How to connect an additional hdd. Connecting two hard drives. How to install a second hard drive in a laptop. Installing a Hard Drive

Every day in modern world More and more laptops are appearing, which, in turn, are being improved and modernized. However, this does not mean that users are actively abandoning the desktop computers we are used to.

Undoubtedly, the main advantage of a laptop is its mobility and small dimensions. However, even more important is the advantage desktop computer in front of a laptop is an opportunity for modernization and upgrade.

Perhaps the most common type of improvement of the “iron horse” is increasing physical memory. That is why in this article we will try to figure out how to connect a second hard drive.

Types of hard drives

There are two basic type internal hard drives, which differ in connection connectors, namely SATA and IDE.

The first connection interface is considered more modern and is used on all motherboards today. As for the IDE connector, then this technology somewhat outdated and, accordingly, to meet hard drives and motherboards with these connectors are only possible on older desktop computers.

Laptop and additional hard drive

There are several ways to connect a second hard drive to your laptop. Of course, the easiest one is to purchase external drive, connected via USB port. Today, stores have a huge selection of these devices. The memory size on external hard drives is in no way inferior to internal ones hard drives. Having purchased such a device, you can easily connect it to your laptop at any time.

The advantage of this hard drive is that before you connect second hard disk to a computer, Windows 7, like any other operating system, it is not necessary to turn off as this device has a hot-plug function.

In cases where it is not possible to purchase an external drive, you can purchase a special adapter that allows you to connect an ordinary hard drive via a USB port. Also for more convenient use For such an adapter, there are special containers that are used as a disc box.

You just need to connect this container to a USB port and put a hard drive in it, after which it will appear on your laptop additional device in the form of a hard drive.

Connecting an additional hard drive to a computer

Sometimes it happens that connecting a second hard drive to a computer is necessary not to increase the size of the device’s memory, but only to transfer some information from one computer to another. It would seem that doing this using a flash drive is much easier, but when the size of this information exceeds 80-100 GB, the transfer becomes much more convenient by connecting two hard drives to one computer.

Before you connect a second hard drive to your computer, you need to make sure that the motherboard There are free ports for connection. Be sure to turn off the computer's power and unplug it before performing any of this work.

Hard drive and IDE connector

In order to understand how to connect a second hard drive with an IDE connector to a computer, let's see what this type of connection is.

As a rule, this type of connection is installed less and less on modern motherboards. The cable that is used to connect the hard drive and the motherboard is quite thin. Its main feature is the ability to connect several devices to one motherboard connector. That is, on such a cable there are only 3 IDE connectors, one of which is connected to the motherboard, and the other two are connected to the device - a hard drive and a CD-ROM.

Connect a second hard drive. SATA connector

If you need to connect a second hard drive to your computer, first of all pay attention to the type of hard drive connector. If this is a SATA connector, then immediately make sure that your motherboard supports such interfaces.

Then prepare the wire with SATA connectors on both ends. Connect one side to the hard drive, and the other to a free SATA port on the motherboard. Even the simplest boards of these interfaces have at least two installed.

When installing the cable into the connector, you don’t have to worry, since a special key has been developed on the plug, which eliminates the possibility of incorrect connection. That is why you can replace a hard drive or add one yourself.

Connecting the power connector

In addition to data transfer cables, be it SATA or IDE, the hard drive needs power, which it receives through a separate connector and a separate wire.

At connecting hard The IDE drive power cable looks like this.

It has 4 contacts. There is also a key on the connector, thanks to which you will never go wrong with the connection position. This connector has a rectangular shape, and the key is 2 rounded corners on one longitudinal side.

The power bus for hard drives with a SATA connector looks a little different.

It has a flatter shape, but is also equipped with a special key, so incorrect connection is completely excluded.

Selecting a hard drive

Today there are a huge number of manufacturers computer equipment and accessories for it. The same goes for hard drives. In order to make the right choice in favor of a specific hard drive, you need to decide what you need it for.

There are several basic hard drive parameters that you should pay attention to. The first is definitely the media volume. Today, the largest disk is with a memory size of 4 TB. However, this figure is constantly growing, and in a year it can become 2 or even 3 times greater.

The second value is the speed of its operation. Namely, the speed of accessing and writing to the disk. Today, hard drives using SSD technology have appeared, otherwise known as “solid-state drives”. The speed of their operation significantly exceeds the speed of conventional hard ones, but their volume is several times smaller. The price of such discs today is very high.

Based on these parameters and your personal preferences, you can competently and most importantly - practically select the hard drive you need.

Many people do not know how to connect a second hard drive to a computer, and therefore hand over their system units to a service center. However, after reading this article, it becomes clear that it is not at all difficult.

Hello dear visitors. In this lesson, using a real example, I will show you how to connect to your computer hard disk. I want to warn you right away that this is not difficult and it will not waste much of your time.

Let's get started right away!

First of all, prepare system unit: Turn off the power and disconnect all cables from it so that they do not interfere with us. After this, remove the side cover from the system unit by unscrewing the two screws on the back.

Now we can already see the insides of our computer. Please note to the lower right system unit. Here are the bays for connecting hard drives.

Pick up the hard drive and carefully insert it into the free slot. The main thing is that the connection connectors are turned inside the system unit.

Here the holes in the hard drive and on the slot itself where the drive is connected must also match. We will use these holes for fixation. We take 4 bolts and fasten them on one side and the other.

On at this stage completed installing a hard drive into the system unit. Now you need to connect it to the motherboard. To do this, modern computers use a SATA power cable and a SATA interface cable. This is what they look like:

First of all, connect the SATA interface to the hard drive.

Be sure to connect the correct way. If you suddenly feel that the cable does not fit into the connector, then try connecting it on the other side. He'll definitely fit in.

The other side of the cable must be connected to the motherboard. We look for a suitable connector and connect it. Typically, these connectors are located at the bottom of the board and are labeled SATA.

The last step remains - supply power to the hard drive.

We take the SATA power cable and connect it to the hard drive, next to the first connector.

The other side of this cable must be connected to the power supply. Examine the wires coming from the power supply and find the connector for connection.

By the way, if you already have another hard drive is connected to the computer, then most likely the power is already leaving it and of course you can use it so as not to create new wires.

This is how it can hang unnoticeably among the wires:

After connecting the hard drive to the system unit, we proceed to setting it up in the system. Close the system cover and reconnect all the wires. Let's turn on the computer!

If you have a new hard drive, then most likely it will not be immediately detected by the system and you will need to format it.

Open the Computer section and see if a new hard drive has appeared?

Click on the Computer section right click and select Manage.

ATTENTION! The main thing here is not to mess anything up and not to delete data from the necessary disks!!!

Create a simple volume and format the new hard drive and, if necessary, assign a drive letter to it.

Well, as you can see, in modern computers connect hard drive very simple! It only remains to mention that in addition to the modern SATA interface, there is also IDE, which is used in old drives! It looks like this:

Now let's summarize briefly. So, to connect the hard drive to the computer you need to do the following steps:

1. Install the hard drive in a free slot
2. Connect the SATA interface
3. Connect SATA power
4. Set up a hard drive in Windows

That's all, good luck connecting the hard drive!

Installing a hard drive on a computer is not a difficult task and there is nothing to be afraid of if you have to do it yourself, even if you have never seen your computer open. I’ll explain everything to you now, and everything will work out for you.

Installing a hard drive on your computer will be required if you are going to update your device, are building a computer from scratch, or want a second HDD. This instruction will help you in the first two cases. But in case HDD replacement I won’t tell you how to remove the old one, I think there won’t be any problems with that, but I’ll just show you how to install the new one correctly. But I’ll tell you about connecting the second hard drive some other time.

Installing a new hard drive begins by screwing it to the case. This is done using bolts. There are threaded holes in the hard drive case, and grooves in the computer case. It is screwed through them.

Make sure installed device ventilation inside the system unit will not interfere, and also that all wires and cables can easily reach it without tension.

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Connecting the hard drive to the motherboard

The bolts are fixed, and we move on to the wires and cables. Connect the HDD with which it will communicate with it.

Depending on the type of HDD, they will differ - ATA (IDE) and SATA. The first is older, the second is new, but both types are still on sale.

The IDE hard drive is connected to the motherboard using a cable that differs a large number contacts, pins, and therefore it is wide. The cable has a lock that prevents it from being connected incorrectly. Therefore, it is impossible to make a mistake. Connect the HDD and motherboard using an IDE cable.

The SATA hard drive is connected using a narrow cable. It will be impossible to mix up the connection sockets on the motherboard, since SATA will only fit into the correct connector. Use a SATA cable to connect the HDD to the motherboard.

Connecting the hard drive to power

IDE and SATA hard drives also have different power cables. Most are for one or the other type or there are special adapters.

To connect IDE hard drives, a 4-pin Peripheral Power Connector is used. SATA hard drives require a SATA Power Connector. In both cases, you can't mix up the connections, so don't worry about doing anything wrong.

Differences between connecting IDE and SATA hard drives

It would seem that the connection procedure is the same, but in fact IDE is slightly different from SATA in that it requires setting the position of the jumper, the so-called jumper.

The motherboard is usually equipped with a pair of connectors for IDE devices, and two devices can be connected to each. Each pair can have one master and one slave, and it is impossible for two to be identical. The hard drive must be in master position if Windows boots from it. The second device in the same connection branch must be a slave.

If all this is difficult to understand, then simply set the jumper to master if your computer only has one hard drive.

You can find the jumper connection card on the hard drive case itself.

Instructions

A second hard drive allows you not only to get additional space for files, but also to significantly increase the reliability of data storage due to duplication important files on . Before you begin installing the hard drive, be sure to make sure that the computer is disconnected from the network! Then use a screwdriver to unscrew the screws holding the left (when looking at the front) side cover. Note that different models cases, the procedure for removing the cover may differ - for example, you may first need to remove the front panel. After unscrewing the screws, carefully remove the side panel. You may have to pull it back slightly to do this.

After removing the panel, you will see the computer motherboard, power supply, various wires and cables. And, of course, the hard drive, usually located at the front of the computer. Pay attention to how it is installed - the second hard drive will need to be installed in the same way, in a free niche. Such niches can be found above or below the main disk. If possible, do not place the disks directly on top of each other - you should leave a gap between them, this will help them cool better. An important point: hard drives have special jumpers that set the operating mode. The main disk should be set to the “Master” position. On the second – to the “Slave” position. The jumpers are very small and may require tweezers to install them. Having placed the jumper, carefully install the disk in the location chosen for it, tighten the retaining screws. They are usually not included with the hard drive, so you should find a couple of short screws in advance - they should fit the threaded holes on the left and right sides of the hard drive.

The disk is installed, all that remains is to connect the power and data cable to it. To connect power, you may need an adapter to a SATA drive. It is best to open the computer before buying a hard drive and see if the adapter is on the existing drive and, if so, buy the same one. When connecting, pay attention to the shape of the connectors and the color of the wires of the main drive that go to them - the new drive must be connected in the same way. To connect the adapter, use any free connector with wires of the desired colors. The power is connected, the whole process is very simple. And most importantly, do not use force - all connectors are equipped with special protrusions that prevent them from being installed incorrectly.

The power is connected, now you need to connect the data cable. When purchasing a disk, make sure that the cable is included in the package. If not, then buy it. Usually this is a flat red wire with connectors at the ends, its width is within a centimeter. One end of the cable connects to the hard drive, you can easily find the right connector. The second one is connected to the corresponding socket motherboard. To find it, look where the cable of the main disk is connected - the socket for the second (and often also the third and fourth) should be nearby.

That's it, the disk is connected. We put the cover back in place and turn on the computer. If everything is connected correctly, the computer will start to boot. After loading, open “My Computer” - a new disk should appear in the list of hard drives. If you don’t like the letter assigned to it by the system, go to: Start – Control Panel – Computer Management. In the “Storage Devices” section, select “Disk Management”. Right-click on the new drive and select “Change drive letter or drive path.” A window opens, select “Change” and set the desired drive letter.

The time has come when one hard drive in a computer is no longer enough. All more users decides to connect a second HDD to his 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.

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 a 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 everything 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 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 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 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. The hard drive must be initialized before it can be used. Read about how this is done in our other article.

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 outer casing for hard drive. The essence of the operation of such devices is similar - through the adapter the HDD is supplied required voltage, and the connection to a PC is 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 overall dimensions your HDD.

If you decide to connect the drive using the second method, then literally follow 2 rules: do not neglect the safe removal of 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.