PC says Primary IDE Hard Drive not working under normal specifications

[murray1]

....and that i need to replace my hard disk drive. This was when i rebooted my computer. Im now working on quick mode.

I then called my PC Supplier and they told me run a test to see if my hard drive was working and it failed. So i have to get a new hard drive.

Can anybody help me out here? I need to buy a new hard drive but got no idea on what to do. Im pretty much a rookie at this. Im looking for a 120GB hard drive. Are all hard drives the same? Ive had a brief look at hard drives and i got confused as hell. Each 120GB IDE hard drive disk had a different description. They were all different type of IDE disks. Also whats a connecter? Do i have to get that as well?

Like this is a 120GB IDE disk :
http://accessories.euro.dell.com/sn...=&mnf=&prst=&prEnd=&InStock=&refurbished=&fe=

This is a 80GB IDE disk: http://accessories.euro.dell.com/sn...y_id=5725&first=true&page=productlisting.aspx

Both seem quite different. Even both of them look different. Im confused.
Also will any 120GB hard drive work on my PC or would i need to find one that works for my system especially (Dell Dimension 4550).

Anyone be help me here that would be great coz im lost like nothing.

 

[daveyboy37]

Dell are having a laugh with those prices. If your current hard drive is/was connected with a wide(roughly 2") ribbon then its an ide drive. You can replace it with any other ide drive. Make sure when you get the new drive make sure that you set the jumper to master and attach the same connector that was attached to your old drive. You will then have to reinstall windows.

 

[kyleman999]

Yes, when looking for a new hard drive , in your case you most definatly have an IDE drive ( as daveyboy37 said, a grey wide cable ). When you purchase one, make sure its 7200RPM.If you purchase a drive 120gb + it should have an 8 mb cache. Othewise all you have to look for in RPM, IDE, and however big you'd like it to be.

Also when you purchase it before plugging it into your computer, make sure its set to be a Master by checking the jumped on the side of it.