How to Install a Backup Hard Drive
- 1). Unplug the computer to avoid electrical shock, then remove the side panel of the computer to access the inside.
- 2
Example of an IDE drivefestplatte ide anschluss image by pmphoto from Fotolia.com
For IDE hard drives, the hard drive should be set to "slave" by moving the rectangular plastic piece on the back of the hard drive to the appropriate place along the connector. Refer to the hard drive user guide for the specific location as they may differ between brands. With most hard drives the jumper information is printed on the hard drive as well.
Seting the jumper to "slave" on SATA drives is unnecessary, so if the new hard drive is SATA, skip this step. - 3). Place the hard drive into the case near the original hard drive. Secure it to the case with screws on either side of the hard drive. Make sure the connectors are pointing towards the motherboard.
- 4
An SATA drive. Note the absence of the 40-pin connector found on a IDE hard drive.hard disk drive image by dinostock from Fotolia.com
Connect the hard drive to the motherboard.
If the hard drive is an IDE drive, connect the 40-pin ribbon cable to the back of the hard drive. There may be an IDE cable connected to the original hard drive that has a second IDE connector hanging off it (like a Y-Cable). If this is the case, connect the loose IDE connector to the back of the hard drive.
If the drive is an SATA drive, connect the SATA cable to the back of the hard drive. The motherboard has corresponding connectors. - 5
The white connector is a molex power connector. The black connector is a SATA power connector.SATA power connector. Close up. Isolated on a white background. image by Andrey Khritin from Fotolia.com
Connect the power connector from the power supply to the new hard drive.
IDE drives use Molex connectors. Molex connectors have four pins and are white.
SATA drives have SATA power connectors and Molex connectors. An SATA power connector is thin, black and about an inch long. If the power supply has SATA connectors, use one of those, otherwise use the Molex connector. - 6). Close the case.
