Connecting a second hard drive to the computer

Computer owners sometimes encounter such a problem as lack of memory on the main disk. In such cases, the installation of another hard drive is required. In this article we will learn how to install it correctly, what actions need to be performed and what tools will be needed for this.

Installing a Hard Drive

To successfully install the hard drive, it must be correctly fixed in the case, then connected to the motherboard and make sure that the system recognizes it. Next, all that remains is to perform a quick format, after which it will be completely ready for use.

Step 1: Prepare to install the second drive

At the first stage, you need to select all the elements and tools to connect the second HDD. We will need:

• 4 bolts for securing the hard drive to the case;
  
• SATA data cable;
  
• Power cable;
  
• Phillips screwdriver.
  

Some power supplies do not have power cables with SATA connectors. In this case, to connect the hard drive to the power supply you will need an IDE-SATA adapter of this type:



However, this only applies to old computers; for the most part, all PC configurations are modern, so the IDE connection is no longer relevant.

When purchasing a hard drive, a data cable with SATA 2, 3 connectors is included. As a rule, it is red in color (although there are yellow and black ones) and may have a straight or L-shaped connector at one end. It is preferable to take the second type, since in this case a more reliable connection to the disk will be obtained.

Stage 2: HDD Installation

First, you need to remove the hard drive from the packaging, if it is new, first inspect it from all sides, and make sure that there is no damage or scratches. Next, turn off the power to the computer by unplugging the plug from the outlet. After this, you can remove the side covers of the case to gain access to the motherboard and hard drive compartment.

In the photo below, arrows indicate the places where hard drives can be connected.



If you plan to install two disks, then it is optimal that they are located at some distance from each other. In this case, with proper cooling, they will not overheat.

We fix the hard drive with four bolts in one of the compartments of the case. First you need to select a Phillips screwdriver, with which you can easily and effortlessly tighten the bolts.

The next step is perhaps the most important. It is necessary to very carefully place the disk in the compartment of the case. This must be done in such a way that the hard drive clearly fits into the compartment, without damaging the cables that are located nearby. It should look something like this:



After making sure that the hard drive is installed in the correct position, screw it in with bolts. This must be done carefully. To easily perform all operations, it is better to first disconnect all the wires from the case and install it in the most convenient position for work. After tightening the bolts, be sure to test the strength of the disk connection. It should not wobble, but be securely fixed in one position:



The next step is to connect the power and data cables. The connector on the power cable is larger. We connect it to the larger connector of the hard drive. Then insert the SATA cable. The connection diagram to the disk is as follows:



After this, insert the second end of the data cable into one of the SATA connectors on the motherboard:





Now we connect the second cable to the power supply.



After making sure that all connections are reliable and that the hard drive is securely fixed, we assemble the case to its previous state. Thus, we connected the second disk to the computer. All that remains is to make sure that it shows up in the BIOS and the system recognizes it.

Stage 3: Disk recognition by the operating system

The connected hard drive will be visible in the BIOS, but Windows will still not be able to work with it. In this case, you will need to initialize it, and this can be done as follows.

1. Turn on the computer and go to the menu "Management disk".
   
   
   
   
   
2. If the disk is connected correctly, it will display the inscription "Not distributed", and its capacity will be indicated.
   
   
   
   
   
3. After this, you need to right-click on the newly connected HDD and create a simple volume.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Next you need to assign a drive letter.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Then it remains to format the disk in quick mode, selecting the NTFS file system. After formatting, it should be detected by the system.
   
   
   
   

At this stage, we can assume that the second hard drive has been correctly installed on the computer and integrated into the operating system.