TSGL: Moving to a new HD?

[John S]

Gene responded with:
>> I do have the physical space for another HD, but somehow got the
>> impression that my motherboard won't support all the hardware, even
>> though there are free cable connections. Right now I have two HDs,
>> two DVDs and a floppy drive. I have this fuzzy recollection that I
>> once tried to add something, but couldn't because of some capacity
>> problem.
>>
>> But I like the idea, and will give it a try. There's nothing to
>> lose (except maybe the old floppy drive).
>> __________________
> Then Orf Bartrop wrote:
>
> You would not have to lose your floppy.
>
> If you have spare HD connections you should be able to mount
> another HD.
>
> <SNIP>
Orf,
What you go on to say in this last post is fine but you haven't 
addressed how Gene would connect up all that which you suggest.

He has said (above) that, "Right now I have two HDs, two DVDs and a 
floppy drive."
Gene's original post started off with, " I have an aging PC which still 
serves me well,...."

Combined, that tells us that Gene doesn't have any spare HD connections!
Above, where Gene says. "..., even though there are free cable 
connections. " - what Gene is probably seeing is one spare floppy drive 
connector on the ribbon cable to his present floppy.

Gene has to forget that one on the floppy cable as he can't use it for 
anything other than another floppy drive.
Nor can the motherboard's floppy drive connector be used to connect hard 
drives or optical drives with.

For Gene to even consider something like your suggestion(s), he will 
have to consider losing one of his DVD drives to be able to connect in a 
third hard drive.  This will be why Gene has previously found, that he 
couldn't 'add something', and: ''...because of some capacity problem."  
Gene has reached full capacity with his 'aging' motherboard's IDE device 
connections - unless he withdraws one DVD drive.

The 'aging' motherboard is probably fitted with USB 1 or 1.1 ports so 
they won't be an option (excepting in an emergency or short term usage) 
for external HDD.  One of those cheap PCI cards with USB 2.0 ports may 
be an option but really an practical option for decent data transfers to 
a USB connected HDD.

Perhaps the use of another PC with available spare HDD connections would 
be the way to go to get what Gene wants sorted out otherwise drop back 
to one DVD drive.  At all times, the connection configuration of all 
present drives will have to be first noted down and taken into account 
at all steps of withdrawal/replacements/shuffling around.  That is, 
which ones are Master, Slave and or Cable Select, which if any DVD drive 
may be 'looked' at as a boot drive if needed.

Best... ~ John S.