How to Connect Three Hard Drives
The computer's hard drive is the main storage device for the system. Your games, documents, videos, music and other files all take up space on your system's hard drive. Eventually you might run out of room. You can add storage space by installing two additional hard drives to your computer.
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Things You'll Need
- Phillips head screwdriver
- Two hard drives compatible with your system
- Connection cables for the hard drives
- Grounding strap
Instructions
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Power off your computer and unplug the power cord. With a screwdriver, remove the main opening of the computer case. If you have a laptop, you won't be able to add additional internal hard drives. You will have to purchase an external drive.
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Locate the hard drive currently in your system. If the computer is recent, your hard drive will probably be SATA. Older systems are IDE. SATA drives will have a single cable running from them to the motherboard. Look at the connection to the motherboard and you should see two free connections next to the cable running to your hard drive. If your system is older and uses IDE, you should see your hard drive with its cable having one free connector for a second drive.
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Purchase two hard drives of the same type as yours (SATA or IDE) and any connection cables you will need---two SATA cables if they don't come with the drives or one IDE cable that will allow for three hard drives instead of two.
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Connect the cable to your first SATA drive and then plug it into your motherboard. Connect the power cable to your drive---it will have a four-prong flat connection. Look at your main hard drive's power cable as an example. Connect the second hard drive to your motherboard and plug in the power cable. If connecting IDE drives, disconnect the cable on your main hard drive and replace it with your new cable. Then connect it to your motherboard. Plug the uppermost connector in your main hard drive. Change the Master/Slave jumper on each drive to Slave. Connect the two drives to each of the remaining connectors. Write down any information that is printed on the front of the IDE drives. You will need to enter this into BIOS once you turn your computer back on. Connect the hard drive power cables last.
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Screw the new hard drives into any open bay using the screws and rails provided. Make sure the connection cables are pushed in tightly. If you are short on bays and a floppy drive is present, you may want to remove the floppy if you are not using it.
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Close and secure the case with any screws that were removed. Reconnect the power cable and power on the system. If you hear any beeps, shut off the system, reopen the case and check your hard drive cable and power connections. Your computer will take a few minutes to recognize the new drives. On older IDE systems, you will have to enter BIOS and specify the new drive's cylinders, size and sectors.
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Click on My Computer on your Desktop to check the new drives. You will see the two new drives and their assigned letters (F:, G: or H:, I:). If the drives are not showing, shut down the system, turn it back on and enter your computer's Setup mode to check your system's settings. You may have to change the setting so that the system automatically recognizes any hard drive connected.
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Tips & Warnings
Purchase preformatted hard drives (most new drives are---but check to be sure). Beware of static electricity: Buy a grounding strap and wear it as you open your computer's case. If wanting to connect additional drives to a laptop, purchase external hard drives and connect them via the USB ports.
