Computer Woes, Part II

[jenepherre]

Posting from Mom's computer tonight.

It is truly sad when I know more than Dell tech support. I shouldn't be surprised - it's happened before. But what good are they if I've already tried every idea they have?

Got a new Western Digital HD to install. They come with some fucked up connector they call "Secure Connect" which blocks the serial ATA power connection, but does not supply power to the HD. So you're supposed to use the old type of legacy power connector. But whoever built the Dell Dimension 8400 provided only serial ATA power connections for use with hard drives. I think I can use the power connector that was intended for the optional zip drive, but still... WTF?

So I'm done for tonight. Hopefully ::fingers crossed:: I'll maybe at least have Windows installed on the new hard drive by tomorrow night. ::sigh::

Thanks to everyone who commented on yesterday's post. And earlier posts. Quick shout-outs:
amelialourdes - now that the show is over, I find someone who lives near me... isn't that always the way... we'll have to talk more when I'm back on my own computer.
darksylvia - you're a lifesaver!! The pineapple kind, cause that's my favorite. ;-)
larissa_j - you're getting all my tech questions from now on... any idea what I need to do to make sure the computer sees the new HD as the one to boot from and the old HD as the secondary? Apparently SATA drives don't use those master/slave jumper thingies.
viola69 = marry me! Um, as long as you're willing to continue providing those things you provide so well. ;-D
And to drkcherry, who is always there for me.
Hugs to many many others too. I am severely internet addicted, and the withdrawals are BAD... very very BAD.

G'nite all.

Comments

[mi-nion.livejournal.com]

hang in there Jen, us fellow internet addicts miss you!

[jenepherre.livejournal.com]

Thanks hon. :-)

[darksylvia.livejournal.com]

The pineapple kind, cause that's my favorite. ;-)

OMG, mine too! :D

[jenepherre.livejournal.com]

You're just saying that, right? LOL

[darksylvia.livejournal.com]

No! It used to be cherry, but pineapple totally owns me. BOW DOWN TO THE MIGHTY PINEAPPLE!

[jenepherre.livejournal.com]

I WOULD BOW DOWN... but I ate the last one this morning. hehe

[paddies.livejournal.com]

Awwwwwww....being computer-less sucks. :((

Hope you'll be back on top soon!! :x:x:x

[jenepherre.livejournal.com]

Hope you'll be back on top soon!! :x:x:x

Oh yes. Me too. :-D

BTW, since you're my one Italian friend, CONGRATS!!! Not that I know anything about football or soccer, but still... always fun to win!!

[paddies.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

I kinda hate football, but as you said...it's always fun to win! ;-)

[cori1950.livejournal.com]

Jen- If you are not happy with tech support, call back and request your problem be escalated (ask for L2 support). The L1 support people have scripts to follow, and that is why they do through everything you have already done (and yes you do know more than the L1 people). I am a server test engineer at Dell, and one of the new company initiatives is to improve customer experience. We want to know if you are not satisfied. I also have a Dimension 8400 at home, and you should get a drive with the correct power connector.

[jenepherre.livejournal.com]

If Dell really wants to improve customer experiences, they'll move the rest of the tech support department back to the US. Even when those guys speak fairly decent English, they're too hard to understand and they have a hard time understanding us. The guy did what he could, and he did eventually offer to transfer me to L2 support, but by then I just felt like the whole thing had been a waste of time. I knew how I wanted to handle the problem and I just wanted to get on with it myself. But honestly, that's what happens every time I call Dell tech support. Maybe I should just ask for L2 support right off the bat, because everything the L1 guys suggest is always stuff I've already done or tried. And I will have already searched the Dell knowledge base, etc.

Anyway, I don't intend to call back. Just not worth my time at this point.

What exactly do you mean by "you should get a drive with the correct power connector?" I have a new drive. It's exactly like the one that's currently in my 8400, except that when Western Digital sells them to retail outlets, they include this funky-ass "Secure Connect" cable instead of a standard serial ATA cable. That's not a Dell issue, it's a WD issue.

Here's a question for you though... can you confirm that the P6 power connector - intended for the optional zip drive - is the same as the P3 and P5 power connectors used for the CD-Rom drives? They appear to be the same. If they are, I can just use that power connector. Although I think I'll still just go out and buy a standard serial ATA data connector that doesn't block the serial ATA power connection. ::sigh::

Eek. Didn't mean to go off on you about this or anything. It's nothing personal. :-/

[larissa-j.livejournal.com]

Here's a question for you though... can you confirm that the P6 power connector - intended for the optional zip drive - is the same as the P3 and P5 power connectors used for the CD-Rom drives? They appear to be the same. If they are, I can just use that power connector. Although I think I'll still just go out and buy a standard serial ATA data connector that doesn't block the serial ATA power connection. ::sigh::

I think you have the right connector it's just got funny colored wiring and their specs are weird. OEMs don't like customers dinking in their boxes. Wait, that came out wrong.

If you check the voltage, they are the same. The power connectors are setup so that you can't plug these into the wrong drives. If you were to buy a new power supply, you would not see a difference in the plugs. They would all look the same. No specs at all - just SATA, standard and floppy power, in addition to your MOBO plug and all surrounded by insulation. Oooh pretty! (Sorry, got all starry eyed for a sec)

I've connected a PCIe video card and other devices to random p connectors in Dell boxes (Precision 370) and been fine. However, if you want to be safe - buy the splitter and go off the DVD R/W or other HDD power.

JMHO

[larissa-j.livejournal.com]

not the splitter, I meant the cable. Oops :)

[larissa-j.livejournal.com]

For the third time (OY don't ask me what I was doing this morning) How'd I comment on the wrong post? Caffeine plz.

I can't remember if the Dell 8400 has an intel or nvidia SATA controller (or both). You should probably download the drivers from Dell and copy them to a floppy as XP doesn't support loading drivers from a USB key yet, Vista will. XP doesn't have inbox drivers for SATA SATA/RAID controllers. Make sure the SATA controller is enabled in the BIOS. The OEM probably already set this or told you how to do this. Most OEM's preinstall OS's so the average user doesn't have to do these steps.

In addition. Set the SATA drive as the Primary boot HDD in the BIOS. It would probably be best to just unplug the IDE drive while installing Windows, otherwise, Windows is going to bypass the option to load the drivers for the SATA drive and simply default to the IDE drive for install. You might still get the STOP 7B error during the install. Try restarting and hitting F6 during install. Setup should prompt for storage drivers when it doesn't find them but not always.

Later, after plugging in the IDE drive - verify that the WD drive is still the Primary boot device under HDD in the boot device settings.

If you have an existing windows installation on the IDE drive, it won't be a problem, you can just rename the %windir% on your folder on your IDE drive to windows.old or something and migrate any needed data to your new installation. Providing you don't plan on using the older installation again.

[jenepherre.livejournal.com]

Not to throw a wrench into all your wonderful help and instructions... but the old drive is SATA also. I have taken it out completely for now - was going to leave it out until after WinXP is successfully installed on the new HD. After that, I'd like to be able to put it back in as a secondary HD, migrate files, and then reformat it to be a backup drive. It's because both drives are SATA that I was confused about the master/slave thing... any advice on that?? BTW, I think I owe you chocolate or something by now...

[larissa-j.livejournal.com]

Oh, sorry... I just assumed we were talking IDE what with the Master/Slave thing (I always get a kinky thrill with that )

It's never a good idea to have two SATA drives plugged in while doing an install. IDE you're fine - SATA not so good.

Just go ahead an plug the SATA drive back in after the install - verify the boot order in the BIOS and migrate the files. If your system doesn't boot for some reason - unplug the drive and verify that the partition the OS is installed to is active. (reorder the boot order for the HDDs and reboot) If it isn't, you'll have to use the OLD drive to set the new drive to active and reinstall. I doubt this will happen. I've only ever seen it once and it was when I left all three SATA drives in while installing MCE.

[jenepherre.livejournal.com]

(I always get a kinky thrill with that)

Me too. hehehe

It's just that I'm more familiar with IDE and have had 2 IDE hard drives in my (old) computer at the same time. Not as familiar - obviously - with SATA.

So basically, when I plug the old SATA drive back in after I'm done with the install on the new drive, both of them should show up in the boot order list - I just need to make sure they're in the right order. Yes? 'Cause that I can do.

You must do this for a living, right? You speak the language too well for it just to be a hobby. In any case, you're good and I owe you. Thank you muchly. :-)

[larissa-j.livejournal.com]

So basically, when I plug the old SATA drive back in after I'm done with the install on the new drive, both of them should show up in the boot order list - I just need to make sure they're in the right order. Yes? 'Cause that I can do.

Yes. Sometimes depending on which SATA header you plug the cable into, the primary boot device will be reset. It sucks. You'll need to watch this. I only mention it because I didn't want you to be surprised if you wound up in your old XP install. If you go into your BIOS first and verify your boot order, you'll be fine. Once you set it with both drives, it'll stick.

You must do this for a living, right? You speak the language too well for it just to be a hobby. In any case, you're good and I owe you. Thank you muchly. :-)

Oh, maybe *blushes with compliment*

And it's no bother to help out - although hardware/drivers are generally my area, venture too far out from there and it starts to get scary.

*blushes*

[viola69.livejournal.com]

And crossing my fingers for you that your computer woes are nearly fixed if not fixed by time you read this. :-)

Re: *blushes*

[jenepherre.livejournal.com]

Not yet. No real progress since last night. ::sigh:: Is there any vodka left?

[amelialourdes.livejournal.com]

Okay, I have missed all previous posts because I didn't know that you had friended me! It seems to have definitely been a large mistake on my part. Apologies!

And you're definitely right about that! You're not too far away from me at all. How are you enjoying this "wonderful" heat? I think that you guys are getting the brutal end of it. :\ Hope your computer problems improve and my screen name is in my user info!