How Can I Convert an External Hard Drive to an Internal One?

An external hard drive is simply an internal hard drive that is connected to a power and interface adapter and installed into a portable case. Because of this, any internal hard drive can be converted to an external hard drive, and any external hard drive can be converted to an internal hard drive.

Things You'll Need

• Phillips screwdriver
• Electrostatic grounding strap
• Hard drive rails

Instructions

1. Move your external hard drive to a well-lit flat surface in a room without carpeting. This reduces the chance of accidentally building up a static charge that could damage the electronics of the hard drive.

2. Remove the cover for your external hard drive. Case cover removal steps vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Consult the instructions that came with your external drive, or visit the manufacturer's website for specific instructions on opening your case.

3. Disconnect the power and interface adapter from the hard drive.

4. Shut down your computer, and disconnect all cords and cables from the tower.

5. Move your computer tower to the same location as your external hard drive.

6. Remove the side access panel on your tower. The three standard types of tower cases each have a slightly different method for side-access panel removal. The first type is the screw type, which has one or two screws in the back of the tower. The second type is a thumbscrew type, with the thumbscrew located in the back of the tower. The third type is the screwless type, which requires that you depress the push-arms or release switches located on the side of the tower to remove the access panel.

7. Attach the two hard drive rails to your hard drive, and insert it into an open hard drive dock in your tower.

8. Connect the power supply cable and interface cable to your hard drive.

9. Replace the side-access panel, and reconnect all cords and cables to your computer.