[Leica] Seeking Hard Drive Advice

[jhnichols at lighttube.net (Jim Nichols)]

I have been inside to clean out the dust and inspect things, but that was 
some time ago, and I can't recall all of the details.  I want to add this as 
a second, data-only, drive.  I recall there is a second cage behind the 
current HD, but I can't say yet about the cables.

For a data-only drive, do I still have to modify the BIOS?  Or, will it be 
recognized like any external drive?

Thanks for the check list.

Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <red735i at earthlink.net>
To: "Leica Users Group" <lug at leica-users.org>
Sent: Saturday, July 03, 2010 7:01 PM
Subject: Re: [Leica] Seeking Hard Drive Advice


> Have you been inside your computer yet?
>
> I have ( and have had) several Dell computers.  I have just put in a big 
> drive to replace my older 200GB drive.  My experiences.... of several 
> drive replacements/additions....
>
> #1 Open the box up and figure out what you want to do..... add #2 drive? 
> Replace #1 drive?
>
> If you wish to add #2 drive, first find out where the second drive 
> goes.... do you need a special plastic cage?  do you need right angle 
> wiring harness?  You must buy both from Dell.   The good news?  They are 
> cheap.
>
> If you wish to replace drive #1, why?  OS is too old and dirty ( my 
> situation ) or you just want a bigger drive?  IF all you want is a bigger 
> drive, then you can CLONE your old drive using a piece of SW that Seagate 
> includes for free with new, RETAIL BOXED ( only, not bare drives) drives. 
> It makes the process almost ( note that word, almost) painless.  You willl 
> however, need to buy a second SATA ( your drive IS SATA, right?) drive 
> cable.  You can get it from Dell, or your local Frys, Best Buy, etc It 
> does not need to be right angled.....
>
> OK.... So now you know what you want to do.....What about doing it?
>
> #2 Buy all the stuff you need.... see above......
> #3 If you are trying a fresh install of the OS, or do you want to install 
> a newer OS?  buy it too...... or get out your old disks..... if you can 
> find them.....
> #4 For cloning.......
>
> Open computer up, plug in  the new #2 drive cable and power cable, follow 
> directions that comes with the new HDD.  YOu will need to nmodify the BIOS 
> to know the new HDD is there, but that is pretty easy....YOu have clonded 
> the HDD..... took about 3 hours for me... Non-interactive.
>
> Then switch out physically the old and new drive.  Hide old drive, you my 
> need it.....!
>
> Re-modify the BIOS to 1 drive
>
> Run computer, pray.....everything should run and play like it used to. 
> Just a biger drive in there.....
>
> Now if you want to install a new OS, the process is a LOT longer..... and 
> more complicated.....and gets worse if you go from XP to Vista......It is 
> long, boring, requiring maybe 12 hours to complete... ( most of that is 
> finding your old program disks and getting updates to the old 
> programs.....)
>
> Anyway, I use the new Seagate 1.5TB drives.  They seem as good as the WD 
> drives I have had for years....And they have a 5 year warranty... which I 
> like.
>
> Get your backup plan in place and use it... the newer USB drives seem to 
> do this well, and with little fussing from you....
>
>
> Frank... still putting on the last of the programs I use......
>
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