How to add a hard drive to a computer using FDISK
Category: Computing
by Dennis Faas, infopackets editor
http://www.infopackets.com
 Do you have any idea how to add a hard drive to your system?
What about using an old hard drive as a backup unit?
I get asked these sorts of questions a lot.
It's definitely not a one-line answer -- this type of stuff is highly involved.
First, you have to open up your computer and decide where to put the new hard drive. Next, you have to
play with jumper settings (master/slave), hook it up to the main board,
turn on the system, add the hard drive to the BIOS,
restart, boot into DOS... following that, run FDISK and set up a Primary
or Extended (Logical) drive unit, then format the drive and install
Windows!
FDISK -- what?
FDISK is a program that runs under DOS (Disk Operating System).
DOS is command line driven and doesn't have any graphics. You have
to type in every command for the computer execute something -- this type
of involvement is not exactly
for the light hearted!
Cool guide
I didn't fully
understand a few things about FDISK until I came across
the Radified web site that
explained the difference between an Extended DOS partition and a Logical
drive unit. It's a cool guide and you should definitely check it out
(it's a bit lengthy, though.)
Believe me, it would be easier to have someone
SHOW YOU
how to do all that stuff!
And, finally, after being asked about 100 times in email how to FDISK /
format to prepare a hard drive, I got off my
butt and made a video tutorial that
shows you
how! The video covers complete hard drive
installation --
from start to finish
-- everything from:
- The hard drive, and its jumpers settings;
- How to install the hard drive in the computer;
- How to set the BIOS to recognize the drive;
- Booting from a startup disk;
- Using FDISK to set up the drive, and
- Various FDISK strategies discussed: customizing your hard drive --
what's right for YOU
- Primary, and Primary Startable partitions,
- Extended, Logical (entire hard drive) partitions,
- Extended, Logical (one partition or more than one partition)
Hey -- if you're interested,
check it
out! In the next two weeks I will be selling the video at a
discounted price. The video "sale" will expire on September 16th.
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