fitting an additional hard drive

[devonwoody]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Generic-Hard-Di ... =de_a_smtd

Can anyone tell me if it would be an easy job to install the above additional harddrive into my PC (high spec and W7pro machine) or should I go back to my pc maker and get them to fit?

I want to consider the extra harddrive to use for that flight simulation (fsx and acceleration pack)

The existing harddrive C is a maxtor Sata 350 gbs.

 

[nev]

physically speaking its a matter of a few screws and a couple of plug in cables. If you purchase the hdd from the pc maker they may well fit it for free? worth a call.
Generally speaking the cables inside the pc are ready for adding extras but without looking you wont know. you will also need to configure the pc and need to format the drive etc which is simple enough if you have another way of accessing and following how-to's on the web.
You may also find some or none of the following helpful before you splash out.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=best+ ... flight+sim
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/what-is-th ... -weigh-in/

 

[Lons]

Hi DW

Absolutely dead easy.

I'd be very surprised indeed if the spare sata data and power supply cables aren't already there inside your machine and as Nev says, it's just a matter of 4 screws to fit it into a drive bay which should already be there.

Suggest you look inside the computer to see what I mean. Sata cables are usually red/black connectors (may not always be though). Spares should be similar to ones connecting your original so easy to recognise.

Windows 7 will recognise the new drive and asign it a letter you then just need to right click on it and format - job done.
Doesn't need to be same make / model / capacity of hdd as your original as long as same type.
New drive may need to be set to "cable select" or older ones used to be "slave", not always nec to change factory set these days but just a jumper pin connector.
I've done it so many times now, can do it with my eyes shut. I have 3 drives in my desktop at the minute.

If you aren't happy with any of that then buy an external (I have a 2 gb usb unit) and it's just plug in whenever you want. Mine cost me about £60

Bob

 

[devonwoody]

Hi DW

Absolutely dead easy.

I'd be very surprised indeed if the spare sata data and power supply cables aren't already there inside your machine and as Nev says, it's just a matter of 4 screws to fit it into a drive bay which should already be there.

Suggest you look inside the computer to see what I mean. Sata cables are usually red/black connectors (may not always be though). Spares should be similar to ones connecting your original so easy to recognise.

Windows 7 will recognise the new drive and asign it a letter you then just need to right click on it and format - job done.
Doesn't need to be same make / model / capacity of hdd as your original as long as same type.
New drive may need to be set to "cable select" or older ones used to be "slave", not always nec to change factory set these days but just a jumper pin connector.
I've done it so many times now, can do it with my eyes shut. I have 3 drives in my desktop at the minute.

If you aren't happy with any of that then buy an external (I have a 2 gb usb unit) and it's just plug in whenever you want. Mine cost me about £60

Bob

Thanks Lons.

I would have preferred external drive but concerned that installing the program flight simulation X gold directly to that location could be a problem. ( I have some old external drives which were ok on the XP machine.)

How is the holiday going?

 

[Louise-Paisley]

there should really be no problem installing to an external USB hard drive, to all intent and purpose they appear to the system just the same as an internal HD.

Having said that installing an internal as a second drive is a pretty painless affair, you will get more gigs/£ that way and of course its a much neater solution.

 

[devonwoody]

there should really be no problem installing to an external USB hard drive, to all intent and purpose they appear to the system just the same as an internal HD.

Having said that installing an internal as a second drive is a pretty painless affair, you will get more gigs/£ that way and of course its a much neater solution.

It may be recalled that I had a problem getting fsx to start. There was no listing in Programs start or a short cut at monitor.

I eventually clicked the fsx icon on C drive x86 folded and requested a shortcut there.

Bearing in mind that I have installed twice at three hour loading time each occassion I am rather keen to know all the ins and outs if you know what I mean.

Should I get the chance to do the same regarding the start icon?

 

[Louise-Paisley]

what do you mean the start icon?

 

[Louise-Paisley]

Oh create a shortcut.. yes, you can create shortcuts to programs on external drives and second internal drives just the same as jou do with the C drive

 

[misterfish]

Why do you need an extra drive for FSX. According to the Microsoft support page the program needs 14 gb and the acceleration pack 4 gb - so that leaves you over 330 gb for everything else. Unless you are really short of disk space I would use the existing disk.

As you have some old external USB drives you could use those for extra data storage if you are short of space - just plug into the USB and the computer will recognise them, assign a disk letter and let you use them. I'd keep the FSX program on the internal drive as it works quickly and use the external USB drives for data where there is no need for lightning fast disk access (the external drives tend be be slightly slower access).

Misterfish

 

[devonwoody]

Thanks, if you lot dont hear from me for a couple of days you know what I am doing, messing around on fsx installs.

eye op. now Wednesday.

Over and out. (new short cut) :wink:

 

[devonwoody]

Misterfish, your advice re harddrives makes sense.

The flight sim boys I think use the extra drive that perhaps only has the one flight sim employed , would that make a difference to its transfer rate?

 

[Lons]

Usb transfer speed is slower than a fixed internal drive dependant on whether usb 1, 2 or 3 and what other processes are running consectutively.
Just a thought. Your stystem may also have connections for an older type atapi drive -many have in which case you can try one of your spares. Alternatively you can buy an adapter to sata for pennies (ebay).

Hols have been fantastic so far. Now in San Francisco after 2500 miles of dead easy driving. Helps that they gave
me 2 upgrades to a monster Chrysler 300 though. Been bloody hot and. Urrently 80deg at 5pm.

Bob

 

[misterfish]

The external usb drives would be slower, but your PC is pretty new and high spec and should run the program quickly and also access the data on the internal sata hard disk at a high rate. If you want to use a second disk specifically for FSX then I think your initial idea of a second internal sata disk would be what I would do.

Misterfish

 

[devonwoody]

Usb transfer speed is slower than a fixed internal drive dependant on whether usb 1, 2 or 3 and what other processes are running consectutively.
Just a thought. Your stystem may also have connections for an older type atapi drive -many have in which case you can try one of your spares. Alternatively you can buy an adapter to sata for pennies (ebay).

Hols have been fantastic so far. Now in San Francisco after 2500 miles of dead easy driving. Helps that they gave
me 2 upgrades to a monster Chrysler 300 though. Been bloody hot and. Urrently 80deg at 5pm.

Bob

Thanks for the advice, btw, if your route can get you across the Cascades and on to Yellowstone it should be another life long experience that should be remembered for life.

 

[Lons]

Thanks for the advice, btw, if your route can get you across the Cascades and on to Yellowstone it should be another life long experience that should be remembered for life.

Cant make that this trip. Back on thurs/fri. (really looking forward to the cold and wet).

I'd agree about a new int sata being the best option btw

Bob

 

[Tinbasher]

I can't see how a dedicated drive will speed things up. You're not confusing storage memory with working memory by any chance?

Adding a drive is no more complicated than changing a bandsaw blade, also you say you have some spare external drives, they will have drives in them which could be extracted and installed into your PC.

 

[Dibs-h]

DW - if you really want a performant setup - get a Solid State drive, it should run bloody fast. But then if you really want gaming performance - you may as well stick your PC in the bin, sell most of your tools\equipment and invest in a really high end gaming setup. :wink:

It's a bit like having an almost sharp chisel - either it is or it isn't.

If your PC isn't a gaming setup - I wouldn't throw money at it. Use it as it is and it should be a reasonably acceptable experience.

The folk you are drawing comparisons from - "Flight Sim boys", I bet their setups are high end gaming one, running into eye watering levels of cost, compared to the cost of a typical new PC.

My 2p worth

Dibs