BleepingComputer.com: Connecting SATA HDD Using CD-Rom Connection

Hello.
I have a Dell Dimension E530. Yesterday my HDD failed to boot. I have since replaced the HDD with a larger capacity model and reinstalled the OS which works fine. However, I'd like to get the data off of the old drive. I took it to Best Buy and they confirmed it is readable.

I had originally intended to make the old HDD the slave but found that my MoBo only has two SATA connections, both in use by the HDD and the CD-ROM.

Could I disconnect the CD-ROM and connect the old drive to that line and, change the boot order in the BIOS and then see my old drive?

Thanks for reading.

Yes, if the CD-ROM and HDD you want to connect are both SATA, their is nothing stopping you from disconnecting the CD and connecting the HDD.

This post has been edited by xXAlphaXx: 06 September 2011 - 12:24 PM

Take a look at the attached file please. The two SATA connections in the red rectangle are the ones currently in use.
It looks like there might be two other SATA connections to the left of that in other red rectangle. Or would those typically be for some other use?

I confirmed those are SATA connections. I was able to connect the old drive and currently copying all the files I need.

Only thing I needed to do was go in the BIOS and enable that SATA connection. Having read other posts, I learned there is no master/slave switch on SATA drives. Rather the BIOS boots directly from the first SATA drive connected and considers that the C: drive.

Hope this helps someone else.

<<Rather the BIOS boots directly from the first SATA drive connected and considers that the C: drive.>>

Not necessarily true . Whichever drive Windows is installed on...is viewed as the C: drive by Windows, no matter where it is connected (with SATA slots).

Any one of the SATA slots...may reflect the boot drive. The boot order is determined by other BIOS settings for such. Since BIOSes vary, I can't be any more specific than that.

Louis

Quote

To clarify based on what I learned, at least on my BIOS. First, I had to turn on the additional SATA connection in my BIOS just to see the drive. Since I have XP SP3 installed on both drives, for my BIOS, it depends on which SATA position each drive is connected to. On my MoBo, they are labeled SATA 0, SATA 1, etc. and it tries to boot them in order. So the first HD drive it boots becomes the C: drive. At least in my case. And I have the capability to boot off of either drive just by taking either of the drives out of the "boot lineup" so to speak.

But that may not be true for others. Like hamluis said, BIOS can and do vary!!

This post has been edited by SuperT: 07 September 2011 - 11:48 AM