Computer Question--IDE Controllers
 

My desk top has a 40 GB hard drive. I recently installed a second, 300 GB hard drive as a slave. It has slowed done my computer. Not noticeably--except when I go to play a game.

Would installing a second IDE controller fix the problem?

Check your BIOS settings and be sure they are "correct". There are a few websites out there that explain how to optimally setup a new drive in the BIOS, but I don't have the links handy, use Google...

That's the other thing, the computer will not boot up properly, unless I hit CTRL+ALT+DEL. Otherwise, it says the boot disk contains no operating system.

My BIOS settings say the second HD is "unrecognized", no matter what I do. I've played with the startup order, but it doesn't change anything.

Did you move jumpers on both HD's to designate Master w/slave and Slave?

If I remember correctly, the slave drive needs to be last on the ribbon.

You may want to check that your PIO and DMA modes are set correctly.

Read this: http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/if/ide/modesPIO-c.html

edit: Just read your second post. You must not have your boot drive setup as master. You want to set the jumper on your existing drive as master and the jumper on the new drive as slave. I can't remember the cable placement either as I haven't messed with that in a while.

Another option is to connect you new drive to the second IDE bus, then you don't have to mess with jumpers.

Yep and yep.

Power supply?

What about the power supply?

Its a guess. Last time I swapped a big secondary slave hard drive into an old machine all of the jumpers were correct, etc, etc, everything that has been said here, etc, and it turned out that the power supply couldn't handle it. Im the only guy on the planet who can't make a mac work tho, so its probably a weak guess.

The computer isn't that old, it's a Pentium 4 2.6ghz from 2003.

I guess my thoughts on fixing performace were:

1) Buy another IDE controller and run two IDE controllers.
2) Buy and external USB hard drive enclosure.

Performance of the hard drive is not so important. Performance of the whole system is.

Generally most moden motherboards have dual IDE controllers. I would go back and double/triple/quadruple check your setup. It appears the computer is trying to boot from the new drive and not seeing system files. Unless that message is from a floppy disk left in by mistake.

This can be similar to spark plug wires. You're sure you have it right..... until you find out it's almost right. :)

Try and find an updated BIOS for your motherboard from the manufacture. The 300GB drive is likely not fully supported but can be fixed by newer code. If you have an open IDE channel move the 300GB drive there, by sharing the primary channel with the 40GB drive you are slowing the 300GB to the 40GB specs. If you don't have an open channel you should transfer all your data and ditch the 40GB.

Kerry is correct but there is software to over come this. Partition the hard drive into two (or more) partitions, 150 gig each and that will take care of this large limitation if its there. Frankly with a computer this new, the BIOS should handle this sized a hard drive fine.