Most desktop computers have multiple drive bays, each of which can hold a hard drive. If you have a 3.5-inch hard drive and a 3.5-inch drive bay, it will usually slide right in. However, if your drive is smaller than your bay, you'll need an adapter to make it fit correctly. Making internal connections is usually simple, requiring a single data and a single power cable. Of course, while it's relatively easy to install an internal drive, adding storage to your business's computers with external drives is even easier -- just plug them in and use them.
1. Plug the drive's power adapter into an electric outlet, then plug the cable coming out of it into the power input on the drive itself. If the drive has a power button or switch, set it to the "On" position. You may omit this step if the drive is USB-powered.
2. Connect the data cable to the corresponding port on the back of the hard drive. Most hard drives use either a USB connection or an external Serial Advanced Technology Attachment cable. In either case, it can only be inserted one way, so it's important not to force it.
3. Connect the other end of the cable to a corresponding USB or eSATA port on your computer. Once your computer recognizes the drive, it will be ready for use.
1. Touch a metal part on the chassis of your computer, like its back panel, to ground yourself and remove any static electricity that has built up in your body.
2. Shut down your computer and unplug it from the wall.
3. Remove the side and front covers of the case so that you can easily access the internal drive bays.
4. Slide the new hard drive into an open 3.5-inch drive bay and use the four mounting screws to secure it in place. If you have a 2.5-inch hard drive, or if you need to place your hard drive in a 5-inch bay, attach a set of adapter rails that connect to the sides or bottom of the drive to make it fit in the larger bay. You can then screw the rails into the mounting bay.
5. Connect a SATA data cable to your drive's SATA data connector. The data connector is the smaller one on the back of the drive. The piece containing the connectors inside the socket on your drive or motherboard is shaped like a capital L with a very short tail. This prevents you from inserting the cable the wrong way.
6. Connect an SATA power cable coming out of your computer's power supply to your drive's SATA power connector. The SATA power connector looks like the data connector but is much wider. If your power supply doesn't have an extra SATA power connector, connect a four-pin Molex-to-SATA power adapter to a large white four-pin connector coming out of your motherboard.
7. Connect the other end of the SATA data cable to an open SATA port on your motherboard. If your computer's motherboard is out of SATA ports, you will have to add an expansion card with additional internal ports.
8. Replace your computer's cover and plug it back in. Your drive is now hooked up.
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