Is 145 Watts enough for 2 HDD's?

[Jess_w_c]

Hi, yet again!

I have been posting about questions to inform myself about Hard Disk Drives, becuase I am about to put a NEW 120GB Hard Disk Drive into my PC, a Compaq Celeron Desktop. I already know:

1) My power supply has an output of 145 Watts

2) I do have an extra ATA slot, and extra power supply cable available

3) According to a power calculator, I need 251 Watts maximum output to run both Hard Drives

Should I just risk it and connect both?

Or, just backup the first one into CD's with my Nero Burning software. And then, just re-install everything again? (Sounds like the safest bet to me.....)

Thanks for your help
Jess_w_c

[glc]

Ouch. I'd be very wary of trying to run 2 hard drives off a 145 watt power supply, that's barely enough to power what it came with.

[Jess_w_c]

Thanks, i thought so, I should better just re-install everything on the new Hard Drive, then..... I see.....

Any other ideas?

[edfair]

Pull both to anlther machine where you can ghost the old to the new.

or

Put everything into another box with enough power.

Suggestion 1 may be a temporary solution since you have a ticking time bomb anyway.

[fedz]

Manufacturers put in power supplies with just enough energy for the computer and nothing else. It would be unwise to put in anything else, let alone a 120GB hdd.
fedz