OK. Your PC probably has two IDE connections, as they are termed, on the motherboard. On each connection you can place up to two devices, giving you a maximum of four in total. If you only have a single device on a connection then you will probably have a cable with a socket at either end, one plugging into the motherboard and one into the disk drive. If you have two devices on a connection then you will need a cable with three sockets obviously. One end of the cable will have two sockets more close together than the other. That is the end that goes towards the drives.

When there are two devices on a cable then one needs to be set to Master and one to Slave on its jumpers or DIP switches. When there is only one drive on a cable then the DIP switches on it will be set either to Master or to a third setting. You will need to look up the jumper/DIP switch settings on the web if they are not clearly marked on the drive (you might have a manual for the drive of course).

Generally speaking you should try to even out the devices so that any high volume activities are spread across the two IDE connections. So if you just had the two drives you would probably put one on each IDE connection, whereas if you had a tape drive or CD as well then you would have to think which two devices would be more likely to be in use at the same time, and put them on different cables.

Still clear as mud probably :-)

K
Yep understood the last sentence!
I know what mud is!
I need a nerd.
May have to try to find one locally - this isn't working.
But thanks for trying.
M

Martini, on the back of the HD there are lots of pins, The long group are the ones you connect to your disc drive cable - the big flat one. Usually, next to this are about 8 pins, 4 top & 4 bottom. Two will have a slide-on connector bridging them. If you look on the label on the disc drive it tells you where to put this connector depending on whether you want master or slave drive or cable select. I haven't a clue what cable select is, but move the connector to the slave setting from master and you should be OK. I think you can simply connect the cable to the new HD as well as the existing if you have a spare connector on the cable, otherwise you will need a new one with an extra connector. Make sure the new HD is set to master and the old to slave before booting. I'm not as knowledgeable as Kayak though.

Kayak, sorry to butt in, many hands etc :-)

Seymore
You are now getting down to my level.
However - So I have taken the case of the old PC ( can do that) what am I looking to take out and where on the new PC am I looking to put it in?
You guys would be no good down the Library teaching people which way round a mouse should be held. I am not joking here I had a woman today who had started out using a mouse with cable towards her!
M

Uhmmm, well, you're looking for a little box on the end of a flat cable. Not the floppy drive nor anything else that goes through to the outside panel. You would take that out from the slot it's in and put it in a similar free slot in the new computer. You will also have to open the case of the new one and tell us what's in there.

M

Been there (not the mouse!) so I know how you feel. I've now done this a few times but was totally scared the first time. The existing HD will be connected via a ribbon (flat) cable stretching from the motherboard to the HD and the 3.5" floppy drive. Disconnect (pull out) the flat cable from the HD, disconnect the power cable (the only other (bundle of) cable(s), and unscrew the screws that hold the HD in its cable. There should be a spare housing you can put the new HD into if you want to run both, otherwise your local delaer will have to supply one. You'll also need a few extra screws to fasten the HD in. Having removed the old HD, swap the pins over as described above to change from master to slave, put the new HD in having checked it is set as master, connect the ribbon cable & power supply, fit (if you have space) the old HD in complete with power supply and ribbon cable connections. There are usually a few extra spare power supply connectors floating around inside the case. The cables are all arranged so they won't go on the wrong way round.

I think that's about as much as I can tell you. I have to add a caveat - I've never put 2 HD's in one machine, only put a new in an existing machine, which is a doddle. Best of luck. Let us know if you've any more problems or if you succeed :-)

Ok, my turn, Martini, inside your PC you should see one (big) circuit board. This is the motherboard. You also need to figure out which are the back ends of; your CDRom, your Floppy drive and your hard drive. The first two are easy, just look on the outside of your pc to figure out which is which. Having done that hte hard drive will be the 3rd thing thats probably mounted above the floppy and below the CDrom. Now that you know which is the floppy drive, trace the ribbon cable from it to the motherboard. You can now completely forget about this cable as it plays no part in what you want to do.

Next, look at the CDR and the hard drive. Each will have a wide flat ribbon cable plugged into the back which then plugs onto the motherboard. Important bit; On some PCs the CDR and the hard drive will share one cable. How many can you find?

You should now be able to figure out which bit is the hard drive. The ribbon cable connection to the hard drive may be stif but gently ease it out. Also remove the small plug with a 3 core cable (this is the power lead for the hard drive

Hard drives are a standard shape and size and yours probably has 4 small screws (2 either side) holding it in place. You need to get access to these and undo them. You hard rive can now be slid out backwards.

Good luck

Neil

LOL, looks like theres three of us on the case now :-)

Just to add word of warning - I know you wouldn't do this, but don't unscrew anything on the Hard Drive once it's been removed from its housing by the 4 small screws in the side - or it'll never work again!

Install a hard disc by committee!!!

Martini

If your old computer still works don't bother swapping the hard drives but put the old computer in a different room and network them together.

Once you have the old one set up you don't need a screen or a keyboard. You can share the hard disk to your new computer and it can be made to look like a normal drive on your new machine.

This will give you a backup disk that is more secure against viruses, total failiure, theft or damage.

The other downside with swapping your old disk is that it is most likley a lot smaller and slower than current drives.

Cheers guys this is looking clearer. You are helping an old man over the road. Boy Scouts on bob a job :)
I will do the first bit taking out the old hard drive then take a look inside the new PC for all the things you have said.
Do I presume that if I do fit it correctly I can then boot the new PC and it will automatically recognise the new drive or do I have to do some clever things with software and configurations?
M

Don't know! Anyone else? Optimist's idea is good.

Optimist
As your name implies you assume I can do networking!!!
I will probably come back to this to get my two laptops hooked up but for now a pc with two hard drives feels like a good start.
M

O and I might add I want them on wireless!

M, yes if you drop your 2nd HD in when you boot up the PC should recognise it as an additonal drive.

BTW, if you can stay with the learning curve networking will open up a huge range of new possibilities for you.

good luck

N

:)

I've got an old PC running Windows 95 and will be buying a new PC with Windows XP. What's the simplest way to network them?

PlanB

PlanB, ask Martini, I'm sure he'll be able to help :)

PlanB - I'm sure I read somewhere that said you may have problems networking a W95 m/c to XP. W98 is ok (I did it on mine) but not 95 - maybe because its sooooooo old :-) IF it is ok then I found the simplest way was to get a PCWorld networking kit @50 and use the Networking Wizard on the XP machine to guide you through. It really is straight forward.

Martini - have you ever changed a graphics card e.g. put in a Matrox card for two screens? In terms of networking thats about as difficult as it gets. On an XP machine you get quite a bit of help with the set up.

Regards
Rob

Has anyone come across Back Web lite?

The Spybot program found it, I have tried to remove it, but now all I get is a message at start up saying invalid Back web ID.

Any help gratefully received

Pete