a230n refurb needs new hard drive [ Edited ]

[dashdash]

good morning

I have a donated  a230n HP Pavilion Desktop. ( win XP home edition)

I purchased a set of recovery discs for my  a230n  and i now need to get a new and preferably upgraded

Hard Drive.   

i was told i need to get a hdd with a PATA interface.  the original hdd listed on the models support site is :

• 120 GB Ultra DMA

• 5400 rpm

MS CherylG, you helped me before with this computer and if you would help me again with your HDD reccomendations i would

surely appreciate it.

thanks

ron

[Hanspuppa]

Hello dashdash, There seems to be a few things to consider in upgrading the hard drive.

Here  is the link for the specifications for your system. Since the system Introduction date was 28-May-2003, you might also consider replacing the CMOS battery while you are inside the case. These only cost less than $5.00 USD.

Since you mentioned you ordered the Recovery Restore disk set, these would put the system back as it was when shipped.

It shipped with Windows XP. Windows XP does not support hard drives larger than 137 GBs. Windows XP SP1 does support hard drives larger than 137 GBs.

As you mentioned, your system shipped with a 120 GB 5,400 rpm PATA hard drive.

Larger hard drives are supported by the BIOS, according to the Nvidia Nforce 2 chipset specifications, the BIOS has support for ATA133 hard drives.

If you could acquire a Windows XP Sp1 version, this would support a hard drive larger than 137 GBs.

I would also suggest a 7,200 rpm hard drive as opposed to the 5,400 rpm version. The IDE PATA hard drive are becoming a little more difficult to locate now.

Just some thoughts.

[dashdash]

im not sure i understand.............very confused. look below

Hanspuppa

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Re: a230n refurb needs new hard drive[ Edited ]

11-16-2011 12:28 PM - last edited on 11-16-2011 12:34 PM

Hello dashdash, There seems to be a few things to consider in upgrading the hard drive.

Here  is the link for the specifications for your system. Since the system Introduction date was 28-May-2003, you might also consider replacing the CMOS battery while you are inside the case. These only cost less than $5.00 USD.

Since you mentioned you ordered the Recovery Restore disk set, these would put the system back as it was when shipped.

It shipped with Windows XP. Windows XP does not support hard drives larger than 137 GBs. Windows XP SP1 does support hard drives larger than 137 GBs.

As you mentioned, your system shipped with a 120 GB 5,400 rpm PATA hard drive.

Larger hard drives are supported by the BIOS, according to the Nvidia Nforce 2 chipset specifications, the BIOS has support for ATA133 hard drives.

If you could acquire a Windows XP Sp1 version, this would support a hard drive larger than 137 GBs. I have the a230n working using an old 15 GB hard drive. (i have no idea what type or kind). i have a winxp operating disc that i loaded on it and it works great with that but that 15 GB is allmost allready used up. i think my setup discs have the winxp sp 1 on it, so im confused.  cant i buy a larger hdd and update the winxp os all the way to sp3??? i have the sp3 updated now on that 15gb hdd.

I would also suggest a 7,200 rpm hard drive as opposed to the 5,400 rpm version. The IDE PATA hard drive are becoming a little more difficult to locate now.

Just some thoughts

[wb2001]

dashdash,

Hanspuppa was correct in his commentary.

If you do have an XP SP1 disk set,  you can use any PATA/EIDE/ATA hard drive you want. When XP SP1 disk set is installed, you can then upgrade to SP2 then SP3. (There is a subtle difference if you do not go SP2 then SP3, from what I read).

The problem is finding the drive. My search (for you) reflects another problem, and that is availability of ATA133 versus ATA100. There seems to be a conflict. The ATA133's are 5400RPM, and the ATA100's are 7200RPM.

ATA133 and 5400RPM:http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007603%20600003441&IsNodeId=1&name=ID...

ATA100 and 7200RPM:

http://www.compusa.com/applications/category/category_slc.asp?CatId=134&name=ATA-IDE-Hard-Drive&

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007603%20600003442&IsNodeId=1&name=ID...

[dashdash]

soooooo

the difference between having a PATA hdd and these two ATA hdds is pretty much the operating system-----and its updates?

[dashdash]

i notice the MAXTOR hdds are so inexpensive and have a much larger storage amount............

but the way all of these hook up is with a serial connection.....correct?

[wb2001]

Originally 40 pin drives were IDE, then progressed into EIDE, PATA, and ATA naming references.

Just pick out a drive, or search the web. The list I linked is for examples of what is still on the market.

[dashdash]

ok then...............ill try a maxtor

thanks     ill let you know how it turns out

ron

[wb2001 · Accepted solution]

dashdash,

All of these drives use this what is commonly called an Parallel ATA flat ribbon cable.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_ATA

[Hanspuppa]

---

dashdash wrote: i notice the MAXTOR hdds are so inexpensive and have a much larger storage amount............ but the way all of these hook up is with a serial connection.....correct?

---

Hello dashdash, wb2001 links are quite good. These hard drives are not serial hard drives, but IDE (ATA) versions.

I would opt for the ATA100 7,200 rpm over the 5,400 rpm. You would see a better perfoming system with the 7,200 rpm drive over the 5,400 rpm versions.

This is the only type your motherboard supports. The serial (sata) drives are the newer version drives and require a motherboard that supports Sata drives.

Since the IDE (ATA) drives are slowly being replaced by the Sata versions, they are becoming more difficult to locate and as such, more expensive.