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January 4th, 2025 19:33
XPS 8960, need additional HDD/SSD (SATA) power connector
Recently purchased xps 8960. Intended to add 3 SATA drives (2 SSD, 1 HDD from my previous computer). I want to double stack the two SSD drives in one drive bay via an bay adapter (shown in pic 1) and install the HDD in the 2nd bay.
Pic 1: 
I have the HDD installed AOK. I have 1 SSD installed AOK (Pic 1). However, although there is an available power connector, I appear to be short 1 data connector (Pic 2). It appears that I just need to acquire an additional data connector and install it in the empty port in the data connector array (Pic 2).
Pic 2: 
Am I reading this correctly?
I've thoroughly searched the chassis innards, but find no 3rd data connector. I traced the existing data connectors from the drives to the connector array on the mother board, where I see the 1 empty connector, so I assume that is the issue.
Anyone have any experience with this issue?
RoHe
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January 5th, 2025 00:40
You can buy a standard SATA data cable. You might want one with a 90º connector on one or both ends to plug into motherboard and/or the SATA drive.
BTW: Are there are enough SATA power connections for all those drives or are you going to need a Y-SATA power splitter cable in addition to the data cable?
You could image one of these drives (one that doesn't have Windows on it) and copy the image onto an M2. NVME SSD, since the XPS 8960 has two NVME slots, one with the boot SSD in it. An NVME SSD will be faster than a SATA SSD...
redxps630
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14.8K Posts
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January 5th, 2025 00:21
Re: Am I reading this correctly?
you are correct.
Dell did not config it to support 3 sata drives although it can be done
so standard max is 2 sata devices althou there are 3 sata ports.
MMcKinnon
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January 5th, 2025 18:09
Thanks!
SATA data cable on order.
I’ve already added a second M2 SSD.
There is a power connector available for the addition drive (just no data cable).
Once the data cable arrives, I’ll be loaded for bear!
MMcKinnon
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January 5th, 2025 18:11
@MMcKinnon
Oh, and in the original message I mistakenly wrote that I was short a data connector, when I meant “data cable0).
All good now.
Thanks for the replies.
RoHe
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45.2K Posts
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January 5th, 2025 20:59
You're welcome.
Keep in mind that if any of those extra drives has Windows installed on it, that could confuse Windows Boot Manager, which should be first on the boot sequence list in BIOS setup.
So make sure Windows is booting from the M.2 NVME SSD, and not from any of those other drives.
MMcKinnon
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January 5th, 2025 21:10
Yep. purely data drives.