Add 2nd HD to Dell Optiplex 760 SFF

[dan_tucker]

How do I add a second Sata HD to a Dell Optiplex 760 SFF

 

[Kisianik]

How do I add a second Sata HD to a Dell Optiplex 760 SFF

There are only 2 SATA ports on motherboard, and there is no space, so the only possible answer is to place second HDD in place for DVDRW, optical drive, or use external drive.

Anything else I can help you with?

 

[dan_tucker]

How do I add a second Sata HD to a Dell Optiplex 760 SFF

There are only 2 SATA ports on motherboard, and there is no space, so the only possible answer is to place second HDD in place for DVDRW, optical drive, or use external drive.

Anything else I can help you with?

As I understand your answer, I have to remove the DVDRW and use its SATA connection for the second HDD. My next question is, "How do I get power to the second HDD?" The power connector for the DVDRW doesn't fit the HDD. Is there some kind of power adapter/splitter I need for this arrangement to work? What I really want to do is install the second HDD and make a clone of the original HDD before I turn the computer over to my wife. I'm going to restore the computer to its original configuration and hope for the best. This way, if anything goes wrong with the system, all I have to do is switch HDDs.

 

[Kisianik]

How do I add a second Sata HD to a Dell Optiplex 760 SFF

There are only 2 SATA ports on motherboard, and there is no space, so the only possible answer is to place second HDD in place for DVDRW, optical drive, or use external drive.

Anything else I can help you with?

As I understand your answer, I have to remove the DVDRW and use its SATA connection for the second HDD. My next question is, "How do I get power to the second HDD?" The power connector for the DVDRW doesn't fit the HDD. Is there some kind of power adapter/splitter I need for this arrangement to work? What I really want to do is install the second HDD and make a clone of the original HDD before I turn the computer over to my wife. I'm going to restore the computer to its original configuration and hope for the best. This way, if anything goes wrong with the system, all I have to do is switch HDDs.

What HDD you have, SATA or IDE (old interface with very long connector), I believe that Optiplex 760 is completely SATA, so clarify this please.
Also, in any way, you don't have to remove optical drive, just disconnect cables and connect to additional HDD for clone purposes only, then disconnect.

 

[Kisianik]

I did not hear anything from you, have the problem resolved?

If yes can you close this thread please?

 

[dan_tucker]

I did not hear anything from you, have the problem resolved?

If yes can you close this thread please?

No, I'm still searching for a way to get power to the second SATA hard disk drive. The only reason I removed the DVD Optical Drive was to easily remove its SATA connector and power connector; the SFF case is very tight, and it's very simple to remove the DVD drive. As I stated earlier, the power connector for the DVD drive [TSSTcorp DVD+-RW TS-L633C ATA Device] is different from the connector to the current/second SATA HDD. There must be some way to split the single power supply cable for the current DATA HDD or some kind of adapter for the DVD power supply cable that will allow installation of a second SATA HDD.

Any suggestions?

 

[Kisianik]

That is not common question, so I need to find out what is special

This is the back view with connectors for your optical drive

So, would you please check your power supply exact model name and post it here, so I can look for detailed picture of connectors.
And what exactly is the problem, did Dell combined SATA and power connector into one connector?

What is original SATA drive you have, model, if you can please.

 

[Kisianik]

Oh, forgot, and the model of you second hard drive as well.

 

[dan_tucker]

Oh, forgot, and the model of you second hard drive as well.

The PSU is a Dell Model # L235P-01; Dell P/N R224M.

The HDD to be added and used as a clone is a Seagate Barracuda ST3120026AS.

As near as I can determine, the power connector for the DVD drive is a 7-pin connector; it has only two wires connecting it to the power supply unit, and it is narrower than the SATA data cable. I think it may be called a micro-connector. Conversely, the power connector for the SATA HDD is a 15-pin connector; it has six wires connecting it to the PSU, and it is much wider than the SATA data cable. The SATA data cables for the HDD and DVD drive are interchangeable.

After much research, I’ve ordered a SATA power Y-splitter cable; it has a SATA male power connector that connects to the single computer power supply SATA connector and breaks out into two SATA female power connectors. This is advertised to provide an economical way to increase the number of SATA drives that can be installed in a system with limited PSU power connections.

I’ll let you know if this solution works.

 

[dan_tucker]

My SATA y-splitter arrived over the weekend and I connected it to the power supply cable coming out of the PSU. Then I connected one end to the original HDD and the second one to the drive I wanted to to use for a clone. I removed the SATA data cable from the DVD drive and used it to connect the second HDD to the motherboard. Then, I used Seagate's cloning software to make an exact copy of the original HDD. The entire cloning process took less than 30 minutes. Next, I connected the cloned HDD to SATA 0 position and booted the computer. Everything worked perfectly. Now I have two identical HDD for my computer, one for my wife to use everyday, and another for the inevitable rainy day when something goes wrong with the installed HDD.

 

[MST3KPIMP]

I dont think you have to give up your dvd drive. I just ordered a used 760 sff on ebay and my research shows there is an external sata "esata" input port on the back. Now you'll still need the power splitter to power your external drive but you can plug it's sata data cable into the esata port, the only catch is that you need a sata to esata converter connecter as esata has a unique shape even though it functions the same.