Putting a SATA drive in my computer - Help please!

hellohellohello · 04-30-2006, 02:05 PM

At the moment I have 3 Hard Drives and a DVD drive taking up my IDE1 and 2.

I have just bought a SATA drive as well.

There aren't any more spare power cables. Should there be? If not, how do I get another one?

I unplugged one of the IDE drives and plugged in the SATA but it doesn't work.

It isn't recognised when I load windows and I have installed the driver from my mother board software.

What do I do?

Thanks

Tumbleweed36 · 04-30-2006, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hellohellohello

At the moment I have 3 Hard Drives and a DVD drive taking up my IDE1 and 2.

I have just bought a SATA drive as well.

There aren't any more spare power cables. Should there be? If not, how do I get another one?

Any good computer store will have splitters where you can divide off a line to make two. I use them quite often.

I unplugged one of the IDE drives and plugged in the SATA but it doesn't work.

What doesn't work, the Sata drive or what. I just don't understand what you are saying.

Did you use an adapter for the power plug so you can hook it into the Sata drive?

It isn't recognised when I load windows and I have installed the driver from my mother board software.

Are you trying to use this drive (Sata) for an extra drive or put the OS on it? That would help a lot to know what you need to do.

It would help a lot if you told us what motherboard you are using and other details of your hardware, like brand names, size of hard drives, how they are hooked up, etc.

Post back with questions/answers and concerns.

What do I do?

Thanks

hellohellohello · 04-30-2006, 02:22 PM

Okay, here's more information:

OS: XP SP2
Motherboard: Jetway V600DAP

Yes, I have a power cable converter, looks like this one: ( http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Product...ProductID=2931 )

When I plug the SATA drive into one of the power cables and turn on my computer, the new drive isnt found.

Eventually I wouldn't mind putting my OS on the SATA but for now I'd just love it if my computer recognised it was connected at all.

Tumbleweed36 · 04-30-2006, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hellohellohello

Okay, here's more information:

OS: XP SP2
Motherboard: Jetway V600DAP

Yes, I have a power cable converter, looks like this one: ( http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Product...ProductID=2931 )

When I plug the SATA drive into one of the power cables and turn on my computer, the new drive isnt found.

Eventually I wouldn't mind putting my OS on the SATA but for now I'd just love it if my computer recognised it was connected at all.

Hi,

Aha, now I understand what you are looking for. Here is what you need to do:

I would take the manufacturer's utility (you didn't mention the brand name, so will just give you all the links for each manufacturer) found in this link:

http://tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287

When you get that downloaded, then put it in your drive, connect the drive you want to work with and it should find it. Let the utility partition and format it. When you have that done and you restart the computer without the utility, you should see it.

When you boot up, then make sure your BIOS setup menu has the following:

Sata drive area enabled (specific to some boards)

Sata drive detection = AUTO

Connected to a regular Sata port and not a Sata Raid Port (specific to some boards)

Note: Always save if you made changes in your BIOS setup menu.

If you want to install an OS, then there are some things you need to know, but lets see if we can see that drive first.

Post back with questions or concerns.

hellohellohello · 04-30-2006, 03:26 PM

The SATA drive I'm trying to connect is a Western Digital Caviar SE16 SATA2 7200rpm 16MB cache HDD.

What should I download?

"When you get that downloaded, then put it in your drive,"

What do I put in my drive? If I can't get the drive to load up, how am I meant to put something onto it?

Tumbleweed36 · 04-30-2006, 03:42 PM

[quote=hellohellohello]The SATA drive I'm trying to connect is a Western Digital Caviar SE16 SATA2 7200rpm 16MB cache HDD.

Note: If your board does not support Sata II, then you will need to set the drive (look in instructions for drive) for Sata I operation.

What should I download?

Western Digital – Data Lifeguard
http://support.wdc.com/download/index.asp?swid=3

"When you get that downloaded, then put it in your drive,"

Hey, I forgot a word or two....Put the utility in your floppy drive (or if you downloaded on a CD, then in that drive) and see if it finds it's drive which you have connected to your computer. Sorry about that!

What do I put in my drive? If I can't get the drive to load up, how am I meant to put something onto it

You are doing fine, just follow that and post back with questions/concerns....and, hopefully some good news about the drive.[/QUOTE]

hellohellohello · 04-30-2006, 03:54 PM

ive downloaded that software

it seems to just be a programme that runs in windows

i'm not sure if you want me to put it onto a floppy disk (it wouldn't fit anyway)

my motherboard only supports SATA, not SATA2 i will try and find how to enable SATA in the BIOS but to be honest I don't really know what I'm doing

Tumbleweed36 · 04-30-2006, 04:02 PM

Hi,

What motherboard are you working with? You didn't list it, so that makes it more difficult to help you.

Tell you what. Are you still able to boot up to Windows with your IDE drives and the Sata connected? If so, then let's go to My Computer and see if we can partition and format it there. If not, then post back with what happens when you have it set this way. Also, make sure your boot order is set for the Drive you want it to boot from.

hellohellohello · 04-30-2006, 04:07 PM

Motherboard is Jetway 600DAP

The problem is, when I have all my drives connected and connect the SATA drive, it isnt found in windows.

I don't know whats wrong.

I tried unconnecting all my drives and just loading the SATA with the drivers on a disk but that didnt find the drive either.

I'm going to take the drive back to the shop. It probably works but I have no idea now how to get it working.

Tumbleweed36 · 04-30-2006, 04:19 PM

Hi,

If you can access your computer with the IDE drives, then download the Data Lifeguard on to your computer. Then, shut down, reconnect the Sata, boot up, activate the Data Lifeguard program and see if it finds the WD Sata so you can partition and format it. What can you lose?

04-30-2006, 02:05 PM	#1 (permalink)
hellohellohello Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 8 OS: xp	Putting a SATA drive in my computer - Help please! At the moment I have 3 Hard Drives and a DVD drive taking up my IDE1 and 2. I have just bought a SATA drive as well. There aren't any more spare power cables. Should there be? If not, how do I get another one? I unplugged one of the IDE drives and plugged in the SATA but it doesn't work. It isn't recognised when I load windows and I have installed the driver from my mother board software. What do I do? Thanks

04-30-2006, 03:42 PM	#6 (permalink)
Tumbleweed36 Asst Manager Hardware Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Posts: 19,671 OS: XP Professional	[quote=hellohellohello]The SATA drive I'm trying to connect is a Western Digital Caviar SE16 SATA2 7200rpm 16MB cache HDD. Note: If your board does not support Sata II, then you will need to set the drive (look in instructions for drive) for Sata I operation. What should I download? Western Digital – Data Lifeguard http://support.wdc.com/download/index.asp?swid=3 "When you get that downloaded, then put it in your drive," Hey, I forgot a word or two....Put the utility in your floppy drive (or if you downloaded on a CD, then in that drive) and see if it finds it's drive which you have connected to your computer. Sorry about that! What do I put in my drive? If I can't get the drive to load up, how am I meant to put something onto it You are doing fine, just follow that and post back with questions/concerns....and, hopefully some good news about the drive.[/QUOTE] __________________ ---------- I don't receive email notifications of replies to subscribed threads. (Internet provider policy) Therefore, if I don't respond to your post within 24 hours, please send me a reminder PM and include the link to your thread.

04-30-2006, 04:02 PM	#8 (permalink)
Tumbleweed36 Asst Manager Hardware Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Posts: 19,671 OS: XP Professional	Hi, What motherboard are you working with? You didn't list it, so that makes it more difficult to help you. Tell you what. Are you still able to boot up to Windows with your IDE drives and the Sata connected? If so, then let's go to My Computer and see if we can partition and format it there. If not, then post back with what happens when you have it set this way. Also, make sure your boot order is set for the Drive you want it to boot from. __________________ ---------- I don't receive email notifications of replies to subscribed threads. (Internet provider policy) Therefore, if I don't respond to your post within 24 hours, please send me a reminder PM and include the link to your thread.

04-30-2006, 04:19 PM	#10 (permalink)
Tumbleweed36 Asst Manager Hardware Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Posts: 19,671 OS: XP Professional	Hi, If you can access your computer with the IDE drives, then download the Data Lifeguard on to your computer. Then, shut down, reconnect the Sata, boot up, activate the Data Lifeguard program and see if it finds the WD Sata so you can partition and format it. What can you lose? __________________ ---------- I don't receive email notifications of replies to subscribed threads. (Internet provider policy) Therefore, if I don't respond to your post within 24 hours, please send me a reminder PM and include the link to your thread.

04-30-2006, 02:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
hellohellohello Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 8 OS: xp	Okay, here's more information: OS: XP SP2 Motherboard: Jetway V600DAP Yes, I have a power cable converter, looks like this one: ( http://www.microdirect.co.uk/Product...ProductID=2931 ) When I plug the SATA drive into one of the power cables and turn on my computer, the new drive isnt found. Eventually I wouldn't mind putting my OS on the SATA but for now I'd just love it if my computer recognised it was connected at all.

04-30-2006, 03:26 PM	#5 (permalink)
hellohellohello Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 8 OS: xp	The SATA drive I'm trying to connect is a Western Digital Caviar SE16 SATA2 7200rpm 16MB cache HDD. What should I download? "When you get that downloaded, then put it in your drive," What do I put in my drive? If I can't get the drive to load up, how am I meant to put something onto it?

04-30-2006, 03:54 PM	#7 (permalink)
hellohellohello Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 8 OS: xp	ive downloaded that software it seems to just be a programme that runs in windows i'm not sure if you want me to put it onto a floppy disk (it wouldn't fit anyway) my motherboard only supports SATA, not SATA2 i will try and find how to enable SATA in the BIOS but to be honest I don't really know what I'm doing

04-30-2006, 04:07 PM	#9 (permalink)
hellohellohello Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 8 OS: xp	Motherboard is Jetway 600DAP The problem is, when I have all my drives connected and connect the SATA drive, it isnt found in windows. I don't know whats wrong. I tried unconnecting all my drives and just loading the SATA with the drivers on a disk but that didnt find the drive either. I'm going to take the drive back to the shop. It probably works but I have no idea now how to get it working.