Set up a second hard drive. Connecting a second hard drive

Not all users personal computer they purchase a device for productive video games, video rendering or 3D model processing. Quite a lot of people use PCs exclusively for watching videos, storing photos and surfing the Internet.

For such users, the main parameter in the computer will be the volume internal memory. The more disk space, the more data you can store, which is especially important if you watch videos in 1080p resolution and listen to uncompressed music. Thus, the average size of a film can be about 20 gigabytes, and the size of one music file can be at least 15 megabytes. What can we say about video games, which can reach 60 gigabytes in an uninstalled form and more than 100 when installed.

A modern computer simply must have at least one terabyte of memory, otherwise a person will constantly experience inconvenience associated with a lack of memory. Let's figure out how to install multiple hard drives in a computer.

What parameters should the motherboard support?

Buy a new one (MP) for hard drive, of course, no one will, however, if the MP is significantly outdated, then it will still have to be changed.

Previously, hard drives were connected to the MP using the so-called IDE connector.

It is quite simple to distinguish an IDE connector from a modern SATA connector. An outdated connector is connected using a cable made of many wires, while the SATA connector is connected to 2 thin wires, one for power and the other for data transfer. If the motherboard does not have a SATA connector, a person will have to replace motherboard.

When purchasing a motherboard, the buyer should pay attention to the availability of SATA 3 standards and the number of SATA connectors. In addition, a person must pay attention to ensure that the power supply has enough connectors to connect power to SATA components.

Selecting a hard drive

Depending on how many SATA connectors are on the motherboard, a person can purchase as many hard drives. There are motherboards with 12 connectors for connecting hard disks, but for such a computer you will have to purchase an appropriate power supply. Firstly, it must have enough power connectors, and secondly, the power supply must have enough power to operate so many components.

If the computer motherboard only supports SATA 2 type, then HDD SATA 3 connected to this interface will operate at a slightly lower speed, limited by the SATA 2 data rate.

When choosing the amount of memory, it is advisable to purchase the most capacious drive possible, especially if the MP is limited to 2 - 3 SATA connectors. However, if the buyer is not limited in funds, he can purchase a hard drive with the maximum capacity available on sale. Although, of course, it is better not to store all data on one drive.

As a manufacturer, it is best to purchase hard drives that are developed by well-known companies, such as Toshiba, WD and Seagate.

A running computer makes quite a noticeable noise, the source of which is the hard drive. The hard drive is especially noisy when reading or writing. Naturally, the more hard drives, the louder the noise emitted by the computer. Hard drives with a lower rotation speed of 5400 - 5700 rpm are less noisy. Unfortunately, the reduced rotation speed negatively affects the overall speed of operation. In addition, if the computer is assembled to order or independently, then you should choose a high-quality case with anti-resonance properties. In order to completely get rid of noise, you need to purchase SSD drives, but their cost is significantly higher than the cost of classic disks with lower capacity.

Hard SSD drive with a capacity of 250 GB will cost the same as an ordinary 1 TB HDD, but its data exchange speed is several times higher than ordinary hard drives. The material "" explains about the units of measurement of information.

Before installing a new component, you must turn off the computer and remove both covers system unit. You can access the motherboard from the left side of the case. In the front of the case there are several compartments “pockets” into which hard drives are installed. The number of “pockets” depends on the form factor of the case. Standard case ATX form factor on average has about four sites for installing railways.

The hard drive placed in the bay is secured with bolts on both sides of the system unit. Typically, bolts are included with the hard drive.

A securely fixed hard drive produces significantly less noise. In addition, the hard drive has a moving mechanism, which is why a poorly secured part can be damaged due to constant vibrations.

After installing the hard drive into the case, it must be connected to the motherboard and power. Both connectors are similar, but it is simply impossible to connect power to the data connector.

Thus, a special SATA cable is connected to the hard drive, the other end of which is connected to the motherboard.

Wires for powering the hard drive are connected directly from the power supply.

After successful connection, the computer turns on normal mode. Most often, after turning on, a tool for adding a new device appears on the screen.

If the hard drive is not detected by the system, then you need to enter the menu “ Control Panel", Further " system and safety" And " Administration", Then " Computer management", then "Disk Management" and format the new volume.

After formatting, you should right-click on the unmarked space and select “ Create a new volume».

Thus, the ideal option can be considered a computer with 2 - 3 hard drives, the smallest of which will be allocated for the operating system ( system disk).

Hard drives installed on your computer will appear in “My Computer” as local drives.

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The time has come when one hard drive in a computer is no longer enough. More and more users decide to connect second HDD to your PC, but not everyone knows how to do it correctly themselves in order to avoid mistakes. In fact, the procedure for adding a second disk is simple and does not require special skills. It is not even necessary to mount the hard drive - it can be connected as external device, if there is a free USB port.

Options for connecting a second hard drive are as simple as possible:

• Connecting the HDD to the computer system unit.
  Suitable for owners of regular desktop PCs who do not want to have external connected devices.
• Connecting hard disk like external storage.
  The easiest way HDD connections, and the only one possible for a laptop owner.

Option 1. Installation in the system unit

Definition HDD type

Before connecting, you need to determine the type of interface the hard drive works with - SATA or IDE. Almost all modern computers are equipped with a SATA interface, so it is best if the hard drive is of the same type. The IDE bus is considered obsolete and may simply not be present on the motherboard. Therefore, connecting such a drive may cause some difficulties.

The easiest way to recognize the standard is by contacts. This is what they look like on SATA drives:

And this is how the IDE does it:

Connecting a second SATA drive in the system unit

The process of connecting a disk is very easy and takes place in several stages:

Boot priority for SATA drives

The motherboard usually has 4 connectors for connecting SATA drives. They are designated as SATA0 - the first, SATA1 - the second, etc. The priority of the hard drive is directly related to the numbering of the connector. If you need to manually set the priority, you will need to go into the BIOS. Depending on the BIOS type, the interface and controls will be different.

In older versions, go to the section Advanced BIOS Features and work with the parameters First Boot Device And Second Boot Device. In new BIOS versions look for the section Boot or Boot Sequence and parameter 1st/2nd Boot Priority.

Connecting a second IDE drive

In rare cases, there is a need to install a disk with an outdated IDE interface. In this case, the connection process will be slightly different.

Connecting a second IDE drive to the first SATA drive

When you need to connect an IDE drive to an already working SATA HDD, use a special IDE-SATA adapter.

The connection diagram is as follows:

1. The jumper on the adapter is set to Master mode.
2. The IDE plug connects to the hard drive itself.
3. The red SATA cable is connected on one side to the adapter, and the other to the motherboard.
4. The power cable is connected on one side to the adapter, and on the other to the power supply.

You may need to purchase a 4-pin to SATA adapter.

Initializing the disk in the OS

In both cases, after connecting, the system may not see the connected disk. This does not mean that you did something wrong; on the contrary, it is normal when the new HDD is not visible in the system. To be able to use it, you need hard initialization disk. Read about how this is done in our other article.

Option 2. Connecting an external hard drive

Often users choose to connect external HDD. This is much simpler and more convenient if some files stored on the disk are sometimes needed outside the home. And in the situation with laptops, this method will be especially relevant, since there is no separate slot for a second HDD.

External hard The disk is connected via USB in exactly the same way as another device with the same interface (flash drive, mouse, keyboard).

A hard drive designed for installation in the system unit can also be connected via USB. To do this, you need to use either an adapter/adapter or a special external case for the hard drive. The essence of the operation of such devices is similar - the required voltage is supplied to the HDD through the adapter, and the connection to the PC is made via USB. Hard drives of different form factors have their own cables, so when purchasing you should always pay attention to the standard that sets dimensions your HDD.

If you decide to connect the drive using the second method, then literally follow 2 rules: do not neglect safe removal devices and do not disconnect the disk while working with the PC to avoid errors.

We talked about ways to connect a second hard drive to a computer or laptop. As you can see, there is nothing complicated in this procedure and it is absolutely not necessary to use the services of computer specialists.

People often ask the question on the Internet: “I bought a new hard drive and connected it. Why can't I see the new disk in the system? The fact is that after physically installing the hard drive into a computer or laptop, it is necessary to programmatically initialize and mark it. So, how to set up a connected new hard drive in Windows 7? Nothing could be simpler.

Update 2016: Despite the fact that the illustrations were taken a long time ago from Windows 7, these instructions are also suitable for Windows 10 and 8.

Step 1. Click right click By system shortcut“Computer” and select “Management”:

Step 2. In the window that opens on the left, select “ Disk management". After this, a dialog box should open on the right side “ Initializing the disk". Click “OK” in it:

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Attention! If you click on " Disk management» the dialog box did not open, right-click on left side disk image in the area that says “No data” or “ Not initialized" and select " Initialize disk". (See 2 pictures below.)

The task is to call the same window “ Initializing the disk". In it you must make sure that the checkbox next to “Disk n” is checked and click OK.

Step 3. Right-click on the right side of the new disk image and select " Create a simple volume»:

Step 4. Click "Next":

Step 5. Select the partition size. By default, installed maximum size section. Those. the partition will occupy the entire hard drive. If you want the new disk to have several partitions, then at this point select the size of the first partition. For example "10240". Then new section(aka “partition”) will take up 10 GB of disk space.

If to create the first partition on a new hard drive you did not select all the available space (which was the default), then after the created partition there will be unallocated space on the disk. To create additional sections repeat in the unallocated area these instructions With steps 3 .

After selecting the partition size, click “Next”:

Step 6. Select a drive letter. Click "Next":

Step 6. In most cases, the file system type should be left “NTFS”. Select the volume label, such as "Games" or "Archive" and click "Next":

Step 7 Click "Finish" to exit the Disk Initialization Wizard:

After this, you will see that the disk has begun to format:

Wait until the caption “Good …” appears on the right side of the disk image instead of the word “Format”:

Now you can open “Computer” and check if a new section with the desired letter has appeared.

The marking is done. You can use the drive!

When you run out of hard drive space, you can either delete or add more space. While an external USB hard drive is easy to plug in and an option for extra storage, it's not entirely suitable - they take up disk space, possibly an additional power connector, needing to use a valuable USB port, and they tend to be slower than internal drives. Let's look at more today difficult option adding a second internal drive.
It's time to familiarize yourself with the basics of your computer. Today we will only concentrate on the hard drive, but the guide will give you great review to all the random connectors and ports that you see on the motherboard after you open the computer case.

Step 1: Determine whether you can add another internal drive or not

Unfortunately, not all computers are built equal. If you have a laptop, or an all-in-one car where the internal systems are hidden in the monitor, then your only option is to go to a USB drive and you don't need to open it. If you have a system unit, then read on, as there is a chance that you will have enough space to install a second drive. If you have full size towers, then you can easily add a second disk, or 2, or 3! But, if you are not sure, refer to the table below.

Step 2: Backup

Although we do not anticipate any problems, it is good practice to create backup copy important information before making any changes to the equipment. Here we have looked at some options for Reserve copy.
The best software backup for Windows.
The best backup programs for Windows.
Your data is fragile - and it only takes one small accident to lose all your data. The more copies you make, the better. Here we present the best free programs backup for Windows.

Step 3: Open the case

Before proceeding, disconnect power from the system unit and all peripheral devices.

In most cases, the system unit may have covers on each side that need to be removed with just two screws. You need to remove the side cover that doesn't have the motherboard on it, so look at back panel systems, find USB ports/mouse and remove the cover so look at the back of the system, find the USB/mouse ports and remove the opposite side.

Step 4: Get rid of static electricity

When touching the inside of a computer, technicians use a grounded wrist strap to reduce the risk of damage to any sensitive component from static electricity that is stored in the human body. For our purposes, touching the radiator will be enough.

Step 5: Find the hard drive and connectors for it

The insides of all computers are very similar. A hard drive is a fairly large piece of metal like this:

You have to find it, it is usually in some kind of metal box. Check now to see if you have a case to fit another hard drive. The tower of the case usually has space for 3 or 4 disks, but in a small desktop system there may only be room for one drive, in which case you're out of luck and will have to consider either upgrading the case, or using external USB disk.

Step 6: Determine if you have a SATA or IDE drive

Take a look at the following image and compare it with your drive. If you have a drive type like the top, wide ribbon cable, then this is a very old type of connection called IDE. Ideally, your new drive will have a SATA interface. If it turns out that you have an IDE disk, then you are completely out of luck, but this is beyond the scope of this article. IDE drives are becoming harder and harder to buy, which is a sign that your PC is really getting old.

Check ALL connected devices. There are two possible types of power cables, and in your system you will of course need to find a spare that you can use. It may be hidden somewhere, so keep a close eye on other power cables and try to find a spare one.

Some hard drives can accept any kind of cable, but the SATA type is easier to connect, so I use those if available. If you have a spare power cable but it's not SATA, you can still install a second drive, but you'll need to make sure it can accept the Molex type of power cable, or you can buy a Molex to SATA adapter.

Next, connect the SATA data cable to the motherboard, and see where it is connected. Different motherboards have different numbers SATA ports, and on older machines there may even be only one. Obviously, if you can only find one SATA port, then you can only connect one SATA disk drive. If you can see some spare connectors, then congratulations - you can now go out and buy a second drive!

Step 7: Buy a disc

There is very little difference between hard drive manufacturers. WITH technical side, you should search for “3.5 inch SATA hard drive”, and make sure you pick up another “SATA cable” while you're in the store, the salesperson should be able to help you with this if you can't find the hard drive you need ”, and make sure that you pick up another “SATA cable” while you are in the store and the salesperson should be able to help you with this if you cannot find such a cable.

Step 8: Installation

Installing the hard drive into the case is the most difficult part as sometimes it can be blocked by the video card or other cables. You'll need to identify the cables before you actually go any further, noting which side of the cable is facing up (the SATA data cable and power cables all have a notch on one end, which means it's nearly impossible to insert it incorrectly).

Once the drive is in place, use the screws that came with the drive to secure it - you'll need to line up the holes on the drive with the holes in the case or tray. Next, find the spare power cables and SATA cable and connect them.

In my next article, I'll cover software and configuration setup when adding a second drive - so stay tuned for that. As always, feel free to ask any questions in the comments and I will try to answer them quickly.

The time has come when one hard drive in a computer is no longer enough. More and more users decide to connect a second HDD to their PC, but not everyone knows how to do it correctly themselves to avoid mistakes. In fact, the procedure for adding a second disk is simple and does not require special skills. It is not even necessary to mount a hard drive - it can be connected as an external device if there is a free USB port.

Connecting a second HDD to a PC or laptop

Options for connecting a second hard drive are as simple as possible:

• Connecting the HDD to the computer system unit. Suitable for owners of regular desktop PCs who do not want to have external connected devices.
• Connecting a hard drive as an external drive. The easiest way to connect an HDD, and the only one possible for a laptop owner.

Option 1. Installation in the system unit

HDD type determination

Before connecting, you need to determine the type of interface the hard drive works with - SATA or IDE. Almost all modern computers are equipped with a SATA interface, so it is best if the hard drive is of the same type. The IDE bus is considered obsolete and may simply not be present on the motherboard. Therefore, connecting such a drive may cause some difficulties.

The easiest way to recognize the standard is by contacts. This is what they look like on SATA drives:

And this is how the IDE does it:

Connecting a second SATA drive in the system unit

The process of connecting a disk is very easy and takes place in several stages:

Boot priority for SATA drives

The motherboard usually has 4 connectors for connecting SATA drives. They are designated as SATA0 - the first, SATA1 - the second, etc. The priority of the hard drive is directly related to the numbering of the connector. If you need to manually set the priority, you will need to go into the BIOS. Depending on the BIOS type, the interface and controls will be different.

In older versions, go to the Advanced BIOS Features section and work with the First Boot Device and Second Boot Device parameters. In new BIOS versions, look for the Boot or Boot Sequence section and the 1st/2nd Boot Priority parameter.

Connecting a second IDE drive

In rare cases, there is a need to install a disk with an outdated IDE interface. In this case, the connection process will be slightly different.

Connecting a second IDE drive to the first SATA drive

When you need to connect an IDE drive to an already working SATA HDD, use a special IDE-SATA adapter.

The connection diagram is as follows:

1. The jumper on the adapter is set to Master mode.
2. The IDE plug connects to the hard drive itself.
3. The red SATA cable is connected with one side to the adapter, and the other to the motherboard.
4. The power cable is connected on one side to the adapter, and the other to the power supply.

You may need to purchase a 4-pin to SATA adapter.

Initializing the disk in the OS

In both cases, after connecting, the system may not see the connected disk. This does not mean that you did something wrong; on the contrary, it is normal when the new HDD is not visible in the system. The hard drive must be initialized before it can be used. Read about how this is done in our other article.

Read more: Why the computer does not see the hard drive

Option 2. Connecting an external hard drive

Often users choose to connect an external HDD. This is much simpler and more convenient if some files stored on the disk are sometimes needed outside the home. And in the situation with laptops, this method will be especially relevant, since there is no separate slot for a second HDD.

An external hard drive is connected via USB in exactly the same way as another device with the same interface (flash drive, mouse, keyboard).

A hard drive designed for installation in the system unit can also be connected via USB. To do this, you need to use either an adapter/adapter or a special external case for the hard drive. The essence of the operation of such devices is similar - the required voltage is supplied to the HDD through the adapter, and the connection to the PC is made via USB. Hard drives of different form factors have their own cables, so when purchasing you should always pay attention to the standard that specifies the overall dimensions of your HDD.

If you decide to connect the drive using the second method, then literally follow 2 rules: do not neglect to safely remove the device and do not disconnect the drive while working with the PC to avoid errors.

We talked about ways to connect a second hard drive to a computer or laptop. As you can see, there is nothing complicated in this procedure and it is absolutely not necessary to use the services of computer specialists.

We are glad that we were able to help you solve the problem.

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How to connect a second hard drive

Even large disk space with long work on the computer may end. You can delete files and programs to free up some space, but this is a temporary solution. You can replace the hard drive, then you will have to reinstall the OS and configure the computer. It's easier to connect a second drive, which will significantly increase disk space for photos, games and movies.

Buy a hard drive of sufficient capacity and a SATA data cable to connect it from a computer hardware store. The disk capacity depends on the user's desire, but it is better not to save money and purchase a disk of at least a terabyte, so that you do not have to think about increasing the memory again soon. The hard drive of a modern computer is most often connected using a SATA interface. The IDE format was used on computers until 2000. To be sure that the drive and motherboard are compatible, consult your dealer or read the instructions for your computer.

Completely turn off the computer and everything additional devices from the power source. Place the system unit on its side and remove it sidebar. Consider the motherboard. Modern boards can have several SATA controllers, up to 6 pieces. The IDE connector may be missing or used to connect a CD/DVD drive. A computer board diagram will help you find the right controllers.

Place the new hard drive in a special basket at a sufficient distance from the other so that they do not touch and do not overheat. If the case has three “slots” for the hard drive, then place them in 1 and 3, and 2 between them for ventilation. Secure the drive with four screws. Connect one end of the SATA cable (it doesn't matter which) to the hard drive, and the other to the found SATA controller on the motherboard. The second hard drive is connected.

If the power supply does not have a SATA connector, then you need to buy an IDE-SATA adapter. Connect the new hard drive to the power supply: among several wires of the power supply, find the SATA wire. It is impossible to confuse it, since only it will fit the hard drive, or install an IDE-SATA adapter. Connect it to the connector of the new device. Now second hard The disk is fully installed.

If the bar random access memory prevents you from installing the second hard drive in a special basket and you removed it, then put it back in place. Secure the side wall of the system unit with the mounting screws. Turn on your computer and all peripheral devices.

Wait until the operating system loads completely. It will automatically detect the new device external memory and will offer to format the disk in NTFS format. If this does not happen, open the “Computer” folder in Explorer, right-click on the new disk and select “Format” from the menu. If new local disk does not appear, then find it using the “Control Panel” section of the “Main Menu”, which opens with the “Start” button.

Elevated temperatures can cause rapid wear on the surface of the hard drive. If it is not possible to separate the hard drives by space, then there is one way out - install a second fan to cool the drives. If all SATA controllers on the board are busy, then buy PCI controller with SATA connectors for connecting a second drive.

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Connecting the main and additional hard drive

Modern hard drives are distinguished by their capacity, sufficient to meet the needs of almost any user. However system requirements programs and games grow along with disk volumes, so sometimes there is a problem of lack of space. If you can't delete anything, you can connect a second hard drive.

Connecting equipment

First, let's figure out how to connect a hard drive to a computer.

Modern hard drives for computers have a 3.5-inch format. They are connected using the SATA interface, which replaced the outdated IDE connector.

Look at your hard drive - it should have two connectors. One is short, designed to transfer data from the motherboard. The second one is long, it is needed to connect to the power supply and obtain energy for the hard drive to work.

SATA plugs can look different: straight, snap-on, L-shaped, etc. However, this does not matter - no matter how hard you try, you will not be able to connect the hard drive incorrectly.

Install one end of the SATA cable into the appropriate connector on the hard drive. Then connect the hard drive to the power supply. If the power supply is old, you may have to use a special Molex to SATA adapter to connect the devices, which can be purchased at any computer store.

The connected hard drive looks like this:

The second end of the SATA cable is installed into the corresponding port on the motherboard. These ports are usually painted blue or red, so you can easily spot them. Naturally, in this case, it is necessary to follow the main rule for connecting any equipment - “red to red, blue to blue, etc.”

If there are no SATA connectors or they are all occupied, you can purchase a special PCI controller. If you know how to connect network card, then you won’t have any problems installing this controller; the main thing is that there is a free slot on the motherboard.

Don't forget to secure the hard drive with screws!

After turning on the computer, the new disk should appear in the system. If this does not happen, perform the initialization procedure.

Right-click on “My Computer” and select “Manage.”

Go to Disk Management. The initialization wizard should appear on the screen. Click "OK" to run it and finish installing hard disk.

Second disc

Connecting a second hard drive is done in the same way. The main thing here is to maintain a distance between the hard drives so that they do not overheat.

Install the hard drive only in a special basket. Under no circumstances does it leave it hanging.

When you turn on the computer, a new disk is detected automatically. All you have to do is format it in NTFS system. If formatting does not start automatically:

After formatting is completed, you can work with the new hard drive.

Since you've set out to improve functionality your computer, try connecting USB, increasing the number of available ports. You can also connect a video card to your computer if your old one doesn't suit your visual needs.

Old hard drives

If you are the proud owner of two rare hard drives with IDE interface and want to install them on one computer, then you will have to do several additional actions so that the equipment works correctly.

1. Connect the hard drive first hard drive to motherboard and power supply.
2. Connect the second hard drive to the remaining connector on the cable.

Now you need to manually set the configuration of the hard drive operating modes. For this purpose it is used special jumper– jumper.

• On the hard drive that will be the main one, it should be set to the “Master” position.
• The second hard drive is set to “Slave” mode.

The mode diagram should be indicated on the hard drive itself.

Finally, you need to check that Device BIOS were identified correctly. Go to basic system I/O and make sure that home page interface, the leading disk is marked in the “Primary IDE Master” column, and the slave disk is marked in the “Primary IDE Slave” column. Subsequent configuration of hard drives is carried out in the same way as when connecting hard drives via SATA interface.

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How to properly connect a second hard drive to your computer

When you purchase a new HDD, the question arises of how to connect a second hard drive to your computer. This is not difficult to do, but before you get started, you need to make sure that your system unit is not under warranty. The fact is that in order to install a second hard drive, you need to remove the side cover of the computer. This will break the seal and therefore void the warranty. To avoid such a situation, you should contact a service center.

Connecting an additional hard drive

If the warranty has expired or is missing, feel free to remove the side wall. It is secured with two screws on the back of the PC. Be sure to turn off your computer and unplug it. Installation additional hard drive is performed only when the system unit is turned off. This is not a flash drive, and the HDD may simply fail.

You need to inspect the motherboard and the place where the hard drive is already installed. Majority modern computers has SATA connections. Trace where the cable of the existing HDD is connected to the motherboard. There should be at least one more similar one next to this connector. This will depend on the type of motherboard you have. Large ones have up to 5-6 connectors, small ones can only have 2.

If you have a standard type of motherboard, then you just need to select a socket for connection. If you have a combo (that is, a small one), then slight difficulties may arise. The fact is that the first hard drive and optical drive may already be connected to the slots. And it may turn out that there is simply no other place to connect an additional hard drive. These are budget motherboards, and sometimes they do not provide the ability to connect multiple hard drives. How to install two hard drives in this case? You'll just have to unplug the DVD-ROM to free up the port.

If you have an old computer with type IDE connections and there is only one slot left, you have the opportunity to install two equipment on one cable. This can be either 2 HDDs or a hard drive with an optical drive. When connecting on one cable, it is advisable to follow the sequence in which the system disk will be connected to the master connector, and an additional one to the slave. Master is the outermost connector on the cable, slave is in the middle. The instructions for the HDD should indicate in what position the jumpers should be set for a particular mode.

After we have figured out where to connect the second hard drive to the computer so that it recognizes it, we move on to the next point. This powers the device with electricity. Take a close look at the wires that come from the power supply. In older system units the connection type is IDE, in new ones it is SATA. Some PCs have both types at the same time. If the hard drive has a SATA port, and only IDE is left free in the power supply, do not worry. You need to purchase an adapter from one connection type to another.

We found out which connectors the second hard drive is connected to. Now it needs to be installed and secured. Find where the first hard drive is located. Depending on the size of your case, there may be one to three drive slots nearby. If there is a lot of space, it is advisable to connect two HDDs so that they are located further away from each other. Hard drives can get very hot during operation and require ventilation. The more free space around them, the better ventilation will occur.

IN small body installing a second hard drive will mean that both hard drives will get very hot. Especially in the hot season. Therefore, it is advisable to purchase a cooling system for them. When connecting a second drive, do not forget that it must be screwed to the case. Unlike solid-state drives, HDDs have mechanical parts that can be easily damaged. During transportation, the hard drive may fall out of the slot, and this will damage not only it, but also, possibly, the motherboard.

Second hard drive on a laptop

Winchesters on laptop computers don't have the same large capacity, as on stationary ones. And sometimes users want to increase space, but the laptop does not have a slot for an additional hard drive. How to connect a second hard drive to a laptop in this case? This can be done by installing HDD instead optical drive.

There are special adapters for this. Without them, you won’t be able to connect another hard drive, since the DVD-ROM and HDD connectors are different. The first thing you need to do is figure out the thickness of your drive. On different laptops it may differ. The most common are 12.7 mm and 9.5 mm. You can find out this way:

Use a program to diagnose equipment like Everest or AIDA. View the optical drive model and find the specifications on the Internet. The exact dimensions must be indicated on the manufacturer's website. Unscrew the drive and take measurements manually.

After purchasing the adapter, you can begin installing the hard drive. Unplug your computer and turn it off. It can only be untwisted when not in use. Pull out the optical drive. In most cases, it is secured with 2-4 screws.

Take the adapter and remove the stop, which is located on the opposite edge from the connectors. Some people try to turn on the second drive by connecting it to the adapter at an acute angle. This can break the contacts. The support is removable and is needed to fix the hard drive. Then press the hard drive firmly against the contacts. Sometimes this requires effort.

After installation and fixation with the stop, tighten the bolts to more firmly connect the adapter to the disk. So as not to spoil appearance laptop, you need to remove the front panel from the optical drive and attach it to the hard drive adapter. Carefully insert the device into the laptop and put all the covers back. If everything was done correctly, the BIOS will display the new hard drive.

Disk system settings

You learned how to install a second hard drive in a PC. But this is not enough to fully work with it. Now you need to configure it so that the system recognizes it. After all, if the disk is new, it does not have marked areas and will not be displayed operating system. If you have Windows installed, this can be done by going to Disk Management. You can get to this menu by right-clicking on the “My Computer” icon and selecting “Manage”.

All connected drives and their capacity will be displayed in the lower central part. New disc will be labeled "Not distributed". You need to right-click on this area and click “Create simple volume”. The “Setup Wizard” will appear, following the instructions of which you will determine the space of the future disk, file system and assign a letter to it. Remember that two partitions cannot be assigned the same letters. To avoid having to deal with OS freezes and process crashes, close all unnecessary programs. At the end of the procedure, the new hard drive will be displayed in the system.

We looked in detail at how to connect an additional hard drive to a computer. By watching the video below or above in the text, you will be able to understand and consider in more detail incomprehensible points.

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Connecting a second hard drive to a computer

Computer technology It has long ceased to be a curiosity; almost everyone has it in stock. The only difference is the nature of use: some users actively use the equipment, downloading movies, games and music onto it, while others use an electronic computer when they want to watch last news in world wide web or do some homework.

IN certain time it is necessary to replace outdated components

In this regard, the load level of the hard drive also differs. If there is very little free space left, then you should not expect normal performance from your PC at all. Given these circumstances, many owners decide to purchase a second “screw”, thereby increasing disk space. However, it is very important to first find out how to connect the hard drive to the computer.

PC connection

Finding information on the Internet on how to connect a hard drive to a computer is not difficult. It is only important to carefully read all the recommendations, and then no problems will arise if the user independently installs an additional hard drive, while leaving the old one in the same place.

An old hard drive must be removed only if it has become completely unusable and cannot be restored. By installing a second hard drive along with the old one, the user receives expanded space, thanks to which all actions will be performed faster.

Installation in a PC case

Connecting a hard drive to a computer begins with the step where the user must initially place it in the case and securely fasten it.

To ensure that the “screw” is inserted correctly, you should first remove the cover from the system unit case. In the front part you can easily find special compartments designed for drives and hard drives. The drives are located at the top, and the second hard drive should be located at the bottom of such bays.

The hard drive is inserted into any free compartment, but preferably on a short distance from what is already available. This is very important, since during operation they both heat up, which will adversely affect the performance of the PC.

Then the second hard drive is inserted strictly along the guides so that the connectors are directed towards the inside of the system unit to ensure its comfortable connection in the future. When the new hard drive has taken its correct position, it should be securely fastened by tightening the screws on both sides, ensuring a tight connection with the compartment.

After fastening, you should check the strength by trying to loosen it. If the hard drive does not wobble, it means that all actions were performed correctly.

Connection using cables

Once you have successfully connected the second hard drive to your computer, you can move on to the second part of these important steps. At this stage, you should connect the second hard drive directly to the motherboard, and also ensure that power is supplied to it.

To do this, you will need to purchase additional cables. By the way, it is advisable to note that the connectors through which the hard drive is directly connected may differ, depending on the year of manufacture of the PC.

Old computer equipped with IDE connectors, while the new one already has SATA connectors, which are characterized by amazing performance. Previously, users were instructed when making a purchase to pay attention to the connectors and purchase only a hard drive with the right kind. Currently, finding a hard drive with an IDE connector on sale is problematic, but this does not mean that there is no hope of installing a second drive. Just in in this case The user is required to additionally purchase special adapters.

Connecting the second hard drive using SATA connectors and adapters, the owner of a smart machine not only ensures the speed of the system, but also facilitates the installation process.

Installed a few years ago old hard drive with an IDE connector, it was necessary to manually configure the operating mode of the “screws”, which involved installing jumpers in certain positions.

Connecting using SATA connectors is much easier. All connectors on new technology are equipped with special partitions, so it is a priori impossible to connect the second hard drive incorrectly.

USB connection

There is another one alternative way, providing absolutely easy connection of new disk space, while completely eliminating the need to disassemble the system unit case.

In this regard, many people want to know how to connect an additional hard drive to a computer without experiencing any additional difficulties. The answer is obvious, the second hard “screw” can be connected to an electronic computer at USB help-devices.

Such hard drives receive power via the USB connector to which it is directly connected. However, this is typical only for disks measuring 1.8 or 2.5 inches. More powerful ones, for example, starting from 3.5 inches, already need additional source power supply

External devices are very easy to connect, which is why they are preferred by a large number of users.

Detecting devices in BIOS

Having provided correct connection hard drive, you should make sure that it is displayed correctly in the BIOS, otherwise it would be simply stupid to dream of quality work.

To produce correct settings in the BIOS, you should also understand how to connect the old hard drive to the computer, how to connect the new hard drive, how to ensure correct operation these two disks.

The user understands that the operating system is installed on one of the disk spaces; in most cases, the old hard drive is the place where the operating system was once loaded.

In this regard, in BIOS settings The user must set boot priority from the old hard drive. Setting the priority incorrectly will prevent the system from booting. In the BIOS, determining the priority is quite simple, since SATA with an assigned number will be written next to the existing hard drives. It is the number that indicates priority. The hard drive with the operating system must be set to SATA 1.

If any hard drive does not appear in the BIOS, you should double-check that it is connected correctly, otherwise use the installed one. disk space will be impossible.

So, installing an additional hard drive is a predictable act, accompanied by actions that can easily be performed by any user if he makes an effort and shows increased attention.