How to install a hard drive on a computer? Rules for installing a hard disk on a computer

When assembling a PC, upgrading it and repairing it sometimes requires installing a hard drive to the computer. Consider the basic rules and requirements that you need to consider in order to get an excellent result by spending a minimum of time.

The main stages of installing a hard disk

The most common reason for installing a new hard drive is the failure of the previous one. In this case, the replacement process is surprisingly simple. To begin with, of course, you need to open the cover of the system unit, for this purpose, unscrew the two fixing screws on each wall of the rear side of the case (it is better to put the screws in mind so as not to lose them). Next, you need to disconnect the burned hard drive from the power cable and data bus, release it from the mounting screws and remove.

Having it as a sample, go to the store. And having bought a new analogue, remove the hard drive from the package, inspect at the time of the absence of serious external damage and scratches. If these are found, then proceed to install it. You need to connect everything in reverse order. After completing this procedure once, you will already know how to install the hard disk on the computer

It is important to note that all work is done with the power off, also for convenience, disconnect all cables connected to the PC case and put it on the table.

Features of installing hard disks of different formats

Let's take a look at how to install a new hard disk, if this is your first time. Joining a hard drive will not be much more difficult, but for those who do not have the relevant experience and face this task for the first time, the information presented will be useful.

First of all, it is necessary to remember that different generations of hard drives have different connection standards, and, accordingly, different connectors.

Installation Rules

If you base on the opinion of the majority of specialists on how to properly install a hard disk, then first we recommend to make sure that the motherboard supports the hard drive being installed, and also to confirm their compatibility. On some motherboards there can be two types: SATA and IDE, but usually in such system blocks DVD-drives are connected to IDE-loops. Although they are suitable for hard drives.

Earlier in computers, the emphasis was on the proven IDE format, which confirmed its reliability and compatibility with many well-known models. But as technologies are continuously evolving, they are gradually abandoning obsolete ones, they are replaced by new, more modern ones. With the introduction of the new SATA format, the IDE is already a thing of the past, and although the discs with it are no longer for sale, it is still being used extensively.

Features of formats

The electronic-mechanical basis of both formats is identical, the differences are in the type of interface used. The IDE loop has a maximum throughput of 133 MB / s. Existing standards SATA1, SATA2 and SATA3 provide up to 150, 300 and 600 MB / s respectively.

The advantages of IDEs include the ability to connect two devices to one loop (with the total bandwidth of the channel being divided between them), and each SATA device is connected with a separate interface cable.

Another disadvantage of the IDE is the need to manually select and use the jumpers to set the modes - Master / Slave, and also make settings in the BIOS, which hard disk is considered the main one in case of connection of the second one.

Features of installing a new disk in the system unit

Consider the question of how to install a new hard drive. To begin with, you need to insert our hard drive into a special place reserved for it, usually it should be looked closer to the front of the case.

Select its location in the hard disk drive bay. The hard disk should be installed where it is best provided for its cooling by PC coolers. Its optimal position is in the center. Install the new HDD horizontally and secure it firmly. Fasten with screws so that they are located on both sides.

A secure mount will prevent the vibration of the hard drive itself during operation. Vibration for a hard disk that has movable mechanical elements is fatal. In addition, with tight contact of the disk and the wall housing, like a radiator, the heat produced by the hard drive is removed. Then we connect the power and data cables.

How to install a new SATA disk

Unlike an outdated IDE, a more perfect SATA connector is much easier to connect. As we already know, this standard connects each of the hard drives using a separate cable.

The interface of the SATA hard drive is also made up of two connectors: narrow and wide. But here the question of how to install a new hard disk is the presence of a different connector, through which data is transmitted from the motherboard, and through a wide - voltage.

The SATA cable is connected to the data connector. They are different: straight and angled, without latches and with them. But to mix up and stick the cable with the wrong side is impossible, so there's nothing to be afraid of.

The Winchester can be connected to the SATA connector arbitrarily. Although there are variants of SATA-1, 2 and 3 standards, they differ only in the speed of information transfer and are absolutely compatible both at the level of physical connection and logically.

The second end of the cable is connected to the socket on the motherboard. They can also be angular and straight, they are usually painted in bright colors and easily recognizable.

Connecting power to the drive

After the most laborious operations are carried out, and we found out how to install a new hard drive, now it only remains to connect it to power.

It is delivered to both the IDE and SATA hard drives directly from the PC power supply. On IDE-disks it comes through the Molex connectors, and the SATA-standard has its own connector - wider.

Keep in mind that SATA power is not always present in the set of connectors on the computer's power supply. It may be that you have a PC with a block of the old model, and this connector is not there. How to install a hard drive on a computer in this case?

It all depends on the specific model of the power supply. In this case, the IDE-SATA adapter will help you. They come in a variety of designs, and sometimes some copies act as splitters on several devices. Basically, this is all it takes to know how to install a hard drive on a computer. And what if you have one hard drive, but you want to add a second one?

How to Install a Second Hard Drive

Sometimes there is a situation where when you upload new files, you suddenly find that there is not enough free space on your hard drive. Of course, there is a way out - to remove old unnecessary documents and defragment, but all these attempts to free up several hundred megabytes (or at best gigabytes) - are only temporary success. After a while, it turns out that the disc is again chocked up, and you do not have room for new movies or music.

What should I do in this case? There are several ways to solve the problem. You can change your old hard drive to a new one, which has a much larger memory capacity. How to install a new hard drive has already been described above. But you need to understand that this entails an abundance of additional problems. It is necessary to reinstall the OS, and, accordingly, all previously downloaded drivers, applications and programs. Also, you will have to transfer all the important information from the old disk to the new one. A lot of time will be spent on this operation.

But there is one more way to solve the problem - to purchase a second, additional hard drive. How to install the second hard drive, we will consider further.

Installing an additional SATA hard drive in practice has proven the speed of the system. Interacting with heavy software packages, you can feel the superiority of the new format qualitatively. Applications and programs do not slow down at all, and loading takes place instantly. In addition, the power consumption and power of SATA-drives are minimal, which practically does not lead to possible overheating of hard drives.

How to connect the second hard drive?

The procedure for connecting a second, secondary, hard drive is no different from how to install a hard disk on the computer for the first time, and corresponds to the previously described process.

When you connect the second IDE hard disk there is a small nuance - jumper. It is necessary to establish its status using a special jumper. For the main hard drive, it must be set to the Master position, and for the additional one to the Slave position. In new disks of SATA format, this is no longer necessary.

Each hard drive in the system unit has its own compartment. Care should be taken only that the distance between the devices to be installed is sufficient to ensure good ventilation. Do not place them close to each other, it is better to leave a free passage. If there is no possibility to distribute two disks on different shelves, an additional fan can be installed to prevent overheating of the media, which negatively affects the longevity of the elements and the safety of your information.

After this, carefully fix each hard drive on the case to avoid the impact of vibrations. If after turning on the second hard drive they still appeared, this indicates an obvious malfunction. Vibrations threaten you with hard drive errors and the ability to lose information. So do not neglect the hardware. This will help to minimize the possibility of vibration.

What to look for after installation

Recently, a corresponding instruction has been attached to the hard drive, where it is said how to install the hard disk on the computer, so if you look in addition, there should not be any difficulties in the process. After the work done, take care not only to correctly connect the cables, but to lay them neatly so that they do not stick out. If possible, get them farther inwards, and if necessary, tape with tape or plastic ties.