Using a 2nd internal SATA HDD in a Packard Bell IMedia X4520UK

[ihc234]

Before I go off and start buying external enclosure for my internal drive and loosing dataspeed, I was wondering if it was possible to fit a second SATA harddrive in a Packard Bell IMedia X4520UK PC as I opened my computer up today to see if I could get one in but I didn't see any spare space which meant I would have to use it in a external enclosure by USB - I presume this would loose data transfer speed? It needs to load data at high speeds which is why I am inquiring about it.

 

Thank you very much. :)

[Plastic Nev]

Hi, and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help.

I have a similar but possibly later PB machine, the S1300, from what little I have found so far, including a look in my own machine, a lot depends on whether your motherboard has a spare SATA port on it, mine does not.

If you do have a spare port, and providing you can find space, nothing wrong in putting the drive loose inside the case providing it doesn't cause a short circuit to something via its case, or obstructs vital air flow.

 

However, if no spare SATA port on the mother board, you can get a PCI, or even PCIe to external SATA card if you have either a PCI or a PCIe slot available,

Have a look here for an example=

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Port-Expansion-VIA-VT6421a-chipset/dp/B000S87GG0

 

If no PCI or PCIe slots, then you are limited to a USB connected external caddy.

 

Nev.

[KenB]

Just to add to what Nev has said ....

 

I have just put together a pc out of old parts for my nephew.

I put in 2 hard drives - ( both with an operating system on as a backup ....just in case )

There was no space for the second hard drive so I just taped it up underneath the primary drive.

As Nev says - as long as it is out of the way it does not need to be "fixed" to the case.

[Plastic Nev]

Reminds me about the maintenance man's two tools, which are WD40 and duct tape. If it should move but doesn't use the WD40, if it moves but shouldn't, use the duct tape.

The duct tape is ideal for doing as Ken said, tape the new drive on to the fixed one, it won't move afterwards.

 

Nev.

[ihc234]

Thank you very much, looking at my computers specs I realise I have a iMedia S3810. A little look inside my machine shows were the main HDD is connected so the computer can run which uses a SATA connection. I see a similar set of prongs above it but not too sure if its for an extra hard drive. I don't really want to start duct-taping my machine as it may get messy. Nev, does your machine have a spare SATA port? :)

[Plastic Nev]

As I said, it doesn't look like it looking at what I can see of my motherboard, yes there are prongs on the board but not a correct SATA socket next to where my drive plugs in. I will have to power off to remove some bits so I can see properly as my power supply covers quite a large area of the board. The Imedia range of cases are so compact that you can't see much motherboard without removing things.

 

Also, Packard Bell, which are really Acer now, name and number the motherboard according to the main computer model number, so as each model is different, so also are the motherboards.

 

Although I don't need an extra internal drive, if I did I would be looking at one of the PCIe expansion cards as they provide extra SATA sockets for internal use, no doubt just for this purpose, and being driven from a PCIe slot they should have the high speed which you want.

 

Also, just looking at the hard drive housing and extra holes in it, makes me wonder if a piggy back type of housing that can bolt onto the existing one may be available. Might be worth looking round to see.

 

Tomorrow when I have more time, I will do a full power off exploration and take some photo's, then some comparisons can be made.

 

Nev.

[RandyL]

As usual I can't find Packard Bells specs for either of those models. As usual the Packard Bells support site is extremely slow.

 

However data transfer is fast with USB2 and 5 to 10 times faster with USB3. USB3 can also send and receive data simultaneously at 5 to 10 times faster then USB2. You might get 10GB to transfer in 5 minutes or better.

 

So if that is fast enough for you then you can swap USB3 for the USB2 or get a USB3 card. The added advantage is that an external drive won't power up and wear out unless it is plugged in all the time.

 

Just a thought.

[ihc234]

As usual I can't find Packard Bells specs for either of those models. As usual the Packard Bells support site is extremely slow.

 

However data transfer is fast with USB2 and 5 to 10 times faster with USB3. USB3 can also send and receive data simultaneously at 5 to 10 times faster then USB2. You might get 10GB to transfer in 5 minutes or better.

 

So if that is fast enough for you then you can swap USB3 for the USB2 or get a USB3 card. The added advantage is that an external drive won't power up and wear out unless it is plugged in all the time.

 

Just a thought.

 

That's quite informative, the hard drive it's self contains samples used for a virtual instrument and needs to load pretty fast, USB2 is good for most data transfer but does it have similar speeds to an internal SATA connection? Or is USB3 near this data speed?

 

Thanks. :)

[Plastic Nev]

Hi, now I know it is for a VST, musical I assume?

So yes you do need top speeds. If you don't already have a USB 3 port, that would mean buying an expansion card anyway, so perhaps best to stick to a SATA expansion card, you can then connect via SATA leads either internally or externally.

 

The musical software from PG Music, "Band in a Box" has their own forum, mainly for discussing the software of course, however the forum has an off topic section where members discuss topics sometimes related to computer hardware and how to get the best out of it, as well as other musical software and instruments even, so well worth a look and asking questions there for music creation and idea's, as well as the more musically technical advice.

This is a link directly to their off topic section-

 

http://www.pgmusic.com/forums/postlist.php?Cat=0&Board=UBB4&page=0

 

Even if you don't use or have the software, most musical software companies have their own forum where some very useful musically technical advice can be found.

 

Saves me checking and then relaying stuff I might not know directly ;)

 

Nev.

[ihc234]

Hi, now I know it is for a VST, musical I assume?

So yes you do need top speeds. If you don't already have a USB 3 port, that would mean buying an expansion card anyway, so perhaps best to stick to a SATA expansion card, you can then connect via SATA leads either internally or externally.

 

The musical software from PG Music, "Band in a Box" has their own forum, mainly for discussing the software of course, however the forum has an off topic section where members discuss topics sometimes related to computer hardware and how to get the best out of it, as well as other musical software and instruments even, so well worth a look and asking questions there for music creation and idea's, as well as the more musically technical advice.

This is a link directly to their off topic section-

 

http://www.pgmusic.com/forums/postlist.php?Cat=0&Board=UBB4&page=0

 

Even if you don't use or have the software, most musical software companies have their own forum where some very useful musically technical advice can be found.

 

Saves me checking and then relaying stuff I might not know directly ;)

 

Nev.

 

 

Haha, thanks for your help. I checked inside my computer again and saw I have a free port for an expansion card but saw no extra 4-pin power plugs lying around in the machine which means that there isn't much else I can do. :)

[Plastic Nev]

Hi, Unfortunately I am in a similar position, I bought a sound card for mine, guess what, no power plug, to use it means fitting a different power supply that will have the extra.

Rather than trying to upgrade, I plan starting from fresh and building a machine to my specifications.

 

However, you could get a power supply that has extra power plugs as well as getting the expansion card, not too expensive but is of course adding to the cost.

 

Nev.

[ihc234]

Hi, Unfortunately I am in a similar position, I bought a sound card for mine, guess what, no power plug, to use it means fitting a different power supply that will have the extra.

Rather than trying to upgrade, I plan starting from fresh and building a machine to my specifications.

 

However, you could get a power supply that has extra power plugs as well as getting the expansion card, not too expensive but is of course adding to the cost.

 

Nev.

 

 

I did a little searching and came across a 4-pin plug extended, literally takes one plug and turns it into 2 plugs - would that work? I might have to use USB2 if need to buy a new PSU plus connectionmajiggles.

[Plastic Nev]

Hi, it may if it is a full SATA extension/doubler lead. I did look for something similar but obviously not the right place, hope it isn't too expensive if it is no good.

My worry is that with both drives connected to the same port on the motherboard, the system may not recognise there are two drives connected. Though if any one knows differently I am welcome to be corrected.

 

Edit to add-

I found these instructions for installing a second drive with a splitter and only one SATA port, hope it helps.

 

http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_6683120_installing-using-one-sata-port.html

You may also need one of these as well.

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002N2EHVQ/ref=asc_df_B002N2EHVQ11037732?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&tag=googlecouk06-21&linkCode=asn&creative=22206&creativeASIN=B002N2EHVQ

 

Nev.

[ihc234]

It looks like I could get away with using a 2-way SATA splitter with an SATA 6GB PCI expansion card, the article link you provided seems to show what I am trying to do is achievable, I believe the iMedia uses no Molex or Peripheral PSU connections.

[Plastic Nev]

Yes, I think that is the way, there isn't much I can find in the way of a SATA data splitter, all seem to be for the power side not data. That is what I originally thought might be the case. From what I see on other websites it is not possible to actually split the data side of the SATA port, you will have to fit a PCI or PCIe card. It may be more expensive for a PCIe card but being the express version of PCI it will be faster.

 

Let us know how you get on.

 

Nev.

[ihc234]

Yes, I think that is the way, there isn't much I can find in the way of a SATA data splitter, all seem to be for the power side not data. That is what I originally thought might be the case. From what I see on other websites it is not possible to actually split the data side of the SATA port, you will have to fit a PCI or PCIe card. It may be more expensive for a PCIe card but being the express version of PCI it will be faster.

 

Let us know how you get on.

 

Nev.

 

 

Thank you for your help, now I have to find some way of mounting it now inside the machine. Haha. :)

[ihc234]

One last question, do you think it is viable to try and fit an extra hard drive in an iMedia machine? As trying to search for ways to mount it is giving me no clues.

[Plastic Nev]

Without knowing the layout of yours internally a bit hard to say, but if doing it in mine, there is room for it to just lay on the bottom, or as Ken suggested much earlier, a bit of duct tape onto the existing. Otherwise it would mean sheet metal working skills to make and fit a bracket.

 

Nev.

[ihc234]

Without knowing the layout of yours internally a bit hard to say, but if doing it in mine, there is room for it to just lay on the bottom, or as Ken suggested much earlier, a bit of duct tape onto the existing. Otherwise it would mean sheet metal working skills to make and fit a bracket.

 

Nev.

 

Okay, thank you very much for your help!

[ihc234]

Hey,

Just dropping to say everything worked great, ordered the expansion card and splitter and connected the hdd. Worked great. :)

[Plastic Nev]

Good news to hear and thanks for letting us know that it has worked out well for you.

 

Nev.