How to install a hard drive on your computer

By now you shouldn't be surprised that to install a hard drive is not "hard" at all. If you don't have a hard drive yet, check out my computer hard drive reviews.

Or you can search online for some good deals on hard drives that can be found. It's relatively simple to install one, which I'll walk you through the process of installing one hard drive in your computer.

If you're interested in learning how to add a second hard drive, check out this page (Coming soon!)

(click any image to zoom in)

So lets get started and install a hard drive:

• Unplug the power cable and open up your computer case. Make sure you have your antistatic wrist band on.

• Pick the drive bay that you are going to install the hard drive in. You'll want to install it in the farthest drive bay down.
  

• Before you install a hard drive, make sure you set the proper jumper settings. Since we are only installing a single hard drive, set the jumpers as MASTER. The jumper settings are different for each hard drive, so consult your owner's manual so you know which pins to cover up.

• Now that you have the jumpers set, it's time to install your hard drive in the computer's case. Secure the hard drive in the drive bay that you selected above with some screws.
  

• First, connect the power cable to the back of the hard drive. Next, connect the ribbon cable to the back of the hard drive. Note that the ribbon cable has 3 connectors, one on each end and one in the middle. Connect your hard drive to one of the end connectors, and then connect the other end connector to the motherboard.

  There are two slots on a motherboard that will connect to a ribbon cable. Select the one that is red (like mine) or the one that is labeled with the lowest number. The unused middle connector on the ribbon cable is a "SLAVE" connector that is used when you install a second hard drive.

  

• Plug in your computer and power it on. Your computer should recognize the new hard drive. If it doesn't, go into your motherboards BIOS and search around for the IDE channels, they need to be set to AUTO.

That's all there is to install a hard drive. You can buy a hard drive now that you know how to install one.

Now you should be ready to format the disk with software provided by your hard drives manufacturer and install an operating system.

Want even more details to install a hard drive? I've released an e-book that is packed full of step-by-step instructions, photographs, and videos to help you install a hard drive and build your own PC. The details provided above are only a fraction of what you'll receive in the ebook. If you're serious about upgrading or building a computer, you'll need this guide! Interested? Read more here...