Dell can't handle more than 1 TB hard drive ! ?

[mouaadable]

Hi Everyone,
i asked about maximuim internal size can my computer handle in this Topic : https://www.daniweb.com/hardware-and-software/pc-hardware/threads/480225/the-maximuim-internal-size-can-my-computer-handle-

the guys said it's 2tb/4tb .

looks like when testing it in real Life , this pc can't handle more than 1TB
i tested 2 HArd drive , each one 2 Tera Byte (Each One working very well on A dvr) , and i got this message when i try to boot Up :

NOTICE - HD SELF MONITORING SYSTEM has reported that a parameter has exceeded itsnormal operating range. Dell recommends that you backup your data regularly. A parameter out of range may or may not indicate a potential hard drive problem.Press F1 to continue, F2 to enter SETUP

My Boss At work told me 'there isn't enough amperes in your machine to run it (power)' , i start laughing on him , but looks like i'm going to believe this idea , Because when i run the hard dive, i kinda hear Beeping / klicking noises , it's like the hard drive is trying to run and can't get enough power !!! this dosn't happend on other machines , the same hard drives !!!

What do you think ? thank's in advance

[cgeier]

What brand/model of computer? Did you check the manufacturer's website for technical specs?

[mouaadable]

hi , i have an : dell optiplex 760 , with core2quad
i did , but i didn't found anything about the hard drives...

[mike_2000_17]

I see two potential sources for the problem.

First, it's possible that your BIOS does not support a hard-drive of that size. As far as I know, a classic BIOS / MBR setup of that generation of computer (pre-UEFI) has a limit of 2.19TB for the hard-drive from which you want to boot. So, that should be enough to allow you to use your 2TB HDD, but because you are near that limit, it's possible that this is where the problem comes from (maybe your bios is even more restrictive in size). But the good news about this is that this is only a limitation on the HDD from which you boot the OS, so, you can always use a smaller HDD for the OS, and use the bigger HDD for additional storage.

Second, it's possible that your power supply is too weak to accomodate the peak power consumption of your HDD. Hard drives typically don't consume much power compared to other components (CPU, Graphics card, etc.), but their peak power requirements can be quite high (because of the electric motor rev'ing up). A typical 2TB hard-drive will consume between 5-10W most of the time, but during a start-up (or rev-up) it can momentarily consume 50-100W (rule of thumb is, you multiply the idle power by 10). I looked up the specs of the Dell Optiflex 760, and it has a power supply between 250W and 300W (depending on the exact model), which is quite weak (but sufficient in that generation, if the rest of the hardware is not too high-end). Dell is notorious for putting power-supplies units in their computers that have sub-par quality and are barely powerful enough for the gear they pack in the computer (especially, if you selected higher-end components when you bought it). It's possible that your 2TB hard-drive just puts the peak start-up power consumption just over the capacity of your power-supply, and thus, triggering a failure when the HDD sees a voltage drop on the 12V line (which is usually what happens when a power-supply is being exhausted).

[cgeier]

What hard drive brand/model?

Which version of the Optiplex 760 do you have?

Here are the power specs:
OptiPlex 760 Desktop Tech Specs

Mini-Tower

305W Standard Power Supply; 255W 88% Efficient Power Supply, ENERGY STAR 5.0 compliant, Active PFC

Desktop

255W Standard Power Supply; 255W 88% Efficient Power Supply, ENERGY STAR 5.0 compliant, Active PFC

Small Form Factor

235W Standard Power Supply; 255W 88% Efficient Power Supply, ENERGY STAR 5.0 compliant, Active PFC

Ultra Small Form Factor

220W External PSU, ENERGY STAR 5.0 compliant.

The following article may be of interest:
Dell Optiplex 760 Upgrade Project

[cgeier]

Is power connected to the hard drive? If so, you may consider using a power supply tester to ensure your power supply is functioning properly.

Here is a page stating that they are selling a 2 tb hdd pulled from a working Dell 760. Therefore, it must be possible to use a 2 tb drive in that model.

This is a genuine OEM Dell Optiplex 760 7200RPM hard drive. This hard drive was pulled from a working Dell Optiplex 760 computer and is guaranteed to work with all Dell Optiplex 760 computers.

Optiplex 760 and 3TB Hard Disk Windows 7

Beyond 2TB
Using a hard drive larger than 2.1TB on Windows-based computer systems may require special setup considerations

Beyond 2TB Video

[mouaadable]

Thank you so much Guys [mike_2000_17 & cgeier] for answering my question , that was very very helpful
i really appreciate that !
well i tested all possibilities , i insert the hdd as a second hard drive , i inserted it As 1 drive ...nothing work unfortunately
But i think what you mike said in the second part of your comment is the main problem
it's the power supply weekness , Because i tested it on an network video recorder with :
--- 12V 1Ampaire : the nvr start booting and shutting down , and hard drive start clicking ( like what happend on pc )

--- 12V 2Ampaire : the nvr and the hdd worked perfectly and i formatted the hard drive smoothly no problems no clicking sound !!

cgeier, i have the desktop, which came with : 255W Standard Power Supply
And One Hard Drive slot , one dvdrom slot , no more sata cables in the motherboards , no more power cables
which means if i wanted to add a 2nd hard drive i need to remove the dvdRom

[mouaadable]

i forgot to mention , i tested it on hp machine

[cgeier]

Are you using all of the standard OEM components? Or did you upgrade other things such as the video card? Video cards can use lots of power. If you upgraded the video card, there may not be any excess power left.

[mouaadable]

i didn't undestand the question actually , and i didnot upgrade anything at all,
i have an integrated graphic card

[mike_2000_17]

It seems that your power supply is just a bit too small. You should be able to find a 300W or 350W power supply to replace the one in that computer. Such low-power power supplies are very cheap. You shoud be able to get one under 50$. If you haven't upgraded anything else, then you probably don't need much more than 300W.

Also, if you change your power-supply, you could remove your existing power supply, open it up, and see if anything is burnt. Often, power-supplies have several parallel circuits to provide power, and if one of them breaks (burnt, overloaded, etc..), then the power-supply still works, but it can no longer provide as much power.

[mouaadable]

yes true thank you
but anyway i'll just keep the 1tb until i buy a new computer with high performance and the ability to add more drives,big graphic cards.. not like this one .

[cgeier]

As an alternative, laptop hard drives typically have lower power needs than desktop hard drives. You could probably get a laptop hdd and a 2.5" to 3.5" mounting adapter and put that in your current computer. Just be sure to compare the power requirement between brands before purchasing.

[mouaadable]

okay thank you cgeir

[RobertHDD]

your internal HDD is failing and about to die this may be because its faulty sometimes this happens with manufacturers