DV9000T - Can a 2nd drive be added to single drive machine?

I recently read a post where someone stated that they had asked an HP telephone sales representative about adding a second internal drive to a dv9000t notebook which had been delivered with only a single drive. They were told you couldn't do it unless the notebook was originally delivered with 2 drives installed. Is this true? I thought I just had to buy the bracket off ebay?

My notebook only came with one drive, but I always planned on adding another.

 

No its not. you can add another drive as long as you buy the right bracket to install it. whoever that HP rep he/she is/was an idiot.

 

thanks SideSwipe ... that's what I thought, but I never opened my notebook to see if there was physically enough room inside for 2 drives if it came with only one. They should have given everyone 2 drives from the get-go.

 

there are models of the dv9000 that come with 2 drives, just depends on the model you got. mine came with two 120GB drives. the place for the 2nd drive is under the front right side, thats the side with the DVD drive. all u have to do is take out two screws for the cover and the compartment is there.

 

cool! I can use that compartment for loose change until I can afford another drive. Still making payments on this baby.

 

I would think loose change is the LAST thing you'd want rolling around in the laptop

 

I've recently purchased a DV9310 and have the bracket kit to add a second drive. How to I set the pins on the drive? M, S or Cable select? Since the boot process allows you to choose which one to boot from I'm not sure which pin combination to use?

 

Link to dv9 support and manual:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/manualCategory?lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=3369389&lang=en&

 

Cable Select (CS)

 

Well, that was interesting. I had a spare 40gb drive that I was planning to use. Upon closer inspection I see my primary drive has a different form factor for the connection to the MLB. The old style pin setup on my old drive is not the same. What do they call this new form factor for Laptop drives? Since I'm obviously going to have to buy a drive now is there any problem mixing a 5400 primary with a 7200 secondary? TIA.

 

Your new notebook uses a SATA hard drive, and your old hard drive is PATA-based.

 

My mom has a two year old HP dv8000 series and it came with two hard drives (not partitioned) inside, so I assume the dv9000 can too.

 

Page 9 of this link shows the two hard drive bays on the bottom of the hp dv9000 series notebook.
http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c01278450.pdf