PC does not recognized another ID cable based Hard Disk

Asked By mr_mitchell 200 points N/A Posted on - 06/10/2011

Hi all,

I have a desktop pc (p4 pc). Its motherboard doesn’t have any SATA HDD slot. That’s why I am unable to use any SATA hard disk in it. I have been using a 40 gigabyte ID cable based hard disk for the last 5 years without any complain. I don’t have the habit to keep so much videos and audio songs in my computer.

But I have the tendency to keep so many images in my hard disk. But now I am having the problem with my hard disk space. That’s why I am trying to attach another hard disk with my motherboard. But I have failed to do this. My pc is just recognizing one of my hard disks. When I attach the new hard disk separately, my pc recognizes it. But when I attach both of them, PC does not recognize the new one. It’s a very irritating situation. I want to use both of them at the same time. As far I know that it is possible to use several hard disks in a PC. I tried all the jumper settings clearly and studied the motherboard manual again. But, my PC is on the same condition. Can any body tell me the right procedure to use double hard disks in a pc? 

Please, help me buddies.

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• Question Category: Windows XP

Best Answer by Evan_

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Answered By Evan_ 0 points N/A #115486

PC does not recognized another ID cable based Hard Disk

It's not about the jumper settings in your Motherboard. It's about the master-slave relationship on your two hard disks. If you look closely on your hard disk you can see labels like "MA", "SL" and "CS". They mean Master, Slave and Chip Select respectively.

With this, if two hard disk are configured to be both Master, then we have a problem. Some motherboards will be confused as to who to follow. (Just like following two masters).

The solution for that is to make one hard disk a Master while the other a Slave. I recommend to use your 5-year hard disk as a Master, while the other as a slave.

You can also double check in your BIOS if both hard disk are configured as master and slave.

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• Posted on - 06/12/2011
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Answered By chevin7 0 points N/A #115487

PC does not recognized another ID cable based Hard Disk

Hi Mr_mitchell,

This may help to your problem just follow these steps.

1. Decide which hard drive will be the startup (master) drive. If this drive was the startup drive previously, or if it's a new hard drive, then the master drive designation will already be set.

2. To change the designation of a new drive to be a slave drive, skip to step 4.

3. To change the designation of an existing drive to be a slave drive: Turn off the computer, unplug the power cord, remove the drive from its drive bay, and disconnect the drive from its power cord and ribbon cable.

4. Check the hard drive documentation or the label on the drive itself for master/slave jumper settings.

5. Find the jumpers on the circuit board of the drive. Jumpers are plastic plugs with metal sleeves that form a circuit between a pair of pins. Jumper locations are labeled on the board with a J followed by a number (such as J20).

6. Use tweezers or very small pliers to remove or reposition the jumpers to the configuration shown in the documentation or on the disk label.

7. Install (or reinstall) the hard drive in the computer.

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• Posted on - 07/19/2011
• Question Category: Windows XP