How to Chop a PC Case to Put in More Hard Disks

You can add a second hard drive to your desktop computer by "chopping" or "kit bashing" the case.

Many computer manufacturers offer the option of adding a second hard drive by including a hard drive "cage" that can accommodate more than one drive. But if the cage design doesn't offer this feature, you can "chop" or "kit bash" the case and borrow parts from other computers to create a stable cage for a second hard drive.

Things You'll Need

• Phillips head screwdriver
• Optional: Connector ("mollie") extension adapters
• Optional: Metal working tools like tin snips, rotary tool
• Optional: Power drill with metal and plastic drill bits
• Optional: Secondary IDE or SATA cables
• Optional: PCI RAID card
• Optional: Stove bolts
• Optional: Old computer hard drive cage

Instructions

1. Unplug all the cables from the back of the computer and open the case. Find the plastic tabs holding the front bezel to the chassis and remove the front bezel.

2. Examine the interior of the computer. Note the length of the electrical lines with their plastic 4-pin connection sockets (sometimes called "mollies") coming from the power supply. If the connector wires are short, you may need to buy a extension adapter so a connector wire can reach a new hard drive location.

3. Determine what kind of cabling connects the hard drive to the motherboard. If the hard drive is the IDE type, a wide, flat ribbon cable will connect the drive to the motherboard. Examine this IDE cable near the top of the hard drive, looking for a plug-in point for a second drive. If your IDE cable can't accommodate a second drive, examine the motherboard, looking for an open secondary IDE socket. This socket will be about 2 inches long and about 1/4th of an inch wide; the end of an IDE cable plugs into this socket. If you don't see a free open secondary IDE port, you may need to install a PCI RAID card to install more than one hard drive. Most computers that use SATA connections will have open SATA ports on the motherboard.

4. Measure the distance from the place where you can connect a secondary drive on the motherboard to the place you think you may want to mount a second hard drive. You will need to locate your new second hard drive within standard cabling distances from your point of connection to the motherboard. If your present IDE cable has a "head" for connecting a second drive, you will have to locate your second drive right next to your current drive so this "head" can reach the new drive. If you can connect to the motherboard with a separate cable, you can locate the second drive almost anywhere inside the case: Most IDE or SATA cables are available from 6 inches to 18 inches in length.

5. Look at the current hard drive cage. If your hard drive is mounted in a vertical rack at the front of the chassis, decide whether you can improvise a mounting to add a second drive outside of this cage. If your hard drive is mounted in a horizontal rack, determine if there is room in the rack, or beneath the rack, to mount a second hard drive.

6. Avoid literally "chopping" out or removing other chassis structures to make room for a second hard drive. Computer cases are built with little "optional" hardware that can be simply removed without creating other structural problems. If you must cut out chassis metal, remove the motherboard and all other components first. Clean the case thoroughly of any metal filings before reinstalling the motherboard.

7. Attach the second drive cage to the chassis in the best location. Use the four side screw holes found on the edges of all hard drives for your mounting purposes. If you can't use the four side screw holes directly, conceptualize using the holes with added brackets or hangers you make from old computer parts or strips of aluminum. Do not drill new screw holes anywhere on the hard drive directly---the vibrations created by drilling holes into the drive will destroy it. If the bottom of the hard drive has exposed electronics, don't place this side of the drive flat against the metal bottom of the chassis; flip the drive over so the electronics are protected from shorting against other metal surfaces.

8. Mount a drive on the inside of the side cover panel of the computer only if there is no other option inside the chassis proper. Placing a hard drive on the inside of the cover panel will make removal of the panel difficult. Make sure a side-mounted drive doesn't interfere with moving components, such as air fans, when the side panel is closed. Drill holes through the side cover panel and bolt this second hard drive cage to the side panel. Mount the hard drive inside this new cage and connect the electrical mollie and IDE or SATA cable to the drive.

References

• "Repairing and Upgrading PCs"; Scott Mueller; 2008
• My Super PC: Hard Drive Upgrades; 2010

Resources

• Thermaltake: xCase Mod Components
• xPCgear: Cabling and Mod Parts