Is the front slot you've mentioned called an "Express Card" slot ?

For those you can buy 3gb/s eSata or Firewire adapters that actually are fast. You probably can add an eSata pci express adapter which is fast.

Look carefully at any eSata adapter you might buy for speeds and try to find and read reviews for it. Some are usb/eSata adapters, anything usb is pretty slow actually for both.

I ran Belarc to get more info about the computer:'

2.40 gigahertz Intel Core2 Quad Q6600
TSSTcorp DVD+-RW TS-H653B [CD-ROM drive]
ST3500630AS [Hard drive] (500.11 GB) -- drive 0

Controllers (not sure what these are or what it means:
Intel(R) ICH9 2 port Serial ATA Storage Controller 2 - 2926
Intel(R) ICH9 4 port Serial ATA Storage Controller 1 - 2920
Primary IDE Channel [Controller] (2x)
Secondary IDE Channel [Controller] (2x)

NVIDIA GeForce 8300 GS [Display adapter]
DELL 1905FP [Monitor] (19.3"vis, s/n T611658DACMT, August 2005)

I don't see anything called an express card slot - but it sounds familiar. So I don't want esata to usb adapter - I want to stick with esate to esata? Can I only choose firewire or estata port - or is there room for both if I use a back slot as well?

Thanks.
Lynn.

I just noticed I didn't exactly answer Mikie's question. I found some of my original documentation and it says there there is an optional "IEEE 1394 connector." I did not choose to get this connector at the time (I think this is the same as firewire) - and I'd like to add it now. How do I determine just what part (or parts) I need - which might be good brands, and where I can find instructions for installation.

I have the same question about adding a hard drive (although I think I can find a good one) - I don't know how to determine maximum capacity and where to find installation instructions.

I think I have a use for both firewire and esata ports. The front panel only has room for one added port - which I'd like to make the firewire (and think that's what it's for). Can I still add an esata port to the back?

Thanks.
Lynn.

If I were you I might go to my favorite online computer parts store and order myself the biggest hard drive I can afford probably 1.5TB 7200 RPM, I doubt I find a 2TB for a reasonable price, but maybe. And put it inside internally in the computer and while the case is open determine if there is a slot and how to add best a firewire card.

Hi, Mikie. For some reason your last post was never forwarded to me. Glad I checked back here. In the meantime, I called Dell to ask them what upgrades my pc could accomodate. The guy knew nothing. He was clearly just taking a long time to type in keywords and read to me from his computer screen.

So then I thought I'd write to Dell Support. I got a roboform back - with "I apologize for your trouble" - there was no trouble, I was just asking what upgrades my pc supported. And "I understand your situation.", etc. The reply said I could get a 1TB hard drive - but I'm honestly not sure if there was any accuracy to that or they were just suggesting I buy a 1TB drive from them.

They also said I could add firewire port to the back - and that I had technical support paid through until 2012. But it is clearly not worth much. I know that there is an area on the front of my computer where a firewire port (whatever it is that a cable would plug into from my camcorder) where I can add a port. But I don't know what that means. Do I also need a card (and I don't even know what a card it). So I don't know what to order. I see posts on a forum suggesting that some folks have added this to a 530S:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815124034

But I don't know if that would go in my computer - and if I need more than that item. That item is touted for having an internal 9-pin connector. Could somebody tell me what that is - and if it's what I need.

I'm sorry for coming back to this again and again - but I can't get the answers from Dell support. I've tried getting on the forum - but can't get the login to work - despite numerous attempts and a couple of password resets.

Thanks.
Lynn.

Thats why I suggested you buy the biggest hard drive you feel comfortable with the price.

If they offered you a 1TB you can put bigger no problem. You might need to, and would probably want to make a partition or two of smaller size(s), then in windows it would look like you have added two(or more) hard drives.

Only reason people might not want to make smaller partitions is if they deal with large single HUGE files that say would not fit into say a 1TB partition.

I can't see your computer, and dont know what Dell might do.. but to put a firewire port in the front panel you might need a special cover from dell to make it pretty unless it has break-away covers on front..

I would need to open the case ! To verify and phycially see where an extra hard drive might sit on a shelf, and its power connector and hopefully a spare sata connector or two. As well as verify there is a slot to plug that 1394firewire card into and if the faceplate has provisions for it. Unless someone has an identical computer, I dont think you can get much trusted how-to. Open that case,, clean out the dust. Look around. Things are really mostly pretty simple if you're at all mechanical.. even a child can plug lego things together if they fit ! Its not much more difficult than that.

Hi, Mikie. Thanks. I guess I will look for a 1.5TB drive (unless I don't find any with very good reviews - I know I've seen some 1 TB drives that get great reviews for around $100). I know I have one open sata port (I did have my computer open last week to take my Tivo original hard drive and copy it to a new 1TB hard drive - with all the snafus this 1- 1/2 hr. project took 8 hours on Saturday - and on and off all Sunday to complete). There is definitely a bay for a second hard drive. I had 2 sata ports but just added an esata cable so I'm using one of those now. I definitely don't have such huge files (maybe 10-15GB at most for a long high-def movie), so I'll look into partitioning the drive (which is an intimidating idea now, but I'll work up to it).

I'm not sure what you mean by break-away covers. But this computer comes with an empty slot in front where a firewire port can be. I think this is what you mean by does the faceplate have provisions for it. I've looked through Dell forums. I'm copying the link here:

http://en.community.dell.com/forums/t/18748278.aspx?c=us&l=en&cs=04&s=bsd&PageIndex=1

It's amazing that for over a year folks have been trying to add this front firewire port after the face - and most of them cannot get a straight answer from Dell. The variety of responses - including it can't be done, it can only be added to the rear, a suggestion of different needed parts - and then perhaps one answer that seems right - but they got the part number wrong and it took the woman 30 minutes to find the information out. Anyway, I've read through it several times bc. it all seems to unclear. I wish I could have read that several people did the same thing and it worked. But people had different solutions. I think I'll call Dell parts and ask about this one:

Part #J4975 ($32.99):

* IEEE 1394 PCI Card (all internal cables included) for Dell Inspiron 530 Desktop
* One end has FireWire port that will be accessible on front of computer (i.e., via the existing slot)
* The other end is the PCI Card (which connects to the motherboard) and also has three additional FireWire ports accessible on back of computer.
* Internal cables (included with purchase) connect the two ends.
* All four FireWire ports have 6-pin heads.

But even that part number is wrong - it's supposed to be Y4975. It sounds like the right thing to me. Then I can just plug in my Lego parts. Dell support is just so uninformed.

Back to the hard drive, do I need to get cables as well as the drive? I'm sure I need 1 or 2 cables to connect the drive to my computer - and I'm asking in case that answer is more clear.

Thanks.
Lynn.

PS - I'm not mechanical - but I'm determined to learn.

Glad you got your Firewire figured out, or almost, and maybe even a dell part number ;)

OEM hard drives, I've never seen one to come with a cable. Not sata, ata nor power cable/y-adapter. You might need a Y power cable to get power turn one existing power connector into a Y cable with two connectors. But sounds like you had a spare power connector to temperarly hook up your thingamajig ... tivo or whatever.

Retail hard drives, may or may not come with a sata cable. I've never bought one that had any cables at all. Once I did get an OEM hard drive that was fully loaded with windows and OEM programs. Some OEM perhaps loaded too many spares for dell 530's.

So read the whats included specs,,, or the box .

I normally would assume a motherboard has the standard quanity of 4 sata connectors. But with Dell,, I don't know.

Length of cables, so not way too long is a consideration. Too short of course, is frustrating.

Thanks Mikie. The Dell motherboard did have 4 sata connectors. One is connected to the hard drive, one to the DVD drive, one to the esata port I just added and that leaves one free (for the second hard drive). I'm thinking of getting the 1/5 TB Western Digital Green caviar drive -

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?sku=A2525344&cs=04&c=us&l=en&dgc=SS&cid=39888&lid=1022053

Dell has it for $134 which seems like a great price. My second choice was the Western Digital 1 TB black caviar hard drive (which Dell has for about $99). I think I even have a 15% off coupon.

I can probably trust Dell to know this answer, but just to be safe - do I need 2 cables? One to connect to sata power connector - and another to connect to ??? not sure what - but it seems it has to connect to the computer somehow.

Thank you.
Lynn.

SATA cable; One end connects to the motherboard, the other end connects to the hard drive. I would think dell will supply that cable with the hard drive.

Then you need a Power connector to the hard drive.
Usually there are a couple of unused power cables connectors floating loose inside the case but you maybe out now... if no spare you need a Y power adapter cable.. and unplug something near the hard drive and it makes that one cable you unplugged into two short cables on its end.

Thanks again Mikie. A Sata cable did not come with the hard drive - but was just a few dollars. The sales person at Dell didn't even know if the hard drive came with the necessary screws - or whether the screws are already in the second drive bay - so i ordered the screws bc. I was running scans I didn't want to interrupt just to shut down my computer and open it up to look for screws.

The hard drive is on its way. The firewire - what a mess. After lots of research to find what I needed - turns out Dell doesn't sell that part any more. But they have a part that says it's the replacement for the other part (which is a kit - firewire card and cable to connect to front firewire port cut-out). so he insists this new part is an exact replacement - but the description just says firewire card - not cable. And the price is $8 instead of $33. He insists prices change all the time - it's exactly the same. I ask why it only lists the firewire card and not cable. He says the original part number also only listed the card and not the cable. I told him about pages of struggles folks on the Dell Forum had trying to get the right parts from Dell - and suggested shouldn't they have a clear answer for this fairly common upgrade - to add a firewire port after the fact. He said no that's rather uncommon.

Anyway - I'm taking a chance for $8 and ordering the part he insists has everything I need. And if it doesn't, I can get the cable separately. Or there is another online vendor that has that original kit. But Jeez - those Dell folks don't have their act together.

Thank goodness for this forum. It helps me manage it all.
Lynn.

$8 is pretty cheap for a firewire card.
Cross your fingers when you open that package.