How to Add External Hard Drive to a PC

Adding an external hard drive to your PC is an easy way to increase your computer storage. You can use your external drive to back up files or transfer files from computer to computer.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computer with USB, Firewire, or SATA interface

1. 
   Firewire interface

   External hard drives connect to your computer via an USB, firewire or SATA cable. Check your computer to see which interface your computer supports. In general, firewire is the fastest, so if your top priority is transfer speeds you may choose to go with firewire. On the other hand, if you intend on using the drive with multiple computers you may prefer to get a USB 2.0 external hard drive since most computers have a USB interface port.

2. 
   Pricewatch.com is a good site for finding cheap computer parts

   Determine your storage needs. Computer storage is pretty cheap these days so it's a good idea to get the most storage you can. 100GB may seem like a lot, but if you download music and movies it can add up quickly. Compare prices and find a compatible drive with sufficient space for your needs. I like to use comparison shopping sites like pricewatch.com for computer parts.

3. 
   Attach drive using firewire, USB or SATA cable

   Once you have found the right drive for your computer, it's time to attach it. External drives are very easy to add since they do not require you to open up your computer. Simply connect it to a power source and use the cable it came with to attach it to your USB, firewire, or SATA interface.

4. 
   Your pc will recognize the drive when you plug it in

   After attaching your drive, your computer should recognize it immediately and assign it a letter and name, such as "Removable Drive F:". At this point your drive is ready to use and you can click on it as you would any other drive to access its contents.

Tips & Warnings

• Did you know that you can attach an external hard drive to your gaming system?