How to Connect External Harddrives

According to Suzanne Cheney's 2008 MSNBC article "Is the Desktop Going the Way of the Dinosaur?," laptops have begun to make a huge impact on the computer market, keeping pace with and sometimes exceeding desktop sales. Along with these laptops, Cheney explains, laptop users often back up files "to devices like external hard drives to take the digital weight off their notebooks." External hard drives allow for extra space and backup storage for many consumers; hooking up these useful drives is relatively easy with contemporary USB technology.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Windows XP or Vista Operating System

1. Plug the USB hard drive into an open USB port on your laptop or desktop.

2. Plug in the external hard drive's power cable, if applicable. If you do not see a power cable, don't worry: Some USB hard drives do not require a separate power connection, since the USB cable can be dual-purposed for both power data transfer and power flow.

3. Turn on the USB hard drive. As with the power cable, if you do not see a power button, do not fret: Several external hard drives automatically start up when they are plugged in.

4. Wait as Windows automatically detects the new hardware. Your PC will typically begin an automated driver install, prepping your PC for external hard drive usage without any additional steps on your end. However, with a select few external hard drives, you will need to insert a special "Driver Disc" CD and follow the onscreen directions to complete the driver installation. When the driver installation is complete, a small notice will appear in the lower right corner of the screen, explaining that the new hardware is "ready to use." Follow the next step to access the drive now that it is connected properly.

5. Click the "Start Menu" and then select "Computer" in Vista or "My Computer" in XP. An icon and the drive name of the external device should appear just below your internal hard drives and alongside your CD or DVD-ROM drive, under the heading "Devices with Removable Storage." Double-click on the external hard drive icon to explore the drive, allowing you to save and manage files on the drive.

References

• MSNBC: "Is the Desktop Going the Way of the Dinosaur?" by Suzanne Cheney.