How to install an internal hard drive

A hard disk/drive

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For a long time, buying electronic components and upgrading computers has been left to geeks. But that should no longer be the case. The geeks are spending thousands of man hours to make computers and devices that are easier to assemble and software that’s easy to install; just for you. So why hire even a semi-geek to do nothing and charge you exorbitantly to do a task that you can do it by yourself? And with all the cheap memory around, why get stuck with one hard disk?

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

A computer that needs an hard drive
A replacement hard drive (check how to buy a hard disk to know which hard disk you need)

Step1

Install any software that came with your hard disk if it is needed to set up the installed hard disk.

Step2

Turn off the computer and disconnect all peripheral devices leaving just the mouse and the keyboard.

Step3

Disconnect the power cable and wait for at least ten seconds for the capacitors in the computer to discharge before opening the case.

Step4

Touch the metallic case or use any other means to ground yourself. Static electricity and magnetic drives are not great friends.

Step5

An IDE cable If the hard disk is an IDE drive, make the appropriate jumper settings. If you are going to be using it as a second hard disk set it as a slave. Then connect it to the IDE bus. Find a power supply that is not being used then plug it in.

Step6

A Serial ATA cable If it is a SATA drive, find a serial connection on the motherboard that is not being used. To locate one follow the SATA cable from the existing drive to the motherboard and you should find one next to it.

Step7

On the boot setup, change the settings so that it automatically detects added components (if it’s an option). Otherwise boot up and see. Note that some computers do not recognize unformatted hard disks.

Step8

If the drive is recognized, you can format and/or partition and use as desired.

Tips & Warnings

Determine if you need a SATA or IDE drive before you buy one.
You can convert an IDE drive to a SATA and vice versa by using the necessary adapters/converters.
Back up all your data, programs and drivers before attempting to install a hard disk. You may lose your data in the process.