Result

[tvordlj]

One of my coworkers had got a new computer recently. He'd also bought a second 80gig hard drive for his old one but it wouldn't fit in the new one, because it was a different type. He was going to sell it and when i expressed interest, said he'd sell it to me. Now the conumdrum. I have to install it myself! When it comes to poking around inside the computer, i'm not very comfortable and never quite sure what i'm doing or if i'm doing it right. I have managed to replace a battery in my old one and install a dvd writer in the new one. Plugging bits into the back isn't any trouble but the inside is always a mystery.

So anyway, i got the inside open and as i suspected, it really needed a good dusting. The fan was caked! I sorted that all out first and then had a look at where the hard drive is and where the new one goes in. Discovered that it doesn't plug into something in the back, it's just sitting on little shelves so to speak so that was good. Only the one that was in there was on the bottom bit and the way the cable was, i couldn't get it plugged into the new one and fit over top. I was not confident enough to unplug the cable from the old one and put it on the new one because i wasn't sure if that would tell the computer that the new one was the system drive which it isn't. Probably would have been ok but i didn't want to take the chance. So what do to? I unscrewed the old one and managed to slide it up into the top slot and then got the new one in the bottom slot (and for all you techies out there, the new drive was already formatted and the switch was already set to slave. I did know about that bit but it was already set that way from T's machine). Ok. somewhere along the way, one of the four screws from the old drive has vanished but no worries. I used two for the new drive to hold it in place and the third plus one that was holding the side panel of the tower to hold the other one in place. Plug all the bits back into the rear and plug the power cord back into the wall.

Hold breath.
Well, it booted up anyway. I haven't had it turned off since i had trouble powering it up a few weeks ago.
Woot! Found new hardware/disk drive *and* i changed the drive letter like i was shown when i asked at work. It's going to be my M drive, for Media, i think i'll keep video, mp3's and maybe photos on it. Might move all my documents over there, not sure. Media for starters.

Right. I have some errands to run plus a stop at the bank machine to get the money for my buddy.

Go me!

Comments

[nancy-j.livejournal.com]

Good grief! Maybe a new career starting - building computers! I am constantly amazed at what you can do! You just dive right in, nothing seems to intimate you regarding computers, printers, digital this or that, the insides of them I mean! Yea you!! :)))) I remember you teaching yourself to knit, crewel, and make the loveliest things, not to mention your photography! Then along comes your painting, your writings to the Corrie Street Blog and soon a reviewer of books!!! (all I can do is crochet)! lol!

[tvor.livejournal.com]

Oh it's very intimidating!! If you mess up a painting or a photo, no big deal, but mess up the commputer and *poof* The first time is always the worst lol