Obtain the necessary components. Adaptors Boards, Data Cables, Obtain the necessary components. Adaptors Boards, Data Cables, Power Splitters, if not supplied.Power Splitters, if not supplied.

Take all necessary safety precautions. (For you and your drive!)Take all necessary safety precautions. (For you and your drive!) Remove case if you are installing an internal drive.Remove case if you are installing an internal drive. Locate an open drive bay if adding an additional drive. Disconnect Locate an open drive bay if adding an additional drive. Disconnect

and remove old drive if upgrading. and remove old drive if upgrading. Try to find an open bay with the best possible air circulation.Try to find an open bay with the best possible air circulation. Set any Jumpers or switches needed to determine the drives Set any Jumpers or switches needed to determine the drives

position within your system.position within your system. Insert screws, using those supplied by the drive manufacturer.Insert screws, using those supplied by the drive manufacturer. Connect the Data cable. Connect the Data cable. Connect the Power Cable, and splitter if necessary. Connect the Power Cable, and splitter if necessary. Close case.Close case.

-Hard drives are not as hard as they look. (Don’t drop them!)-Hard drives are not as hard as they look. (Don’t drop them!)

Hard drives generally contain a set of jumpers Hard drives generally contain a set of jumpers used to determine it’s place within your system.used to determine it’s place within your system.

The four types of settings usually found with IDE The four types of settings usually found with IDE drives are: Single, Master, Slave, Cable Selectdrives are: Single, Master, Slave, Cable Select

The Cable Select setting uses it’s location on the The Cable Select setting uses it’s location on the data cable to determine the drivers position.data cable to determine the drivers position.

SCSI drives either contain a set of jumpers to SCSI drives either contain a set of jumpers to set the SCSI ID, or a dial on external drivers set the SCSI ID, or a dial on external drivers manipulated by turning it or using a screwdriver, manipulated by turning it or using a screwdriver,

Some manufacturers drive settings are not Some manufacturers drive settings are not always compatible with another's.always compatible with another's.

Inform CMOS setup of the new drive.Inform CMOS setup of the new drive. Create Primary partition.Create Primary partition. Set Primary partition as the ‘Active’ partition.Set Primary partition as the ‘Active’ partition. Create Extended partition and any logical drives Create Extended partition and any logical drives

desired.desired. Perform a ‘High-Level’ format on the drive Perform a ‘High-Level’ format on the drive

partitions you created.partitions you created. Install the Operating System generally with a Install the Operating System generally with a

‘Bootable’ CD-ROM, or floppy.‘Bootable’ CD-ROM, or floppy.

Pat yourself on the back! Pat yourself on the back!

• What is another term used to describe IDE?What is another term used to describe IDE?

ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment)ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment)

• How many wires will you find on an IDE device cable?How many wires will you find on an IDE device cable?

40 traditionally, 80 on UDMA/66 and above.40 traditionally, 80 on UDMA/66 and above.

• What are the 40 extra pins on newer IDE drives used for?What are the 40 extra pins on newer IDE drives used for?

Extra grounds, used to isolate the 40 wires in use from line noise.Extra grounds, used to isolate the 40 wires in use from line noise.

• What are the four different position configurations on an IDE What are the four different position configurations on an IDE device?device?

Single (Stand Alone), Master, Slave, and Cable SelectSingle (Stand Alone), Master, Slave, and Cable Select

• What are two disk drive interfaces that were used before IDE?What are two disk drive interfaces that were used before IDE?

MFM (Modified Frequency Modulation), RLL (Run Length Limited)MFM (Modified Frequency Modulation), RLL (Run Length Limited)

Before you can use your hard drive in your Before you can use your hard drive in your computer, in most cases you will have to computer, in most cases you will have to configure your CMOS to recognize your new configure your CMOS to recognize your new disk drive.disk drive.

On older computers and hard drives you must On older computers and hard drives you must configure the details yourself such as the configure the details yourself such as the number of cylinders, heads, tracks, P-Zone, number of cylinders, heads, tracks, P-Zone, L-Zone, etc.L-Zone, etc.

Most newer machines can auto-detect these Most newer machines can auto-detect these details based on communication with the hard details based on communication with the hard disk BIOS.disk BIOS.

Some newer machines will Auto-Detect and Some newer machines will Auto-Detect and auto-configure any new drives upon first boot.auto-configure any new drives upon first boot.

FDISK is a program supplied with MS-DOS, and Windows 9x FDISK is a program supplied with MS-DOS, and Windows 9x to create and manage partitions on your hard disk.to create and manage partitions on your hard disk.

Boot your system with a Floppy disk or a Bootable CD-ROM.Boot your system with a Floppy disk or a Bootable CD-ROM. Type in FDISK to execute the program.Type in FDISK to execute the program. Enable Large disk support if you have a drive with greater Enable Large disk support if you have a drive with greater

than 2GB capacity, or wish to use than 2GB capacity, or wish to use FAT32FAT32.. Create a primary DOS partition, then specify the size in MB’s Create a primary DOS partition, then specify the size in MB’s

or by a percentage of the drives capacity.or by a percentage of the drives capacity. Set the Primary DOS partition to ‘Active’ if you wish it to be Set the Primary DOS partition to ‘Active’ if you wish it to be

bootable.bootable. Create an Extended DOS partition if you have leftover space.Create an Extended DOS partition if you have leftover space. Create any Logical Drives in the Extended partition you wish Create any Logical Drives in the Extended partition you wish

to use.to use. Exit the program.Exit the program. Reboot your machine for your changes to take effect.Reboot your machine for your changes to take effect.

FDISK 1/PRI:100 - Command line to create a 100 MB Primary DOS partition.

FDISK 1/EXT:500 - Command line to create a 500 MB Extended DOS Partition.

FDISK 1/LOG:250 - Command line to create a 250 MB logical drive within your Extended DOS Partition.

FDISK /STATUS - Shows you the current status of your hard drives and their partitions.

FDISK /MBR - Rewrites your Master Boot Record without changing the status of your partitions.

FDISK /X - Ignores extended disk-access support. Use this switch if you receive disk access or stack overflow messages.

• How do you configure a SCSI device channel?How do you configure a SCSI device channel?

Either by spinning a dial on an external device, or by Either by spinning a dial on an external device, or by changing jumpers on an internal device.changing jumpers on an internal device.

• How many pins will you find on an a ‘Wide’ SCSI channel?How many pins will you find on an a ‘Wide’ SCSI channel?

68 Pins.68 Pins.

• Why do you need a Terminator at the end of a SCSI chain?Why do you need a Terminator at the end of a SCSI chain?

To nullify the ‘Electronic Noise’ on the SCSI Bus.To nullify the ‘Electronic Noise’ on the SCSI Bus.

• How many bits does a ‘Narrow’ SCSI transmit at a time?How many bits does a ‘Narrow’ SCSI transmit at a time?

8 bits8 bits

• What are the three types of SCSI terminating resistors?What are the three types of SCSI terminating resistors?

Passive, Active, and Forced PerfectPassive, Active, and Forced Perfect

There are several things that you can do to prevent lose of data, or hard There are several things that you can do to prevent lose of data, or hard disk failure.disk failure.

Always make backups of critical data. Re-writeable CD-ROMS, Always make backups of critical data. Re-writeable CD-ROMS, removable media such as ZIP/Jazz drives, tape drives, and solid state removable media such as ZIP/Jazz drives, tape drives, and solid state memory media work well. There are several third party programs that memory media work well. There are several third party programs that can do this for you automatically. can do this for you automatically.

Run Defrag, and Scandisk regularly. You can use built task managers, Run Defrag, and Scandisk regularly. You can use built task managers, or external programs provided with your backup hardware to do this or external programs provided with your backup hardware to do this automatically for you at scheduled intervals.automatically for you at scheduled intervals.

Run your PC often. PC’s left dormant for long periods of time are prone Run your PC often. PC’s left dormant for long periods of time are prone to data corruption.to data corruption.

Don’t bump or otherwise disrupt your hard disk while in operation. This Don’t bump or otherwise disrupt your hard disk while in operation. This can cause loss of data, or even damage it.can cause loss of data, or even damage it.

Don’t smoke around your hard disk. Studies have shown that smoking Don’t smoke around your hard disk. Studies have shown that smoking near your hard disk can lower it’s lifespan by as much as 25%.near your hard disk can lower it’s lifespan by as much as 25%.

- Do not taunt your hard drive. As it may become aggravated.- Do not taunt your hard drive. As it may become aggravated.

A method to arrange data in a noncontiguous way to increase performance.A method to arrange data in a noncontiguous way to increase performance. A disk drive can access only one sector at a time, but the disk is constantly A disk drive can access only one sector at a time, but the disk is constantly

spinning. By the time the drive is ready to access the next sector, the disk spinning. By the time the drive is ready to access the next sector, the disk has already spun past it. If a file spans more than one sector and if the has already spun past it. If a file spans more than one sector and if the sectors are recorded next to each other, the drive may need to wait a full sectors are recorded next to each other, the drive may need to wait a full rotation to access the next sector of the file. If the sectors are staggered, the rotation to access the next sector of the file. If the sectors are staggered, the disk will be perfectly positioned to access the next sector. disk will be perfectly positioned to access the next sector.

Many systems are capable of utilizing more than one Many systems are capable of utilizing more than one operating system on the same hard disk.operating system on the same hard disk.

To facilitate this kind of setup you must use a Boot Loader, To facilitate this kind of setup you must use a Boot Loader, such as the one supplied with most such as the one supplied with most LinuxLinux packages. packages.

To properly set up a Multi-Boot system you should first have To properly set up a Multi-Boot system you should first have an idea of which Operating Systems you wish to use.an idea of which Operating Systems you wish to use.

Many Operating Systems use File Systems that are not Many Operating Systems use File Systems that are not compatible.compatible.

When preparing to setup a Multi-Boot system it is key to When preparing to setup a Multi-Boot system it is key to create the proper partitions. Generally separate partitions for create the proper partitions. Generally separate partitions for each Operating System is ideal.each Operating System is ideal.

Calculate the proper size for each partition. This includes the Calculate the proper size for each partition. This includes the size of the Operating System, as well as any applications you size of the Operating System, as well as any applications you plan to use.plan to use.

A great site for info on the creation of Multiple Boot systems A great site for info on the creation of Multiple Boot systems is: is: http://www.blackviper.com/Articles/OS/Multiboot/multiboot1.htmhttp://www.blackviper.com/Articles/OS/Multiboot/multiboot1.htm

There are many programs that you can utilize to enhance There are many programs that you can utilize to enhance your systems overall performance.your systems overall performance.

Peter Norton (The God of PC’s) has released a program Peter Norton (The God of PC’s) has released a program called called Norton System WorksNorton System Works. This program allows you to . This program allows you to change the way Windows 9x, 2000, and XP machines start, change the way Windows 9x, 2000, and XP machines start, as well as how your applications run under windows.as well as how your applications run under windows.

Norton System Works includes the widely used anti-virus Norton System Works includes the widely used anti-virus program Norton-Antivirus, one of the best programs of it’s program Norton-Antivirus, one of the best programs of it’s type around.type around.

System Works, also includes the well know set of Norton System Works, also includes the well know set of Norton Utilites. Capable of findingUtilites. Capable of finding and fixing system problems including and fixing system problems including hard drive problems, software errors, and hardware configuration hard drive problems, software errors, and hardware configuration conflicts. It can also optimizes file storage for faster hard drive conflicts. It can also optimizes file storage for faster hard drive performance, as well as monitoring your PC continuously to spot performance, as well as monitoring your PC continuously to spot problems before they occur.problems before they occur.

These programs can often be vital for support of PC’s in both These programs can often be vital for support of PC’s in both businesses and homes.businesses and homes.