VA1 Installing additional Hard Drive and memory

[saheir]

Hi i wanted to upgrade my memory and hard drive in my va1 desktop
i installed 2gb memory fine but i cant install a hard drive. i opened up the back cover where there is a space for a second hard drive and sata drive power cable. But i cant find a connection or cable for the data. i dont know if i can have another drive plugged in as i looked on the motherboard and could not see ant ide or sata connector apart from one with the existing one.
can someone please help. thanks

[TD4]

Hi

I have a VA1 which I upgraded both the memory and added an additional HD some time ago. The memory was easy (and documented in the manuals) but as you said for the HD there are no additional SATA Cables. LISTEN SONY PLEASE PUT THESE IN YOUR COMPUTERS. I had the same with their XL100. What does it cost?

There is an additional SATA port and spare SATA power(from the PSU) on the motherboard but to get to it means DISMANTLING THE BACK AND SIDE OF THE COMPUTER. If I remember correctly you have to take an additional part of the computer casing covering off.

There are quite a few screws (probably a dozen or so) around the perimeter of the computer facia which have to be unscrewed. Just make a note of which ones you've unscrewed (especially the sizes as there are two different types if memory serves me correctly).

Please note that none of the above is documented but if you keep unscrewing up to the ports (ie TV;S video;LAN and blanking plate etc) you'll eventually figure it out. Please ask Sony's advice if you're still in Warranty
Be patient and just take your time, you'll eventually expose the whole motherboard. THE SATA port and spare sata power connection will be revealed.

Hints
1)Make sure that the SATA & power cable you put in is SLIGHTLY LONGER than the original one that's in there. (I put in a short one and it could not reach the additional HD )

2) I'd suggest that the additional HD be larger in capacity than the 300gb that's in the VA1
eg 500gb (they are fairly cheap now). Also there is no RAID function available on this computer so having two HDs of the same capacity is not important.

3) There is a spare PCI slot which can be used for eg an additional TV card etc.

I hope this helps. It's worth it but just be patient with the screws and also be careful as there are some sharp bits inside this computer. Good luck and let us know how you got on.

TD4

[saheir]

Thanks Mate! TD4
I stripped the back but i guess not far enough. I knew there was a spare pci slot, so i ordered a pci card with internal sata, pata and also firewire, external sata etc ports. so that i can use that

I also as u said bought a 500Gb disk that cost me 67 quid. Not bad ae
So this weekend i will be stripping it open and getting it upgraded.
Thanks again for telling me about that extra sata port on the motherboard. Cheers

[TD4]

Good Luck

TD4