard, I just need to check to see that I have one
more slot for a SATA cable, correct? (I think three are used right now
- two drives + DVD drive). Is the cable all I need to purchase to hook
up the third drive?
(2) Right now I only have one bay being used for a DVD-RW drive. So if
I understand correctly, I should just be able to slide the new hard
drive into one of the unused 3.5 bays already in the system correct? I
just want to be sure that I won't need additional hardware or a
bracket other than the SATA cable mentioned above.
(3) If all of this is good... here is what I'd like to do if possible.
Since I have two 320 GB drives already in the system can I change
these to a data protected RAID (so that they both have the same
information on them) and then use the new drive as extended storage
without data protection? Is this doable? Right now my first 320 GB is
in multiple partitions (C,D,E,F), if I change the second drive to
mirror it will it work ok with the partitions in place on the physical
drive. This will be the first time I've done a RAID setup. I like the
idea of having a mirror of my main drive created automatically, hence,
the thinking behind these changes.
I've been reading this as a guide, but if you have other suggestions,
please post them here...
"Tracy" <muppettracy@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:33d426cd-00f1-45ac-a924-2cb0f8c0ee9f@s12g2000prg.googlegroups.com...
>A few more questions...
>
> (1) Ok, I'll have to open my case and check out the cable arrangement.
> So on the motherboard, I just need to check to see that I have one
> more slot for a SATA cable, correct? (I think three are used right now
> - two drives + DVD drive). Is the cable all I need to purchase to hook
> up the third drive?
>
> (2) Right now I only have one bay being used for a DVD-RW drive. So if
> I understand correctly, I should just be able to slide the new hard
> drive into one of the unused 3.5 bays already in the system correct? I
> just want to be sure that I won't need additional hardware or a
> bracket other than the SATA cable mentioned above.
>
> (3) If all of this is good... here is what I'd like to do if possible.
> Since I have two 320 GB drives already in the system can I change
> these to a data protected RAID (so that they both have the same
> information on them) and then use the new drive as extended storage
> without data protection? Is this doable? Right now my first 320 GB is
> in multiple partitions (C,D,E,F), if I change the second drive to
> mirror it will it work ok with the partitions in place on the physical
> drive. This will be the first time I've done a RAID setup. I like the
> idea of having a mirror of my main drive created automatically, hence,
> the thinking behind these changes.
>
> I've been reading this as a guide, but if you have other suggestions,
> please post them here...
>
> http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/393/1
1) Yes, you will have an additional SATA controller/connector on the board
and you should note the number on it (on the system board) so that you can
be sure it's enabled in BIOS after the drive install. You should only have
to purchase the SATA data cable. Your current power supply will have at
least (1) extra SATA power connector already in place. ***NOTE: the system
documents on your machine say that SATA controllers 2 and 3 are either not
available or cannot be used. This means you'll be utilizing either SATA
connector 4 or 5 (whichever is open) on the motherboard.
2) In theory, you'll want to install (or I would, anyway) the new HDD in the
(empty) floppy or memory card reader drive bay (3.5" external bay) rather
than into the single empty optical drive bay (5.25") below your DVDRW. It
appears as though the screws needed to mount the HDD in the floppy bay are
provided either inside the back of the bezel (see "installing a floppy
drive" from the link I posted earlier.) You shouldn't need any additional
hardware or brackets, all the (extra) screws are already provided in the
chassis.
3) Yes. I think. ;-) I've not attempted to create a RAID1 array on any
machine using an existing populated boot drive. First of all, you'd want to
CYA and be absolutely sure that everything you love is backed up and
accessible EXTERNALLY to the system. My guess is that you're going to have
to download the "Intel Matrix Storage Manager" application (and maybe the
driver as well): http://support.dell.com/support/down...&catid=&impid=
to create said RAID array.
The proper sequence for doing this is key, and I don't know exactly what it
is. But here's how I'd attempt it (take it for what it's worth):
1) Back up all data. (Leave the 3rd drive uninstalled or at least
disconnected until later).
2) Download/Install the Intel Matrix Storage Driver.
3) Download/Install the Intel Matrix Storage Manager.
4) Reboot into BIOS/System Setup. http://support.dell.com/support/edoc....htm#wp1055144 .
You'll have to toy with the settings show in the link by setting the "SATA
operation" to either "RAID On" or "RAID auto-detect". I would try "RAID On"
initially. Exit BIOS saving changes.
5) You should then (hopefully) be faced with a (new) screen after the Dell
splash screen, which will be your (Intel) RAID BIOS. You'll want to enter
the RAID BIOS and "create RAID array", and obviously a RAID1 option.
I'm hoping some other poster(s) here have either this model or a Dimension
91XX/92XX or XPS 410 and might toss in more specific information on
attempting the RAID setup you want. I know of no reason it can't be done -
but reserve the right to stand corrected.
Thanks for the help Stew. I'll let you know how it goes. I was going
to buy the new internal drive from Buy.com. Can you recommend a good
SATA-II cable from the Buy.com web site?
"Tracy" <muppettracy@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:956e2cf2-9147-4b9c-bcb4-ad7409398308@q33g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
> Thanks for the help Stew. I'll let you know how it goes. I was going
> to buy the new internal drive from Buy.com. Can you recommend a good
> SATA-II cable from the Buy.com web site?
Tracy -
Honestly, I don't think it's that complicated. Just locate a 36" SATA cable
and you'll be fine. Since the drive is NOT going into one of the two HDD
bays, it shouldn't require a right-angle cable.
And as far as Buy.com goes, I love their sale prices - but I've found their
shipping to be really really really slow for me here in Tennessee.
Three hard drives in a Dell E520 
Linear Mode
