Comments on: How to install second hard drive into Dell Vostro 1700 and Inspiron 1720/1721 http://www.insidemylaptop.com/install-second-hard-drive-dell-vostro-1700-inspiron-1720-172/ Do-It-Yourself laptop and notebook repair tips and tricks Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:25:05 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Laptop Tech http://www.insidemylaptop.com/install-second-hard-drive-dell-vostro-1700-inspiron-1720-172/comment-page-1/#comment-28645 Laptop Tech Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:02:43 +0000 http://www.insidemylaptop.com/install-second-hard-drive-dell-vostro-1700-inspiron-1720-172/#comment-28645 Wayne, <blockquote>Im just curious, any sata hd will go into the caddy and plug right into the laptop?</blockquote> Pretty much any SATA hard drive should work. <blockquote>The power cable is also onboard this caddy?</blockquote> It's not a cable, it's a connector. You put this connector on the hard drive before connecting it to the motherboard. Wayne,

Im just curious, any sata hd will go into the caddy and plug right into the laptop?

Pretty much any SATA hard drive should work.

The power cable is also onboard this caddy?

It’s not a cable, it’s a connector. You put this connector on the hard drive before connecting it to the motherboard.

]]> By: Wayne http://www.insidemylaptop.com/install-second-hard-drive-dell-vostro-1700-inspiron-1720-172/comment-page-1/#comment-28634 Wayne Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:52:37 +0000 http://www.insidemylaptop.com/install-second-hard-drive-dell-vostro-1700-inspiron-1720-172/#comment-28634 Im just curious, any sata hd will go into the caddy and plug right into the laptop? I'm asking, cuz i have no idea. The power cable is also onboard this caddy? Thanks for your info. Im just curious, any sata hd will go into the caddy and plug right into the laptop? I’m asking, cuz i have no idea. The power cable is also onboard this caddy? Thanks for your info.

]]> By: Fredrik http://www.insidemylaptop.com/install-second-hard-drive-dell-vostro-1700-inspiron-1720-172/comment-page-1/#comment-18456 Fredrik Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:19:45 +0000 http://www.insidemylaptop.com/install-second-hard-drive-dell-vostro-1700-inspiron-1720-172/#comment-18456 I have the same computer (Vostro 1700) and consider installing a secondary hdd to enable raid-1, but I can't seam to find that option either in bios or in software (vista ultimate). Is this a case of dell having disabled this feature (since the motherboard should support it), or do I have to update some drivers/bios? I have the same computer (Vostro 1700) and consider installing a secondary hdd to enable raid-1, but I can’t seam to find that option either in bios or in software (vista ultimate). Is this a case of dell having disabled this feature (since the motherboard should support it), or do I have to update some drivers/bios?

]]> By: Laptop Tech http://www.insidemylaptop.com/install-second-hard-drive-dell-vostro-1700-inspiron-1720-172/comment-page-1/#comment-12001 Laptop Tech Thu, 02 Apr 2009 06:13:02 +0000 http://www.insidemylaptop.com/install-second-hard-drive-dell-vostro-1700-inspiron-1720-172/#comment-12001 Darrell, Most likely you didn't see the new hard drive because it has to be partitioned and formatted before you can use it in Windows. You can do that if you access the device manager and then go to the disk management. Your new hard drive should be in there. Right click on it and initialize the hard drive if it's asking for it. After that create a partition and format with NTFS. When the hard drive is partitioned and formatted it should pop up in My Computer as a regular drive. <blockquote>When I reinstalled my HDD1 the tech had me go into setup and switch RAID ON to the automatic detect/Raid on setting. Should I change this back?</blockquote>It depends on what you are trying to achieve by installing the second drive. 1. If you are trying to increase the storage space, you shouldn't use RAID. In this case the second hard drive will be an additional storage. 2. If you are trying to make your laptop fail safe, you should use RAID. In this case the HDD 2 will be the exact copy of the HDD 1. All you do on your laptop will be written to both hard drives simultaneously. In this case you will not get any extra storage space, but if one of the hard drives fails, the laptop will work with only one hard drive and all your personal data will be safe. I assume you want to increase the storage space, right? 1. Turn off the RAID function. 2. Start your laptop and access the disk management utility in the device manager. 3. Initialize the new drive if needed. Partition and format the drive. Now you should be able to use it. Darrell,
Most likely you didn’t see the new hard drive because it has to be partitioned and formatted before you can use it in Windows.
You can do that if you access the device manager and then go to the disk management. Your new hard drive should be in there. Right click on it and initialize the hard drive if it’s asking for it. After that create a partition and format with NTFS. When the hard drive is partitioned and formatted it should pop up in My Computer as a regular drive.

When I reinstalled my HDD1 the tech had me go into setup and switch RAID ON to the automatic detect/Raid on setting. Should I change this back?

It depends on what you are trying to achieve by installing the second drive.
1. If you are trying to increase the storage space, you shouldn’t use RAID. In this case the second hard drive will be an additional storage.
2. If you are trying to make your laptop fail safe, you should use RAID. In this case the HDD 2 will be the exact copy of the HDD 1. All you do on your laptop will be written to both hard drives simultaneously. In this case you will not get any extra storage space, but if one of the hard drives fails, the laptop will work with only one hard drive and all your personal data will be safe.

I assume you want to increase the storage space, right?
1. Turn off the RAID function.
2. Start your laptop and access the disk management utility in the device manager.
3. Initialize the new drive if needed. Partition and format the drive.

Now you should be able to use it.

]]> By: Darrell http://www.insidemylaptop.com/install-second-hard-drive-dell-vostro-1700-inspiron-1720-172/comment-page-1/#comment-11998 Darrell Thu, 02 Apr 2009 05:39:47 +0000 http://www.insidemylaptop.com/install-second-hard-drive-dell-vostro-1700-inspiron-1720-172/#comment-11998 I tried your steps above but still could not see the new HD. I can see it when I get into setup. When I reinstalled my HDD1 the tech had me go into setup and switch RAID ON to the automatic detect/Raid on setting. Should I change this back? Will that mess up my new install as it warns in setup? I tried your steps above but still could not see the new HD. I can see it when I get into setup. When I reinstalled my HDD1 the tech had me go into setup and switch RAID ON to the automatic detect/Raid on setting. Should I change this back? Will that mess up my new install as it warns in setup?

]]> By: Mitchell http://www.insidemylaptop.com/install-second-hard-drive-dell-vostro-1700-inspiron-1720-172/comment-page-1/#comment-8335 Mitchell Sun, 25 Jan 2009 07:20:35 +0000 http://www.insidemylaptop.com/install-second-hard-drive-dell-vostro-1700-inspiron-1720-172/#comment-8335 Just a heads up that last step only works for vista and windows 7, You'll need additional software for XP. Just a heads up that last step only works for vista and windows 7, You’ll need additional software for XP.

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