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@cdamjkid wrote:

Not sure which type of 2nd hard drive i should get. IDE or SATA? I have a Dimension 8300, Windows XP home, 80 GB 7200 RPM Ultra ATA hard drive,3.5 in Floppy, DVD-ROM, DVD+R/RW CD-RW. I think i'm using my 4 IDE hook ups.  So should i get a SATA Hard drive? would it work with my IDE hard drive. which would boot computer? would both have to have XP installed? or could i Make my 3.5 floppy external  and use IDE cable to hook up 2nd hard drive? if yes how would i make floppy external. Which way would be easier and better to do? any help would be great. I've been beating head against my computer, trying to find info to all my questions.

I would want 2nd drive to be 160GB but i've read about xp only being able to handle up to 130GB drives How difficult is it to get XP to accept bigger drives? I would go with 120GB if get real tecnical. I'm a newbie as for as putting hard drives in and formating and such. Thanks so much for any help anyone can send me.

You should use the Advanced Forum Search on the left to do some quite easy research.  These questions are answered all over.

Yes, you've used all your IDE ports.

No, you can't use the floppy port.

No, there is no issue with a bigger drive on your computer with an updated XP. 

You can add a Promise card for $30, or use SATA.

wait a second ....

I have a Dimension 8300
Windows XP home
80 GB 7200 RPM Ultra ATA hard drive - Uses IDE
DVD-ROM - USES IDE
DVD+R/RW CD-RW - USES IDE
3.5 in Floppy - shouldn't use IDE unless Dell Made a Custom Floppy Drive

Floppy drives run off of a different cable type inside the computer.  If you just want to Add another Hard Drive, that is easy.

The first thing I would do .... physically open the case.  Trace the IDE Cables inside.  you should have 1 more connector (granted that I am right).  Then SATA or IDE hard drives are easily done.

Now the descriptyion of the DVD+RW, it should write CD-RW as well.  Or are these 2 seperate devices?   Then i would be wrong and you should be looking at SATA for ease of install.

In either scenario, install a hard drive, hookup the connectors, check the bios for recognition (IDE) or SATA Config Utility, and then use Windows System management to format the drive.

I know this is a quickie, but hope it helps.

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@-WYSIWYG- wrote:

wait a second ....

I have a Dimension 8300
Windows XP home
80 GB 7200 RPM Ultra ATA hard drive - Uses IDE
DVD-ROM - USES IDE
DVD+R/RW CD-RW - USES IDE
3.5 in Floppy - shouldn't use IDE unless Dell Made a Custom Floppy Drive

I read the DVD+R/RW CD-RW as TWO DRIVES.  If it's not, then yes, there is one port left.