Installing Two Hard Drives on a SATA System

SATA allows faster data transfer speeds and connects multiple drives without a master/slave relationship.

SATA is a method of connecting hard drives to a computer's motherboard. Unlike IDE (sometimes called Ultra ATA), SATA does not use a master/slave relationship for multiple drives. Instead, the computer goes by the boot order setup in the BIOS to determine which drive to boot from if multiple drives have an operating system installed. In cases where only one drive is bootable, the computer automatically uses other SATA drives as storage drives.

Things You'll Need

• 2 Hard Drives
• Desktop Computer
• SATA cables
• 2 SATA to Molex power converter

Instructions

1. Turn off the computer and unplug it to prevent electric shock.

2. Unscrew the computer's side panels and remove them from the computer. The screws are located on the back of the computer along the edges.

3. Insert the hard drives into the computer case. The specific location of the hard drives differs depending on the case, but most cases have the hard drive slots in the front bottom of the computer case. Insert the drives into the slots with the connectors facing the back (towards the motherboard) and the label facing up. Secure the drives by screwing them to the case on both sides of the computer case.

4. 

   The bright red connectors on this motherboard are the SATA connectors.

   Connect the SATA cables from the hard drives to the SATA ports on the motherboard. The cable can only be attached one way.

5. 

   SATA to Molex adapter

   Connect the power cables from the power supply. If your power supply has SATA power, you should use those cables. If not, you can either connect the molex power connector or connect an SATA to molex adapter, depending on what the hard drive supports. SATA power connectors are flat, black and about 1 inch wide. Molex connectors are white and rectangularly shaped. If you are using an adapter, connect the SATA part of the connector to the hard drive, then connect one of the molex power cables to the molex end of the adapter.

6. Replace the side panels and secure them with screws.

Tips & Warnings

• Touch a piece of metal to prevent damage from static shock.

References

• PCMag.com: Hard Drive Update
• EaseUS.com: Install SATA Hard Drive