second hard drive - comp.os.linux.misc

I want to get a second hard drive for my laptop (HP-Compaq nc6400) but it seems the only place there's room for it internally is to replace the DVD drive (I haven't opened it but I have looked it the Service Manual (specifically pages 5-7ff). Is there another place to put it internally? If so, where? and if not, does anyone know where I can get the bracketry and plastics without a hard drive attached? Thanks. -- -eben QebWenE01R@vTerYizUonI.nOetP royalty.mine.nu:81 A: Because it looks dumb and is hard to read. Q: Why is top-posting wrong? -- from lots42@xxx.com http://www.fscked.co.uk/writing/top-posting-cuss.html

Hactar wrote: > I want to get a second hard drive for my laptop (HP-Compaq nc6400) but > it seems the only place there's room for it internally is to replace the > DVD drive (I haven't opened it but I have looked it the Service Manual > (specifically pages 5-7ff). Is there another place to put it > internally? If so, where? and if not, does anyone know where I can get > the bracketry and plastics without a hard drive attached? Thanks. > my freee (and well worth it) advice: don't open it to look..there is no other room (or connection) for a second hard drive (not to mention cooling capacity or battery life to support it).. consider an exteranl USB drive for additional storage...*or* remove some music/movies/documents/address contact books/p0rn/etc from the built in drive by putting it on CD/DVDs....which gives the added benefit of (when your laptop DIES, and it WILL) you still have all that stuff you have collected.. -- DenverD (Linux Counter 282315) via Thunderbird 3.0.1-1.1, KDE 3.5.7, openSUSE Linux 10.3, 2.6.22.19-0.2-default #1 SMP i686 athlon

Message-ID: <49d9b8f4$0$56779$edfadb0f@dtext02.news.tele.dk> DenverD: [Snip...] > no other room (or connection) for a second hard drive (not to mention > cooling capacity or battery life to support it).. I agree completely; I've never had any laptop that had sufficient battery life or cooling for a 2nd hard drive, even if space was available (IME). As you suggested, an external hard drive is an alternative. For some very limited circumstances, a large(r) capacity USB thumbdrive might also have some potential as a compressed data archive (that's what I do). However, I personally wouldn't suggest USB thumbdrives for large archives (too slow) or frequently modified data (apparent SSD reliability bugs). HTH; YMMV... -- Regards, Weird (Harold Stevens) * IMPORTANT EMAIL INFO FOLLOWS * Pardon any bogus email addresses (wookie) in place for spambots. Really, it's (wyrd) at airmail, dotted with net. DO NOT SPAM IT. I toss GoogleGroup posts from gitgo (http://improve-usenet.org).

In article <49d9b8f4$0$56779$edfadb0f@dtext02.news.tele.dk>, DenverD <"spam.trap\\REMOVE \"at\" SOME\\texan.dk"> wrote: > Hactar wrote: > > I want to get a second hard drive for my laptop (HP-Compaq nc6400) but > > it seems the only place there's room for it internally is to replace the > > DVD drive (I haven't opened it but I have looked it the Service Manual > > (specifically pages 5-7ff). Is there another place to put it > > internally? If so, where? and if not, does anyone know where I can get > > the bracketry and plastics without a hard drive attached? Thanks. > > my freee (and well worth it) advice: don't open it to look..there is > no other room (or connection) for a second hard drive (not to mention > cooling capacity or battery life to support it).. Well, some laptops have room and wiring for a second drive (my frind's DIY one does, and my Thinkpad did through the "remove the DVD drive" mechanism), I have an additional external 12-cell battery, and I only plan to spin up one drive at a time except for backups anyhow. Do you know there's no room, or are you just assuming? > consider an exteranl USB drive for additional storage...*or* remove > some music/movies/documents/address contact books/p0rn/etc from the > built in drive by putting it on CD/DVDs....which gives the added > benefit of (when your laptop DIES, and it WILL) you still have all > that stuff you have collected.. On my main computer, I have the backup done so that when sda (the main drive) dies, I just move some cables and sdb (the backup drive) becomes sda, and I pick up approximately where I left off. No, they're not on RAID, but I do a periodic bit-for-bit copy sda -> sdb. My aim is to do this with the laptop if possible. Can Linux write the MDB on a USB drive (it can't on USB floppies)? -- -eben QebWenE01R@vTerYizUonI.nOetP royalty.mine.nu:81 A. A Top Poster \ http://www.fscked.co.uk/ B. Who's there? \ writing/ A. Knock-knock -- from bobward@xxx.com \ top-posting-cuss.html

On Mon, 06 Apr 2009 07:03:33 -0500, Harold Stevens wrote: > I agree completely; I've never had any laptop that had sufficient battery > life or cooling for a 2nd hard drive, even if space was available (IME). I have noticed that the DVD drive in mine gets very warm. I suspect it's just IDE (probably with a different connector), so with some soldering / adapter muppetry, it would probably be technically possible to add another drive. Keeping it spun-down unless absolutely needed might be a good idea as otherwise it is just a big heat generator. I'm making no comment about how sensible it is to actually do this - merely that I think it *could* be done :-) > As you suggested, an external hard drive is an alternative. The main gotcha with those (other than the size) is that of course they run off a separate supply and have no battery - so if the power goes out, the laptop keeps going but the external drive dies. They're OK for archive use, but perhaps less useful in "always on" mode for a laptop. > However, I personally wouldn't suggest USB thumbdrives for large > archives (too slow) or frequently modified data (apparent SSD > reliability bugs). Yeah, keep the frequently-accessed data on the main disk - but I think such a USB drive isn't a bad idea if it means it's also reliant on the laptop's battery support. cheers Jules

In article <pan.2009.04.06.13.56.12.895204@remove.this.gmail.com>, Jules <jules.richardsonnews@remove.this.gmail.com> wrote: > On Mon, 06 Apr 2009 07:03:33 -0500, Harold Stevens wrote: > > I agree completely; I've never had any laptop that had sufficient battery > > life or cooling for a 2nd hard drive, even if space was available (IME). > > I have noticed that the DVD drive in mine gets very warm. Heat = power used, and that comes from the battery. > I suspect it's > just IDE (probably with a different connector), so with some soldering / > adapter muppetry, it would probably be technically possible to add > another drive. Keeping it spun-down unless absolutely needed might be a > good idea as otherwise it is just a big heat generator. > > I'm making no comment about how sensible it is to actually do this - > merely that I think it *could* be done :-) Well, I would like to have the bay _closed_ when the drive is in. > > As you suggested, an external hard drive is an alternative. > > The main gotcha with those (other than the size) is that of course they > run off a separate supply and have no battery - so if the power goes out, > the laptop keeps going but the external drive dies. They're OK for archive > use, but perhaps less useful in "always on" mode for a laptop. And SATA drives (for which I am looking) don't appear to support USB power, so they all have power bricks. OTOH, when I'm using an external drive, I'm sure to plug it into the UPS. -- -eben QebWenE01R@vTerYizUonI.nOetP http://royalty.mine.nu:81 Hanlon's Razor: "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity." Derived from Robert Heinlein

On Sun, 05 Apr 2009 17:12:54 -0400, Hactar wrote: > I want to get a second hard drive for my laptop (HP-Compaq nc6400) but > it seems the only place there's room for it internally is to replace the > DVD drive (I haven't opened it but I have looked it the Service Manual > (specifically pages 5-7ff). Is there another place to put it > internally? If so, where? and if not, does anyone know where I can get > the bracketry and plastics without a hard drive attached? Thanks. FWIW - some time ago I replace the drive in my laptop with a much larger (about 3x) drive. It was quite easy. I used partimage to back up to an external USB drive, then swapped drives and used partimage to restore to the new drive. A little fiddling with the partition table and all was well.

In article <73ujvuFv2ookU52@mid.individual.net>, ray <ray@zianet.com> wrote: > On Sun, 05 Apr 2009 17:12:54 -0400, Hactar wrote: > > > I want to get a second hard drive for my laptop (HP-Compaq nc6400) but > > it seems the only place there's room for it internally is to replace the > > DVD drive (I haven't opened it but I have looked it the Service Manual > > (specifically pages 5-7ff). Is there another place to put it > > internally? If so, where? and if not, does anyone know where I can get > > the bracketry and plastics without a hard drive attached? Thanks. > > FWIW - some time ago I replace the drive in my laptop with a much larger > (about 3x) drive. It was quite easy. I used partimage to back up to an > external USB drive, then swapped drives and used partimage to restore to > the new drive. A little fiddling with the partition table and all was > well. I'll probably have to get a SATA drive and a USB case, since I can't seem to find the Multibay bracketry (with or without another 20-80G drive) for under $100. I'll partition it and ready it for backup, then when the main drive dies, put the external drive inside the laptop. Sucks, I was hoping to be able mount it internally and just keep it spun down when not in use. -- -eben QebWenE01R@vTerYizUonI.nOetP http://royalty.mine.nu:81 "God does not play dice" -- Einstein "Not only does God play dice, he sometimes throws them where they can't be seen." -- Stephen Hawking

> Do you know there's no room, or are you just assuming? you said (in your first post) that you had looked at the Service Manual and concluded there is no room--which fits with my experience that most laptops are CRAMMED full, and to add something you must take something OUT first.. i assumed you were correct AND the HP-Compaq nc6400 fits my past experiences, completely.. i'd be astonished to learn you and i were both wrong. -- DenverD (Linux Counter 282315) via Thunderbird 3.0.1-1.1, KDE 3.5.7, openSUSE Linux 10.3, 2.6.22.19-0.2-default #1 SMP i686 athlon

In article <49da2fc4$0$56779$edfadb0f@dtext02.news.tele.dk>, DenverD <"spam.trap\\REMOVE \"at\" SOME\\texan.dk"> wrote: > > Do you know there's no room, or are you just assuming? > > you said (in your first post) that you had looked at the Service > Manual and concluded there is no room--which fits with my experience > that most laptops are CRAMMED full, and to add something you must take > something OUT first.. > > i assumed you were correct AND the HP-Compaq nc6400 fits my past > experiences, completely.. > > i'd be astonished to learn you and i were both wrong. Well, I looked in the manual and saw no reference to a second bay except the MultiBay, where the DVD drive is. It's possible that there's another drive-size place inside but I'd take the word of someone who's looked at the laptop's innards. -- -eben QebWenE01R@vTerYizUonI.nOetP http://royalty.mine.nu:81 LEO: Now is not a good time to photocopy your butt and staple it to your boss' face, oh no. Eat a bucket of tuna-flavored pudding and wash it down with a gallon of strawberry Quik. -- Weird Al

ebenZEROONE@verizon.net (Hactar) writes: >In article <73ujvuFv2ookU52@mid.individual.net>, ray <ray@zianet.com> wrote: >> On Sun, 05 Apr 2009 17:12:54 -0400, Hactar wrote: >> >> > I want to get a second hard drive for my laptop (HP-Compaq nc6400) but >> > it seems the only place there's room for it internally is to replace the >> > DVD drive (I haven't opened it but I have looked it the Service Manual >> > (specifically pages 5-7ff). Is there another place to put it >> > internally? If so, where? and if not, does anyone know where I can get >> > the bracketry and plastics without a hard drive attached? Thanks. I think you will find that it is impossible. laptop manufacturers are not in the habit of putting in support for things that will never be used. Thus a second SATA/PATA cable to support a second drive is not on the list of things to put in. support in bios for a second drive is not something they want to pay for. Ie, I strongly doubt that even if you fit in anther driver, it will be useable. >> >> FWIW - some time ago I replace the drive in my laptop with a much larger >> (about 3x) drive. It was quite easy. I used partimage to back up to an >> external USB drive, then swapped drives and used partimage to restore to >> the new drive. A little fiddling with the partition table and all was >> well. >I'll probably have to get a SATA drive and a USB case, since I can't >seem to find the Multibay bracketry (with or without another 20-80G drive) >for under $100. I'll partition it and ready it for backup, then when the >main drive dies, put the external drive inside the laptop. Sucks, I was >hoping to be able mount it internally and just keep it spun down when >not in use. >-- >-eben QebWenE01R@vTerYizUonI.nOetP http://royalty.mine.nu:81 > "God does not play dice" -- Einstein > "Not only does God play dice, he sometimes throws > them where they can't be seen." -- Stephen Hawking

In article <8LsCl.20388$Db2.5113@edtnps83>, Unruh <unruh-spam@physics.ubc.ca> wrote: > > >> On Sun, 05 Apr 2009 17:12:54 -0400, Hactar wrote: > >> > >> > I want to get a second hard drive for my laptop (HP-Compaq nc6400) but > >> > it seems the only place there's room for it internally is to replace the > >> > DVD drive (I haven't opened it but I have looked it the Service Manual > >> > (specifically pages 5-7ff). Is there another place to put it > >> > internally? If so, where? and if not, does anyone know where I can get > >> > the bracketry and plastics without a hard drive attached? Thanks. > > I think you will find that it is impossible. laptop manufacturers are not > in the habit of putting in support for things that will never be used. Thus > a second SATA/PATA cable to support a second drive is not on the list of > things to put in. support in bios for a second drive is not something they > want to pay for. Ie, I strongly doubt that even if you fit in anther > driver, it will be useable. You have the option (no matter how impractical) of replacing the MultiBay DVD reader/writer with a second hard drive, so it must be supported to some extent. But I probably won't go that route, unless I find an exceptional deal on the required bracket and cover. In the interest of putting the second drive in a SATA->USB case until the main drive dies, how do I find whether it's 1.5 Gib/s or 3.0 GiB/s, or does a 3.0 drive work with a 1.5 controller? -- "On two occasions I have been asked, -- 'Pray, Mr Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' .... I am not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." -- Charles Babbage, 1864.

ebenZEROONE@verizon.net (Hactar) writes: > Well, I looked in the manual and saw no reference to a second bay except > the MultiBay, where the DVD drive is. It's possible that there's another > drive-size place inside but I'd take the word of someone who's looked at > the laptop's innards. Dells have a MultiBay, which can have a battery, a disk, or perhaps a DVD/CD drive. There may be a special enclosure you need that holds a disk. Sometimes you can buy an empty enclosure, and add your own disk.

Unruh <unruh-spam@physics.ubc.ca> writes: > I think you will find that it is impossible. laptop manufacturers are not > in the habit of putting in support for things that will never be used. Thus > a second SATA/PATA cable to support a second drive is not on the list of > things to put in. support in bios for a second drive is not something they > want to pay for. Ie, I strongly doubt that even if you fit in anther > driver, it will be useable. My 5-year-old Dell Inspiron 8200 has a disk in the multibay. So I have 2 disks, and a CD-Drive as I speak. Nothing external.

In article <87ljqd5nu6.fsf@com.invalid>, Maxwell Lol <nospam@com.invalid> wrote: > ebenZEROONE@verizon.net (Hactar) writes: > > > Well, I looked in the manual and saw no reference to a second bay except > > the MultiBay, where the DVD drive is. It's possible that there's another > > drive-size place inside but I'd take the word of someone who's looked at > > the laptop's innards. > > Dells have a MultiBay, which can have a battery, a disk, or perhaps a > DVD/CD drive. > > There may be a special enclosure you need that holds a disk. > Sometimes you can buy an empty enclosure, and add your own disk. Yeah, I looked, but I can't find an empty enclosure for sale anywhere. I'm OK with buying one with an 80G (or whatever) drive and replacing the drive, but the lowest price I found is around $120 and that's out of line. -- I firmly believed we should not march into Baghdad ...To occupy Iraq would instantly shatter our coalition, turning the whole Arab world against us and make ... a latter-day Arab hero assigning young soldiers to a fruitless hunt for a securely entrenched dictator[.] -- GHWB

ebenZEROONE@verizon.net (Hactar) writes: >> There may be a special enclosure you need that holds a disk. >> Sometimes you can buy an empty enclosure, and add your own disk. > > Yeah, I looked, but I can't find an empty enclosure for sale anywhere. Sometimes it helps to find the right part number. I needed a replacement for my old Dell laptop, and called Dell - even though the warranty expired. They gave me a part number, and Google found a source.

On 2009-04-05, Hactar <ebenZEROONE@verizon.net> wrote: > I want to get a second hard drive for my laptop (HP-Compaq nc6400) but > it seems the only place there's room for it internally is to replace the > DVD drive (I haven't opened it but I have looked it the Service Manual > (specifically pages 5-7ff). Is there another place to put it > internally? If so, where? and if not, does anyone know where I can get > the bracketry and plastics without a hard drive attached? Thanks. I'd check on BIOS limitation for supported HD sizes, and replace the existing HD with a larger one. You can even re-use the mounting gear from the old drive. Put the old one in an empty 2"1/2 case. -- Elevators smell different to midgets