How to Connect Another Hard Drive in Your Computer

Personal computer systems are capable of performing many tasks, from handling complex mathematical calculations in spreadsheet programs to creating simple memos and complex legal agreements in word processing software. Even though the computer system can handle all these tasks, running out of storage space on your hard drive can become a problem. Connecting another hard drive in your computer will help keep your computer useful for as long as possible.

Things You'll Need

• Available disk drive bay
• Internal hard disk drive
• Phillips screwdriver
• Flathead screwdriver
• Disk drive power cable (SATA drives supply a converter)
• Disk drive data cable
• Mounting screws

Instructions

1. Open the computer case. Find the currently installed computer hard disk drive and trace the data cable connected to it. This cable will connect to a cable header, or plug, on the computer motherboard. If there is an unoccupied cable header on the motherboard that looks similar to the one the current hard drive is plugged into, plug the new disk drive data cable into it.

   If the hard drive is an IDE drive, this cable will have a blue plug, a white plug and a black plug. Insert the blue plug into the motherboard cable header.

   If the hard drive is an SATA drive, the data plug is keyed so you can plug it in only one way.

2. With the data and power interfaces facing backward (toward the motherboard), mount the new hard disk drive into one of the open disk drive bays. Align the predrilled holes on the disk drive bay with the screw holes on the hard disk. Insert screws and tighten gently using a Phillips-head screwdriver.

3. Connect disk drive data cable from motherboard to the hard disk drive. (If the hard disk is an IDE drive, this should be the black connector plug on the data cable.) This cable must be firmly seated in the connector for the drive to work properly. Plug in an unused power cable from the power supply into the new hard disk drive.

   If the new disk drive is an SATA drive, and the power supply does not have an unused SATA power cable, use the power cable converter supplied with the new drive to convert a regular power-supply cable to an SATA power-supply cable.

4. Close the computer case and turn on the computer. When the operating system boots up, the computer will recognize the new hard disk automatically.

References

• Mike's Hardware: How To: Connecting IDE Drives
• Western Digital Serial ATA Hard Drive Installation Guide