> -----Original Message-----
> Date:    Thu, 1 Jun 2006 13:19:37 -0400
> From:    Donald DeWitt <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject:
>
> Hello members, I'm not sure this update was posted or not........
> I need advice installing a second hard drive as a slave. I have a Dell XPS
> 400 running with XP. I purchased a new Seagate 160GB Serial ATA w/NCQ
> 7200/8MB from an internet company. I installed the drive and connected the
> cable to the drive and the motherboard also connected the power
> plug to the
> drive. The computer doesn't recognize the drive by clicking on
> "My Computer"
> also the Add Hardware Wizard cannot find it. The drive did not
> come with an
> installation CD or installation instructions.
>
> ...in the BIOS under SATA Operation, there are four (4) options.
> 1. RAID Autodect/AHCI
> 2. RAID Autodect/ATA
> 3. RAID on
> 4. Combination
> The factory default is set at RAID Autodect/AHCI.
> I assume the RAID Autodect/ATA is the correct choice here but I'm not sure
> of this and I don't want to get myself in trouble.......
>
> Don DeWitt
>
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>
> ------------------------------
Don, you want choice 1 which is meant for Serial ATA Hard drives. ACHI is
Advanced Host Controller Interface. Option 2 would be for PATA drives (IDE).
If you expand the BIOS options (hitting enter while over a description with
a "plus sign" next to it) there is one that will list the hard drives found
in the system. You have four plugs on the motherboard, and depending on
which one the new drive is plugged into, it will show up as 0,1,2,or 3. The
original drive will already be recognized, you just need to make sure the
bios setup will "recognize" the new drive on whatever channel its on. You
need to save your changes as you exit the BIOS and then on reboot, the PC
should now "see" the new HDD. You still want to download the basic
formatting utility from Seagate which will partition the new drive for you.
It probably will fit on a floppy, or if you don't have a floppy drive,
download an executable to the desktop, and run it from there. I have a
Dimension 8400 and the BIOS is probably similar, so if you are still having
problems, post back and I'll try to document steps directly from the BIOS
screen. (I've given you directions here from memory)

HTH

Chris Ryan
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