How to Remove Hard Drives From One Computer & Install in Another

Hard drives hold all of your files.

Hard drives contain all of the data and programs you save on your computer. Over time, hard drives have increased in size significantly. Backing up your data is important to save time in case of hard drive failure. Because so much data can be on a drive, it might make more sense to simply remove the hard drive from one computer and put it in another computer for copying.

Things You'll Need

• Hard drive cable

Instructions

1. Shut down the computer that has the hard drive that you want to transfer to another computer. Remove both sides of the computer case by unscrewing the Phillips screws from the back of the computer. Pull the data and power cable from the back of the hard drive. Hold the cables close to the drive and pull them straight out. Unscrew the small Phillips screws from hard drive on each side of the computer case.

2. Open the second computer by removing the case in the same way as you removed the case on the computer you removed the drive from. Find an open bay in the front of the computer and screw the hard drive in place using the small screws you initially removed from the drive. You can only connect the second drive to this computer if it has the same type of connection. Hard drives either have IDE or SATA connections. Some computers have connections for both types and the amount of connections for either SATA or IDE type varies in different motherboards. Plug a power cable and the correct data type cable from the motherboard to the hard drive.

3. Close the computer that now has both hard drives and restart it. Windows should find the other hard drive and assign it a letter. You will be able to access the other hard drive but not run it’s operating system, if there is one installed on it. If you are only using this one drive in the new computer--you will probably have to reinstall an operating system.

References

• Henry Amon; Information Systems Specialist; Salisbury, Maryland