Installing hardware (1 Viewer)

[Suvat]

Say you're one of those ppl who have never opened up your minitower before and you wanted to install an extra hd, is it wise to attempt to install it yourself? Like is it as simple as opening the case, slotting the HD in and booting it up or are there lots of complex leads to connect and can blow up if you connect it the wrong way? The PC is pretty new, bought last year.

 

[neuro_logik]

Here is a gude: http://www.pcworld.com/howto/article/0,aid,47370,00.asp

It isnt that hard to install it, jst follow the guide and ask any questions if you have any trouble

 

[Immolate]

I suggest you look at a guide carefully and then attempt it. Or invite a mate over to show you the how-to. It is simple to do once you've been shown. It's a matter of putting in a couple of screws and connecting two cables, and most likely in your case setting a jumper.

 

[r0wlzii]

Get someone to do it, if you already have one in there and you've never opened up a case, good luck with the jumpers.

Get one of your friends to do it.

 

[loquasagacious]

Its literally one of the simplest things that you can do. It requires ability to plug and ability to screw.

ONly problem could be working in a micro-tower cause they're so dam small.

 

[velox]

Say you're one of those ppl who have never opened up your minitower before and you wanted to install an extra hd, is it wise to attempt to install it yourself? Like is it as simple as opening the case, slotting the HD in and booting it up or are there lots of complex leads to connect and can blow up if you connect it the wrong way? The PC is pretty new, bought last year.

is it sata or pata? I could give u a hand.....

 

[Suvat]

thanks for your help guys, makes me think whether i should attempt such a feat by myself...

is it sata or pata? I could give u a hand.....

I haven't bought it yet, but thinking of getting one over the summer break...

what's the difference between sata or pata?

getting way to technical for me there...

 

[r0wlzii]

Sata is Serial ATA and Pata is Penis ATA (yes OK ive forgotten what the P stands for).

SATA is newer and faster and sexier (literally). They are more expensive but easier to install.

PATA is old IDE cable shit (long flat and thick grey cables with a red line on it). These are cheap and somewhat fast. The difference is defintaely there but if you've never used a SATA then you wont notice obviously.

PATA 200GB = $165+
SATA 200GB = $270+

 

[shiny]

Seagate 7200.7 Sata and WD something something Sata are both in the 180's range. Sata HDDs aren't that expensive anymore, and if I have 20 bucks floating around, I'd go for a Sata just for the hell of it!

Edit: both are 200gb

 

[velox]

Sata is way better. Much smaller cables and easier to set up (marginally). Sata drives should be <$200 as i bought my 200gb wd sata for 230 a couple of months back.

 

[sunny]

Sata is Serial ATA and Pata is Penis ATA (yes OK ive forgotten what the P stands for)

Parallel....you could've guessed, one is serial, the other is parallel

 

[r0wlzii]

Parallel....you could've guessed, one is serial, the other is parallel

Thanks sexy.

Ac

 

[loquasagacious]

If he goes Sata then he has to shell out for a PCI- SATA adapter which will be $150-ish from memory and in doing so will loose speed advantage, unless his motherboard supports sata - which seems unlikely.

As far as the advantages go:
Speed - will be a non-event if you have to use a PCI adapeter
Small Cables - aetheticalllys better and notionally better for cooling
Hot-swapping (unpluging the drive without turning off the computer) - He seems unlikely to use this.
Increased cable length - In a mini-tower this is unlikley to be of use

 

[jm1234567890]

If he goes Sata then he has to shell out for a PCI- SATA adapter which will be $150-ish from memory and in doing so will loose speed advantage, unless his motherboard supports sata - which seems unlikely.

As far as the advantages go:
Speed - will be a non-event if you have to use a PCI adapeter
Small Cables - aetheticalllys better and notionally better for cooling
Hot-swapping (unpluging the drive without turning off the computer) - He seems unlikely to use this.
Increased cable length - In a mini-tower this is unlikley to be of use

also lower power consumption

 

[velox]

PCI - Sata isnt $150, they can be bought for around $40 ( i bought one for $40 4 months or so back, with raid, 2 port)