How to Install SATA Hard Drives

With Serial ATA technology quickly replaince IDE/ATA as the new standard in hard disks, more and more computer users will need to know how to install SATA hard drives. The process of installing a SATA hard drive is similar to installing an IDE hard drive, except a bit simpler. Follow the directions in this article to learn how to install a new SATA hard drive.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• sata hard drive
• anti-static wrist strap
• screwdriver
• screws
• sata power cable or cable adapter
• sata data cable

1. Detemine whether or not your hard drive supports SATA. SATA technology was not introduced into the market until after 2002, so any consumer PC before that will not support a SATA hard drive. To find out whether or not a SATA hard drive can be installed into your motherboard, you can review the manual that came with your computer, or you can contact your computer's manufacturer. If you have already purchased a SATA hard drive, but have your motherboard does not support SATA technology, you will not be able to use your new hard disk.

2. Power down your computer and remove any peripherals or connections. Ground yourself either by wearing an anti-static wrist strap, or by touching a piece of unpainted metal. Remove your computer's case.

3. Locate your hard drive bay. Your hard drive bay should be located beneath your CD/DVD drive.

4. 
   SATA slots in ASUS motherboard

   Locate the SATA data cables on your motherboard. Review the image to the left to get an idea of how your SATA slots may look (not all motherboards look the same). The small, red connections on the bottom-left of the motherboard are your SATA connections.

5. 
   SATA cables

   Take your SATA data cables (the red, smaller cable pictured left) and plug the one end into the motherboard. Insert the data cable into the lowest numbered slot (i.e. 0, 1).

6. Next, you will want to locate your computer's power cable. Some computers will already have a SATA-compatible power cable available, but others may not. If your computer does not have a SATA-compatible power cable, you will need to buy an adapter. As in the picture above, it will have one white end and one black end. Plug the white end of the adapter into the white end of the power cable in your computer. It should look identical to the one in the picture.

7. Connect the data and power cables to the back of your hard drive. The larger cable goes in the larger slot, whereas the smaller cable goes in the smaller slot. If they do not fit at first, simply turn them around and try again.

8. Slide your hard drive into the drive bay. You will want to make sure that the part of your hard drive with the connections on the back is facing outwards. Then, taking a screwdriver, line up the holes in the bay with the holes in your hard drive and screw the SATA hard disk into place.

9. Power on the computer. If you have installed two SATA drives, unlike with IDE, you should not have to designate them as master or slave (both will be independent drives). If your computer is not reading your new hard drive, power down the computer and check all connections, making sure they are secure.

Resources

• Hard drives: SATA, ATA, PATA, IDE