[JerryDal]

I installed a new MAXTOR 120GB hard disk to replace a MAXTOR 27GB disk. Opering system is Windows XP. The new disk transfer rate is 133, and the old one is rated 33. I have been advised that the 2 disks on the same cable will cause the faster disk to run slow.

Question: If I purchase an ATA card (cost is $40) can I used it to avoid the old hard disk slowing down of the new one? Is there a preferred way to connect the two drives, such as the new drive cable being connected to the motherboard and the old drive connected to the ATA card? Would it be more practical to abandon the old hard disk, which would only be use for storage?

Thanks for your advice.
Jerry

[RickKnight]

The operating system hasn't got too much to do with this situation. I don't know how new or old your system is, but one thing I see very often is people put large drives into machines who's mother boards are old and can't suport the larger drive or the higher transfer rates. Given that your old disk was rated at 33, it sounds like the mother board may be old.
A separate ATA controller card would certainly help, but I wouldn't necessary run out and buy one until you've set up the 'master/slave' relation of the disks on the one cable and see how it works. At any rate you'll be slowed down somewhat simply by slower speed of the older drive.
Good Luck

Originally posted by JerryDal
I installed a new MAXTOR 120GB hard disk to replace a MAXTOR 27GB disk. Opering system is Windows XP. The new disk transfer rate is 133, and the old one is rated 33. I have been advised that the 2 disks on the same cable will cause the faster disk to run slow.

Question: If I purchase an ATA card (cost is $40) can I used it to avoid the old hard disk slowing down of the new one? Is there a preferred way to connect the two drives, such as the new drive cable being connected to the motherboard and the old drive connected to the ATA card? Would it be more practical to abandon the old hard disk, which would only be use for storage?

Thanks for your advice.
Jerry

[JerryDal]

Regarding adding an older hard drive to my PC after installing new hard drive rated at 133 transfer rate, my CPU is rated at 933 MHZ. I have had both hard disks installed with one cable, with the new one as the master, and they both worked.

I am looking for confirmation that if I put one or the other on an ATA card, the smaller "idle" backup drive will have no impact on the performance of the new 120GB drive.

Thanks for your previous comments.

Jerry

[rnealejr]

Any reason why you want to keep the older drive ?

[JerryDal]

Re: Will adding slower hard drive slow down a new faster hard drive?

I wanted to see if the older slower 27GB drive could be used as a backup drive and not impact the performance of the new 120GB drive.

Since the ATA card for connecting additional drives costs as much as I paid for the new Maxtor drive ($40 after rebate at day-after-Thankgiving sale), I would be satisfying my curiosity after spending an additional $40 and most likely draining CPU resources unnecessarily.

Thanks. I feel convinced that I am better off using one hard drive.

Jerry