Issues using SATA drive with this machine.

@Randy P 

Err, what is the XPS model, not that it really matters?

How is the 6TB connected? I ask because the normal way would be to connect it to the bus directly with power from the PSU.

I ask because you ask if you can use an SSD and imply it would go into a 2.5" caddy... and I assume you would have put the 6TB in a caddy and connected the proper cables. If it is an EXTERNAL drive, it might be via a USB port that turns off to save power, but you did say it was INTERNAL, so this probably is not the case?

Only other thing I can think of is the POWER SETTING that allows the drive to TURN OFF? This would be under the Power Options Advanced Setting... I have it set to 20 minutes and I don't 'see' any problems or hear any drive Spin Up though.

That would be the ONLY setting I can think of though? Should check your setting?

Brand new XPS 8960. The 6TB is in a Caddy connected to the bus via SATA Cable and Power from the power supply. I like the Hard Disk setting I will try that. I was just thinking maybe the XPS can not handle the 6TB SATA Drive. I have never had this issue before with my XPS machines I have had many over the years 8700, 8920, 8940 all had 2 SATA drives and a SSD primary drive. I just changed the Turn off Hard Drive setting to Never. I was thinking about using a 2.5 caddy and replacing the 6TB drive mechanical drive with a large SSD connected to the system bus.

@Randy P​,

6TB should work. Ask, Dell, the answer would be it isn't in the Spec''s, but ONLY because they probably have never tested it. I've seen people post larger drives than that working in all versions of the XPS. 4TB is the largest Dell 'officially' supports I recall.

If you are not putting LARGE data programs onto the hard drive (not an SSD) I don't think there were be much to gain going to an SSD? Most programs don't so continual access to the disk, just have the program load off of it and then once in RAM as done with the drive, unlike the OS that could continually accessing the C: which is an SSD.

I had MS Flight Simulator on an External 4TB drive, and it took some time to load. An external drive is probably today one of the slowest access drives via a USB port. Program is huge and loads the scenery first. Thought it was taking too long, moved it to the SSD... sure loads faster, but game play, not noticeable unless new scenery needs to be loaded. I am using the SSD now for OS and forced installed to the C:, and have a Internal 1TB hard drive for data and programs that can be installed on it. Including an Office Suite... all fast enough for me. External drive is only used for a weekly back up program and some odd data storage. Was considering an SSD but I don't think there is a need for it.

Not that you might not improve performance with the SSD, just in my case, I didn't see the need for it.