Adding an external drive to a Dell 9100

I have a Dimension 9100 that came with a 500 GB SATA drive and 2 DVD
drives. I removed one of the DVD drives and replaced it with a 300 GB
IDE drive from another computer (I never could find a face plate to
cover the slot where the DVD drive was, and which now has the hard
drive in it).

Now I am thinking about adding 1 TB of additional storage, using an
external SATA drive, in an enclosure, and using the Firewire (1394)
interface. (I have two other, older, Dells with Firewire ports. I
assume all of them are the original, slower, technology).

Any comments on going in this direction vs. adding an internal SATA
drive?

Thanks, Richard

My only comment is that an internal SATA drive will almost always run faster
than a drive connected via the lastest Firewire. One other wrinkle to consider
is EXTERNAL SATA. There are now various cables, boxes, and other widgets that
allow attachment of a SATA drive external to the computer chassis to a SATA
connector on the motherboard. This is very different than a SATA drive
connected up via USB 2.0 or Firewire... Ben Myers

On Mon, 14 Jan 2008 20:03:33 -0800, richards <richardATrhspencer.ca> wrote:

>I have a Dimension 9100 that came with a 500 GB SATA drive and 2 DVD
>drives. I removed one of the DVD drives and replaced it with a 300 GB
>IDE drive from another computer (I never could find a face plate to
>cover the slot where the DVD drive was, and which now has the hard
>drive in it).
>
>Now I am thinking about adding 1 TB of additional storage, using an
>external SATA drive, in an enclosure, and using the Firewire (1394)
>interface. (I have two other, older, Dells with Firewire ports. I
>assume all of them are the original, slower, technology).
>
>Any comments on going in this direction vs. adding an internal SATA
>drive?
>
>Thanks, Richard

I too recommend an external SATA drive. You have a free slot in the case so
use it. For an external, get the WD Premium ES (USB and eSATA). Add a PCI
eSATA controller and you are set to go.



"Ben Myers" <> wrote in message
news...
> My only comment is that an internal SATA drive will almost always run
> faster
> than a drive connected via the lastest Firewire. One other wrinkle to
> consider
> is EXTERNAL SATA. There are now various cables, boxes, and other widgets
> that
> allow attachment of a SATA drive external to the computer chassis to a
> SATA
> connector on the motherboard. This is very different than a SATA drive
> connected up via USB 2.0 or Firewire... Ben Myers
>
> On Mon, 14 Jan 2008 20:03:33 -0800, richards <richardATrhspencer.ca>
> wrote:
>
>>I have a Dimension 9100 that came with a 500 GB SATA drive and 2 DVD
>>drives. I removed one of the DVD drives and replaced it with a 300 GB
>>IDE drive from another computer (I never could find a face plate to
>>cover the slot where the DVD drive was, and which now has the hard
>>drive in it).
>>
>>Now I am thinking about adding 1 TB of additional storage, using an
>>external SATA drive, in an enclosure, and using the Firewire (1394)
>>interface. (I have two other, older, Dells with Firewire ports. I
>>assume all of them are the original, slower, technology).
>>
>>Any comments on going in this direction vs. adding an internal SATA
>>drive?
>>
>>Thanks, Richard

Correction. I meant an internal SATA. sorry

"WSZsr" <> wrote in message
news:478cb468$0$22618$...
> I too recommend an external SATA drive. You have a free slot in the case
> so use it. For an external, get the WD Premium ES (USB and eSATA). Add
> a PCI eSATA controller and you are set to go.
>
>
>
> "Ben Myers" <> wrote in message
> news...
>> My only comment is that an internal SATA drive will almost always run
>> faster
>> than a drive connected via the lastest Firewire. One other wrinkle to
>> consider
>> is EXTERNAL SATA. There are now various cables, boxes, and other widgets
>> that
>> allow attachment of a SATA drive external to the computer chassis to a
>> SATA
>> connector on the motherboard. This is very different than a SATA drive
>> connected up via USB 2.0 or Firewire... Ben Myers
>>
>> On Mon, 14 Jan 2008 20:03:33 -0800, richards <richardATrhspencer.ca>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>I have a Dimension 9100 that came with a 500 GB SATA drive and 2 DVD
>>>drives. I removed one of the DVD drives and replaced it with a 300 GB
>>>IDE drive from another computer (I never could find a face plate to
>>>cover the slot where the DVD drive was, and which now has the hard
>>>drive in it).
>>>
>>>Now I am thinking about adding 1 TB of additional storage, using an
>>>external SATA drive, in an enclosure, and using the Firewire (1394)
>>>interface. (I have two other, older, Dells with Firewire ports. I
>>>assume all of them are the original, slower, technology).
>>>
>>>Any comments on going in this direction vs. adding an internal SATA
>>>drive?
>>>
>>>Thanks, Richard
>

On Tue, 15 Jan 2008 17:45:17 -0600, "WSZsr" <>
wrote:

>Correction. I meant an internal SATA. sorry
>
>"WSZsr" <> wrote in message
>news:478cb468$0$22618$.. .
>> I too recommend an external SATA drive. You have a free slot in the case
>> so use it. For an external, get the WD Premium ES (USB and eSATA). Add
>> a PCI eSATA controller and you are set to go.

Thanks for the advice, Richard