Whether you're building a computer, upgrading storage, looking for improved performance, or some combination of the three, a hard drive or SSD is essential. In recent years, solid-state drives have become the go-to storage medium due to their speed and reliability. However, some users still require the additional space afforded by an HDD. To learn how to install a secondary storage medium, follow the steps in the PPT.

1. How to install a hard drive or SSD
Whether you're building a computer, upgrading storage,
looking for improved performance, or some combination of
the three, a hard drive or SSD is essential. In recent years,
solid-state drives have become the go-to storage medium
due to their speed and reliability. However, some users still
require the additional space afforded by an HDD. To learn
how to install a secondary storage medium, follow the steps
in the sections below.

2. When you are physically installing the
drive, ensure the computer is powered
down and unplugged.

3. Mounting the drive
Open the computer and determine the appropriate drive
bay for the installation. All computers have 3.5-inch bays.
However, as SSDs become more and more popular, cases
are implementing drive bays that look more like "slots," so
an SSD fits without requiring additional hardware. If
you're installing an SSD and only have 3.5-inch bays, you
can purchase mounting brackets online.

4. Identify the drive interface and plug in the cables
The interface varies depending on your new drive. You
need to know which connection type your computer has
available so you can connect the drive to power and the
motherboard after you get it mounted. If you already know
which interface your drive uses,
1. SATA
2. PCIe
3. IDE/EIDE

5. SATA
A SATA hard drive or SSD requires two connections to the motherboard: a
SATA cable and a power cable.
Once you've mounted the drive, plug the data and power cables into the
motherboard by matching them to the appropriate ports. If you're not sure which
ports to use, consult your motherboard owner's manual.
Both ends of a SATA cable look the same, having an "L" shaped connector. This
design ensures that the SATA connector is correctly oriented when attached to a
port. Line up the SATA cable end with the drive's SATA connection, and gently
push the cable end into the storage drive.

6. If you're having trouble connecting the
cables, use the image as a reference.
SATA power cable.
SATA Data cable.
SATA Motherboard Connection

7. PCIe
Although it's been used with video cards for years, the PCIe
interface can now be used to create extremely fast SSD
connections. These drives are the easiest to install of the
three. You'll need to open the computer case and insert the
drive into a PCI express port. Several of these ports should
be on your motherboard. Examples can be seen in the
image below.

8. Once you've located the appropriate port, align the
contacts with the slot. Make sure to touch only the
edges of the storage device. Gently and firmly
apply pressure straight down. When the storage
device is firmly inserted, installation is complete.

9. IDE/EIDE
IDE hard drives require that their jumpers are set correctly. It's
easier to complete this process before the installation. On the back
of the hard drive is a small set of pins with a small sheath of plastic
connecting two of the pins. This removable plastic piece is known
as a jumper block, or shunt. The jumper placement configures for
single, master, slave, or cable select operation. If you're not sure
what the jumper settings are, check your hard drive owner's
manual, or look for a jumper diagram affixed to the hard drive
itself.

10. IDE Interface
Jumpers
power connector

11. 1. If the new hard drive is going to be the only hard drive in the
computer, set the jumper as master.
2. If the new hard drive is going to be a second hard drive on the
same IDE cable as another hard drive, set the jumper as slave.
If a hard drive uses an IDE/EIDE interface and shares the cable
with another device (e.g., disc drive), the other drive should be a
slave and the hard drive set as master. Consult your manual or
jumper diagram for the correct settings, and set each drive's
jumpers accordingly.

12. Alternatively, if all devices on the IDE cable have jumpers set to
"cable select," their master/slave configuration is determined by
their position on the cable. Consult your owner's manual for detailed
information about your drive's cable select capability.
Once you set the jumpers, connect the data and power cables to the
motherboard by matching them to the ports with the appropriate
number of pins.

13. The IDE/EIDE cable (gray flat ribbon cable) has a blue, red, or dotted
line on one side of it that indicates pin 1. This side of the cable point
to the side where the power connects to the back of the hard drive.
If the IDE/EIDE cable is not already connected to the interface card
or motherboard, connect that end of the cable now. If this is the only
hard drive, we recommend the drive connect to the PRIMARY 0 (PRI
0) or PRIMARY 1 (PRI 1) motherboard connector.