Computer gurus, I need help

24

Comments

  • bert873
    bert873 Posts: 2,561 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I purchased Windows 8 online previously and have a product code is there a way to use that or download the software onto a usb or cd? When I ordered it I purchased a copy of the program on a disc but apparently never received it. 
  • Nolagizmo
    Nolagizmo Posts: 1,914 ✭✭✭✭✭
    bert873 said:
    Just ordered the parts for the build. When I get them do I just assemble and turn on or are there other steps I need to take?
    Watch the YouTube videos. There's more to it
    "Come party with me in Tennessee for my birthday July we can smoke in the Smokey's."
  • bert873
    bert873 Posts: 2,561 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2016
    Got the computer built and holy $hit is it FAST and the graphics are so much better especially when gaming...well atleast compared to what I had before. Thanks everyone for the advice!
  • jlmarta
    jlmarta Posts: 7,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have a computer question - how hard would it be for a non-computer type person (me) to install a second (or third) hard drive in a PC just long enough to search for a small file and, if found, print it?

    Any worthwhile suggestions appreciated....   :p
  • jgibv
    jgibv Posts: 9,245 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2016
    jlmarta said:
    I have a computer question - how hard would it be for a non-computer type person (me) to install a second (or third) hard drive in a PC just long enough to search for a small file and, if found, print it?

    Any worthwhile suggestions appreciated....   :p
    @jlmarta

    Are you comfortable with opening up your computer case?  If so it's pretty easy.....

    Take a look at this step-by-step tutorial (with pictures) .... http://www.wikihow.com/Install-a-Hard-Drive .... don't worry about the final step since your OS is already installed on your primary harddrive

    * I have a new address as of 3/24/18 *

  • 0patience
    0patience Posts: 10,665 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2016
    Marty, 
    Plug and play buddy.
    Ok, a few screws too.
    But if you want extra storage, look into solid state hard drives or USB externals.
    Either way, if you want to install it, you got my number if you get lost.

    A friend of mine just installed a 6 TB SSD solid state hard drive. Data transfer is way faster. 
    In Fumo Pax
    Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.

    Wylaff said:
    Atmospheric pressure and crap.
  • jlmarta
    jlmarta Posts: 7,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
    @jgibv and @0patience, thanks very much, guys. I'll give it a shot when I have a little time. 

    Like i said, I'm just looking for a really small file that I think is on a hard drive I saved out of an old PC. I don't need extra space or anything like that. Once (if) I find the file and print it I'll remove the hard drive again. I already have a C and a D drive in my current PC so I'm good there. 

    Thanks again....  B)
  • 0patience
    0patience Posts: 10,665 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2016
    Oh. You can install the old hard drive as a slave drive. Just look up how to set the jumper for slave drive.
    You should have extra drive cables in your pc to plug in.
    In Fumo Pax
    Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.

    Wylaff said:
    Atmospheric pressure and crap.
  • avengethis
    avengethis Posts: 5,697 ✭✭✭✭✭
    another option is to buy an external hard drive case.  It has no hard drive in it.  You would just pop your drive into it and then hook it up with a usb cable to the computer.  I might have an extra one laying around if you would want it.  I would have to dig through my parts box to see if it is still around.
    Team O'Donnell FTW!

    "I've got a great cigar collection - it's actually not a collection, because that would imply I wasn't going to smoke ever last one of 'em." - Ron White
  • Wylaff
    Wylaff Posts: 5,487 ✭✭✭✭✭
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA6U63T62771&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleMKP-PC&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleMKP-PC-_-pla-_-Cables+-+Computer+Power+Adapter+Cords-_-9SIA6U63T62771&gclid=COGypNXzicwCFYQ2gQod5kwCKA&gclsrc=aw.ds
    "Cooking isn't about struggling; It's about pleasure. It's like sǝx, with a wider variety of sauces."

    At any given time the urge to sing "In The Jungle" is just a whim away... A whim away... A whim away...
  • bert873
    bert873 Posts: 2,561 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Got another question. I have the SSD and just another regular hard drive. I assume I can just install stuff such as Microsoft word, excel, etc on the regular hard drive and have desktop icons and run like normal, correct? I have the operating system and a game on the SSD but don't want to load a bunch of crap on it and use up all the space. 
  • Wylaff
    Wylaff Posts: 5,487 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yes.
    "Cooking isn't about struggling; It's about pleasure. It's like sǝx, with a wider variety of sauces."

    At any given time the urge to sing "In The Jungle" is just a whim away... A whim away... A whim away...
  • jlmarta
    jlmarta Posts: 7,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Many thanks to @avengethis for the offer of the case and @Wylaff for the info. Either solution sounds good but I think I'll go ahead and order that adapter from Newegg.com. 

    It never hurts to have one more gimcrack device laying around. Ya never know when ya might need it....   :#
  • avengethis
    avengethis Posts: 5,697 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That adapter is slick. I might need one
    Team O'Donnell FTW!

    "I've got a great cigar collection - it's actually not a collection, because that would imply I wasn't going to smoke ever last one of 'em." - Ron White
  • Wylaff
    Wylaff Posts: 5,487 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I think everyone should have one. I cant count how many times I've had to quickly check an old hard drive for something I forgot to back up.
    "Cooking isn't about struggling; It's about pleasure. It's like sǝx, with a wider variety of sauces."

    At any given time the urge to sing "In The Jungle" is just a whim away... A whim away... A whim away...
  • jlmarta
    jlmarta Posts: 7,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Okey Dokey, Smokey. The order is placed. Thanks again to all the brothers adding their help and suggestions.  <3
  • jgibv
    jgibv Posts: 9,245 ✭✭✭✭✭
    bert873 said:
    Got the computer built and holy $hit is it FAST and the graphics are so much better especially when gaming...well atleast compared to what I had before. Thanks everyone for the advice!
    let's see some pics of that new machine you got @bert873 !!!!!

    * I have a new address as of 3/24/18 *

  • bert873
    bert873 Posts: 2,561 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Eventually I'll do some better wire organization 
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 3,917 ✭
    edited April 2016
    Beautiful setup Bert. 
    Post edited by [Deleted User] on
  • jlmarta
    jlmarta Posts: 7,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Wylaff said:
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA6U63T62771&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleMKP-PC&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleMKP-PC-_-pla-_-Cables+-+Computer+Power+Adapter+Cords-_-9SIA6U63T62771&gclid=COGypNXzicwCFYQ2gQod5kwCKA&gclsrc=aw.ds
    Okay, Wayne, my adapter got here today and I've got another question or three...  It plugs into the old hard drive okay but along with the adapter came a short jumper cord of about a foot long with a plug at each end labeled 'SATA'. 

    I can see that one end of it will plug into the end of the adapter but where is the other end supposed to be plugged in?  

    Without it being plugged in, the red 'power' light on the adapter lights up but nothing else happens so I'm assuming the SATA cord is necessary. 

    Some guidance, please?  I'm such a dumbkopf....  :p


  • Wylaff
    Wylaff Posts: 5,487 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Sata needs outside power. That should not be necessary for what you are doing
    "Cooking isn't about struggling; It's about pleasure. It's like sǝx, with a wider variety of sauces."

    At any given time the urge to sing "In The Jungle" is just a whim away... A whim away... A whim away...
  • jlmarta
    jlmarta Posts: 7,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Wylaff said:
    Sata needs outside power. That should not be necessary for what you are doing
    Hmmm. When it's plugged in without the SATA cord, the power light on the adapter is on but nothing seems to be running. I went to 'computer' and looked at what hard drives were shown and it shows the C drive, a recovery drive it's calling the D drive, and a CDRW that's shown as the E drive. Shouldn't it also be showing the drive that's hooked up to the adapter?
  • Wylaff
    Wylaff Posts: 5,487 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Check the instructions. You may need to change the master/slave jumper on the drive.
    "Cooking isn't about struggling; It's about pleasure. It's like sǝx, with a wider variety of sauces."

    At any given time the urge to sing "In The Jungle" is just a whim away... A whim away... A whim away...
  • jlmarta
    jlmarta Posts: 7,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 2016
    Wylaff said:
    Check the instructions. You may need to change the master/slave jumper on the drive.
    Uh, instructions?  I had the idea that since the adapter connects to my PC via a USB cable all I'd have to do is plug it in and turn on the power and then I could just enter the drive name at the cmd prompt and it would show the files on that drive. 

    Theres more?
  • Wylaff
    Wylaff Posts: 5,487 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Mainly the jumpers. Each brand of hdd had different jumpers to tell it if it was the master or the slave on it's specific ide cable. For an external I believe it must be set to master.
    "Cooking isn't about struggling; It's about pleasure. It's like sǝx, with a wider variety of sauces."

    At any given time the urge to sing "In The Jungle" is just a whim away... A whim away... A whim away...
  • jlmarta
    jlmarta Posts: 7,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Wylaff said:
    Mainly the jumpers. Each brand of hdd had different jumpers to tell it if it was the master or the slave on it's specific ide cable. For an external I believe it must be set to master.
    So, if I set the external drive to master that won't cause any harm to the internal C drive?  Or any of the others, for that matter?

    Next question - there are 5 pairs of pins where the jumper is. Currently the jumper is in the center position which I think is the master position. If I were going to change it to the slave position (which, according to the diagram on the case is on the second pair from the end,) how do I know which end to count from?  Is there a top and a bottom?  Or some marking to look for?
  • Wylaff
    Wylaff Posts: 5,487 ✭✭✭✭✭
    That ones a bit harder. What type of drive is it?
    "Cooking isn't about struggling; It's about pleasure. It's like sǝx, with a wider variety of sauces."

    At any given time the urge to sing "In The Jungle" is just a whim away... A whim away... A whim away...
  • jlmarta
    jlmarta Posts: 7,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It's a Western Digital 400. Is that what you're asking?
  • jlmarta
    jlmarta Posts: 7,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Here - try this:

    image
    Does this help?
  • jlmarta
    jlmarta Posts: 7,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Oh, okay. I think I've got it. It's currently in the center position meaning Master with Slave present. In order to simply be master I'd just pull the jumper entirely. Or to make it the Slave I'd put the jumper on pins 3 and 4. Right?

Categories