Removing and Installing the Hard Drive
By Otis F. Cooper
Before you remove the hard drive, you should backup all files on your old drive and
capture your system information using a separate utility. Even though you may not
need this utility, it's worth its weight in gold should something go wrong with the
installation of the new drive. We have used a little shareware file named Systeminfo
to capture our system information. You can download this file from such internet
shareware web sites as download.com
Check your documentation to be sure that the new hard drive you buy is compatible
with your system. If you don't have the documentation, you can run the system info
Utility. Here you will be able to see what type of drive you have. Your PC's system
setup program will do the same. Write this information down and take it with you when
you go to purchase your new drive.
The hard drive's Access Time is another consideration you should check into. Access
Time is the normal time it takes for the information requested from the disk to
arrive to the memory of the PC. The larger this time is,the slower the hard drive
will be. Hard disk drives can be either internal, (inside the system unit) or
external, (outside in its own case) and they can be removable in some cases. When
installing a hard drive, there is a slight difference, depending on the type of drive
you own.
The following steps to installing a hard drive may vary slightly. Be sure to check
the installation procedures that came with your new drive to check for any
differences in installation. If you purchased or was given a hard drive from a friend
and don't have any paper-work for the drive, the following steps should suffice in
installing and configuring your new drive.
Take extra care in getting rid of any static electrical buildup that your body may have
accumulated. And take your time. It would be to your advantage to invest in a PC Repair
Tool Kit if you plan on workinginside computers as a hobby or to earn extra income.
1. Remove ESD (Electrical Static Discharge) by touching an object such as a boorknob
or the case of the system unit. After this safety pre-caution is done, remove the
system unit cover and locate the drive.
2. Depending on the location of old your Hard Drive, you may have to remove other
components just to have access to it. If so, take very good notes of everything you
disconnect or remove, you can refer to them later as you replace the components.
Look to be sure you have empty drive bays to install extra drives should you decide
to add a second drive.
3. Once the drive is clear of other cables and components, carefully remove the power
and data cable from the drive and remove the drive retaining screws. Somes drives
are mounted on rails, if this is the case, just slide the unit out through the front
or top of the system unit chasis.
4. Separate the drive from the rail and now install the new drive to the rail. Watch
those screws, they are small and can be easily lost. Remember to ground yourself from
time to time to remove electrical static buildup.
5. When the drive is mounted on the rail, (if you have one) write down any information
on the front of the drive that may give you the type, model number, sectors, cylinders,
access time, and other information that seem important. You may need it when you configure
the hard drive. Nearly all new hard drives have software that does this for you.
6. Now connect the power supply cable to the power connect and the ribbon cable to
the drive's controller, SCSI adapter, or to the motherboard. IDE drive's have their
controllers mounted on the drive, so the ribbon cable is hooked from the controller
to the motherboard or Expansion Slot.
7. After being certain that all cables, connections and all other components are in
place, replace the system unit cover, reconnect all peripherals to the system unit
and plug it into the wall outlet. Turn on the computer.
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