Adding a Second Hard Drive

If your desktop computer needs extra storage, a second hard drive may be required. You can use your extra hard drive for documents, programs or extra devices. Setting up an extra hard drive will allow you to use your existing hard drive for your operating system only. This will help your computer run smoother and faster.

Things You'll Need

• Tweezers
• Phillips screwdriver

Instructions

1. Inspect the back of your second hard drive. There is a group of pins lined up. One or two small plastic caps are positioned in this group. This is your drive selection. On the top of your hard drive you should have a diagram. The diagram explains the master and slave settings. Your second hard drive will be positioned to the slave setting. Follow the diagram. Use tweezers to remove the plastic caps or commonly referred to as jumpers. Position the jumpers as the diagram shows for slave drive.

2. Remove the side panel of your tower. You will see three screws holding the panel into place. Take off the panel and locate your main or master hard drive.

3. Screw the second hard drive into the tower. The top two screws are enough to keep it into place. Find an empty section in your tower and secure the drive in place.

4. Look at the master hard drive. There are two cords coming out of the back. The thin, long cord is the IDE cable. In the middle, you will see a connector. This will need to be plugged into the second hard drive. On the back of the slave drive, there is a long and a short pin connector. The IDE cable will need to be plugged into the long pin connector of the second hard drive.

5. Find the power supply. The power supply is a box with a fan that has different wires coming out of the back. This is the computer's power. Follow the wires to the end and located a connector that is free. Plug that into the free pin in the back of the slave drive. The connector can only go into the drive one way.

6. Turn on the computer. When the PC boots up, click on “My Computer.“ You should now see a second drive in your list of devices. If you do not have another device, if the computer beeps when it boots or when you boot it will not load because of no operating system, the IDE cord is in backwards. Turn off your computer, turn the middle IDE cable around and reboot your computer.

7. Screw the panel of your tower back into place. You can do this with the computer turned on. Be careful when moving the PC around so that you do not jar a cable.

Tips & Warnings

• Never install a new device with your computer on. You can receive an electrical shock or damage a component.