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Need to replace Hard Drive on Dimension 8400, please help!
Ok I could use some help here. I want to replace my original hard drive in my 8400 but I'm not quite sure what I need. I already have a drive that was given to me and I went to install it last night. So here's what happened, and forgive me I don't have exact pin counts on the connectors but here we go. A while back I installed a 2nd HDD in my 8400, miraculously, it went in no problems. I didn't need to buy any cables just used what was in the machine. So now I want to replace the OEM HDD because I think it's on the way out. And I want to use Norton Ghost and just transfer all the data from the OEM to the new drive. So I'll have to replace my 2nd drive with the new drive, transfer the data, then pull the OEM and reinstall my 2nd drive. At least that was my plan, I found out the OEM and the 2nd drive have 2 different type of connectors, neither of which connects to my 3rd drive waiting to go in. This 3rd drive I have has a connector like what is on the back of my DVD and DVD writer drives. The OEM has a plug that's not more than a half inch long with a blue wire. And the 2nd drive has a funky connector I haven't seen before, it's about 2 1/2 inches long with two big plastic squares on either side for lining up the plug in the right orientation, and all the connection are made on one side at the edge of the connector (bottom edge I believe) also with a blue wire. The wires connect separately to the motherboard.
So my basic question after that dissertation is what do I need to use this third drive. I'm sorry I don't have the model numbers handy, I'm at work right now. When I get home tonight I'll edit my post and add the models if no one has answered yet. Oh, and there was also a connector in the case that wasn't connected to anything tucked between the DVD drive and the hard drive bays. It looked like the right connector for my third drive (like the connectors for the DVD drives) but it was about a 1/2 inch shorter than needed.
I'd also like to know what my approach should be to transfer the OEM data to my new (3rd) drive? Since all the drives use a different connector? I'm at a loss here can you tell?
And what are all the different connection types are so I'm not in the dark. Anyone know of a website that shows the different types of connection? Thanks!
- That drive you are looking at looks like it should do the job.
Both of you current HDs must be SATA (if the original HD is IDE I would be greatly surprised!). It is pretty easy to tell. IDE uses a big-flat data cable and power cables like the CD drives. SATA uses a very small thin data cable and a thin flat power connector.
It should be very easy to hook up another SATA. You have four SATA ports on the motherboard and you've used two. You may need a third SATA data cable (or just replace the 2nd HD for the cloning process) if you don't have one. They should be reasonably cheap at Newegg. If you hook up another drive make sure you enable it in the BIOS setup.
Peter - Thanks for your input!So I was thinking something cheap and basic with good storage. Like this.So what are the 2 drives I already have in there? The OEM with a little 1/2 inch connector and the 2nd drive with the square plastic blocks and connections at the edge?Ok, just looked up my order on newegg.com when I bought the 2nd drive. It's this oneWestern Digital Caviar SE WD2500JSRTL 250GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATASo is the OEM IDE? I guess that's what is getting me, why there are the different connections. I thought I remembered my 2nd drive being SATA. And I guess I just thought both drives would be SATA if the one was.So lets say I order that Seagate Barracuda up there. I get it home. I have 2 HDD bays. 1 I know is SATA because that's what's in there now. The other, OEM drive, I'm not sure about....Ok looked it up using the service tag hasHARD DRIVE..., 160GB, Serial ATA..., 7.2K, 8MB, NATIVE COMMAND QUEUEING..., SEAGATE...listed as the hard drive.So it seems to be a dual SATA, why the different plugs? And how would I connect the drives? I mean, do I need different cableing than what is already in the machine? My guess would be yes, and if so, what would I call the cable that I need to buy? Thanks again so much!
- That cable should work, but it might be a bit short. Not so short that it won't work, but you might not be able to tuck it in so nicely.
I just looked at the internals of your machine and you only have two SATA power connectors. I think you might need to remove one HD while you clone one.
Peter - Yeah I planned on removing the 2nd drive while I clone the OEM/boot drive. Maybe a I'll go with a 2 foot cable, should be long enough.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812123186
That makes me think of what will hopefully be my last question. SATA and SATA II, the cable is interchangeable yes? So I don't need to worry about that I believe. - So it looks like with that drive from the previous post and this cable. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812120076 Then it should be a pretty straight forward swap. The one thing that is still bugging me is the connector on the 2nd drive I already have (the Western Digital). It's not at all small like the SATA cable and the OEM drives connector. I'm wondering if it's a power + data cable combo. I guess I need to open it back up and check. But that has me thinking, I believe that it had the standard 4 pin power on the back of the drive. Would it have both? Well it's hooked up so I know if it does it won't fry it. Well either way, it's installed now, and with 4 SATA ports a new drive and cable will go in. Thanks again for all your help!
- You should be safe with that cable. With your case, the shorter cable is also probably long enough. I am used to the 9100/9200 that have long cable runs.
SATA I/II are (should be) interchangeable. Sometimes there is a jumper on a SATA II to make it act like SATA I for controllers that have issues.
Peter
PETER345
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Posted November 27th, 2007 14:00
Peter