Connecting two sata hard drives. Hard drive problems

Good day.

For many users, one disk is often not enough for everyday work on a laptop. There are, of course, different options for solving the issue: buy an external hard drive, flash drive, etc. media (we will not consider this option in the article).

Or you can install a second hard drive (or SSD (solid state)) instead of the optical drive. For example, I use it very rarely (I’ve used it a couple of times over the last year, and if I didn’t have it, I probably wouldn’t remember about it).

In this article I want to look at the main questions that may arise when connecting a second drive to a laptop. So…

1. Selecting the required “adapter” (which is installed instead of the drive)

This is the first question and the most important! The fact is that many people do not suspect that thickness The disk drives in different laptops may be different! The most common thicknesses are 12.7 mm and 9.5 mm.

To find out the thickness of your drive, there are 2 ways:

1. Open some utility, such as AIDA (free utilities: ), then find out the exact model of the drive in it, and then find its characteristics on the manufacturer’s website and look at the dimensions there.

2. Measure the thickness of the drive by removing it from the laptop (this is a 100% option, I recommend it so as not to make a mistake). This option is discussed further down in the article.

By the way, please note that this “adapter” is correctly called a little differently: “Caddy for Laptop Notebook” (see Fig. 1).

Rice. 1. Adapter for a laptop for installing a second disk. 12.7mm SATA to SATA 2nd Aluminum Hard Disk Drive HDD Caddy for Laptop Notebook)

2. How to remove the drive from a laptop

This is done quite simply. Important! If your laptop is under warranty, such an operation may result in denial of warranty service. Whatever you do next, do it at your own peril and risk.

1) Turn off the laptop, disconnect all wires from it (power, mice, headphones, etc.).

2) Turn it over and remove the battery. Usually its fastening is a simple latch (sometimes there can be 2 of them).

3) To remove the drive, as a rule, it is enough to unscrew 1 screw that holds it. In a typical laptop design, this screw is located approximately in the center. When you unscrew it, it will be enough to lightly pull the drive housing (see Fig. 2) and it should easily “move out” of the laptop.

I emphasize that proceed carefully; as a rule, the drive comes out of the case very easily (without any effort).

Rice. 2. Laptop: disk drive mount.

4) It is advisable to measure the thickness using a caliper rod. If it is not there, you can use a ruler (as in Fig. 3). In principle, to distinguish 9.5 mm from 12.7, a ruler is more than enough.

Rice. 3. Measuring the thickness of the drive: it is clearly visible that the drive is about 9 mm thick.

Connecting a second drive to a laptop (step by step)

To begin with, I want to draw your attention to 2 nuances:

Many users complain that the laptop loses its appearance somewhat after installing such an adapter. But in most cases, the old drive socket can be carefully removed (sometimes small screws can hold it in place) and installed on the adapter (red arrow in Fig. 4);

Before installing the disk, remove the stop (green arrow in Fig. 4). Some people push the disk “from above” at an angle without removing the stop. This often leads to damage to the contacts of the disk or adapter.

As a rule, the disk fits into the adapter slot quite easily and there are no problems with installing the disk into the adapter itself (see Fig. 5).

Rice. 5. An SSD drive is installed in the adapter

Problems often arise when users try to install an adapter in place of the optical drive in a laptop. Most often the problems are as follows:

The adapter was chosen incorrectly; for example, it turned out to be thicker than needed. Forcing the adapter into the laptop can cause damage! In general, the adapter itself should “ride” into the laptop as if on rails, without the slightest effort;

On such adapters you can often find compensator screws. In my opinion, there is no benefit from them, I recommend removing them immediately. By the way, it often happens that it is they that rest against the laptop body, preventing the adapter from being installed into the laptop (see Fig. 6).

If everything is done carefully, the laptop will have its original appearance after installing the second disk. Everyone will “think” that the laptop has an optical drive, but in fact there is another HDD or SSD (see Fig. 7) ...

Rice. 7. The adapter along with the disk is installed in the laptop

I recommend that after installing the second disk, go into the laptop’s BIOS and check whether the disk is detected there. In most cases (if the installed disk is working and there were no previous problems with the drive), the BIOS correctly detects the disk.

How to enter the BIOS (keys for different device manufacturers):

To summarize, I want to say that the installation itself is a simple matter, anyone can do it. The main thing is to take your time and act carefully. Often problems arise due to haste: first they didn’t measure the drive, then they bought the wrong adapter, then they started installing it “by force” - as a result, they took the laptop for repair...

That's all for me, I tried to sort out all the pitfalls that may exist when installing a second disk.

Hello dear visitors. In this lesson, I will show you using a real example how to connect a hard drive to your computer. I want to warn you right away that this is not difficult and it will not waste much of your time.

Let's get started right away!

First of all, prepare the system unit: turn off the power and disconnect all cables from it so that they do not interfere with us. After this, remove the side cover from the system unit by unscrewing the two screws on the back.

Now we can already see the insides of our computer. note to the lower right system unit. Here are the bays for connecting hard drives.

Pick up the hard drive and carefully insert it into the free slot. The main thing is that the connection connectors are turned inside the system unit.

Here the holes in the hard drive and on the slot itself where the drive is connected must also match. We will use these holes for fixation. We take 4 bolts and fasten them on one side and the other.

Completed at this stage installing a hard drive into the system unit. Now you need to connect it to the motherboard. To do this, modern computers use a SATA power cable and a SATA interface cable. This is what they look like:

First of all, connect the SATA interface to the hard drive.

Be sure to connect the correct way. If you suddenly feel that the cable does not fit into the connector, then try connecting it on the other side. He'll definitely fit in.

The other side of the cable must be connected to the motherboard. We look for a suitable connector and connect it. Typically, these connectors are located at the bottom of the board and are labeled SATA.

The last step remains - supply power to the hard drive.

We take the SATA power cable and connect it to the hard drive, next to the first connector.

The other side of this cable must be connected to the power supply. Examine the wires coming from the power supply and find the connector for connection.

By the way, if you already have another hard drive is connected to the computer, then most likely the power is already leaving it and of course you can use it so as not to create new wires.

This is how it can hang unnoticeably among the wires:

After connecting the hard drive to the system unit, we proceed to setting it up in the system. Close the system cover and reconnect all the wires. Let's turn on the computer!

If you have a new hard drive, then most likely it will not be immediately detected by the system and you will need to format it.

Open the Computer section and see if a new hard drive has appeared?

Right-click on the Computer section and select Manage.

ATTENTION! The main thing here is not to mess anything up and not to delete data from the necessary disks!!!

Create a simple volume and format the new hard drive and, if necessary, assign a drive letter to it.

Well, as you can see, in modern computers connect hard drive very simple! It only remains to mention that in addition to the modern SATA interface, there is also IDE, which is used in old drives! It looks like this:

Now let's summarize briefly. So, to connect the hard drive to the computer you need to do the following steps:

1. Install the hard drive in a free slot
2. Connect the SATA interface
3. Connect SATA power
4. Set up a hard drive in Windows

That's all, good luck connecting the hard drive!

Sometimes it seems that even the largest hard drive will fill up within a short period of time. Perhaps you don't want to delete information from the old drive, or you need a new drive to store certain data on it. However, keep in mind that the internal space of a computer case is not unlimited. Here are some methods you can use to free up space and use an additional hard drive.

Steps

Connecting an external hard drive

Choose a suitable external hard drive. Such disks have different dimensions and volume. Make sure your computer has a free slot to which you can connect an external hard drive.

If you just need to plug in and use an external hard drive, buy one without additional power.
If you regularly back up your data, find a drive with special software that allows you to make backups.
Pay attention to the speed of information transfer via the USB interface. The latest USB specification (USB 3.0) provides faster data transfer speeds, but your computer must have a corresponding USB port (remember, USB ports and cables are backwards compatible).

Connect an external hard drive. In most cases, external hard drives are connected to the computer via a USB cable, and some using a SATA cable. The connected external drive will be automatically recognized by the system, and you can start using it.

Make sure the system recognizes the external hard drive. To do this, open Windows Explorer (or the Computer window) and make sure that the external hard drive is in the list of all connected storage media. Now you can use an external hard drive.

Using a network drive
1. Consider whether to use a network drive. Such a disk is necessary for storing and exchanging information with other users connected to the same network. Moreover, use a network drive if you want to remotely access data from any computer.
  
  Connect the drive. A network drive is connected to the network, and you can access it at any time while you are also connected to the network.
  - If the network drive needs additional power, connect the adapter to an electrical outlet.
  - Connect the drive to the network. To do this, use a router or modem and an Ethernet cable or USB cable.
2. Label the network drive with a letter. This way, when connected to the network, you can easily access the network drive (like any other hard drive). The following procedure is intended for Windows 10 users and may vary slightly on other versions of the system.
  - Go to “This PC” – “Map Network Drive”.
  - Select a drive letter and click Browse.
  - Select a network drive from the list and click OK.
3. Open a network drive. To do this, open Windows Explorer and find the network drive in the list of all connected storage media.
Replacing the optical drive
1. Buy the appropriate adapters. In most cases, the optical drive fits into a 5.25-inch bay, which is too large for a 3.5-inch hard drive. Therefore, check the documentation for your optical drive to find out its size.
  - A bay is a limited space inside a computer case into which an optical drive, floppy drive, or hard drive is inserted. To install a hard drive in a larger bay, special adapters or brackets are used.
2. Unplug the power cable from the computer. Before working on computer components, be sure to turn off the power.
  
  Open the computer case. Use a screwdriver to remove the side panel of the case (some cases can be opened without a screwdriver). The type of screwdriver depends on the model and manufacturer of the case.
  
  Disconnect the cables connected to the optical drive. In the vast majority of cases, there are two cables connected to the optical drive: a power cable and a data cable.
  - The power cable has a white plug and black, yellow and red wires.
  - The flat (“ribbon”) data cable is equipped with a wide plug.
3. Remove the screws or latches that secure the optical drive. Having done this, remove the drive from the housing.
  
  Install the bracket or adapter (if necessary). Secure the bracket or adapter with screws.
  
  Insert the internal hard drive into the empty bay. Insert the hard drive into the bay and secure it with screws.
  
  Connect the hard drive to the motherboard. To do this, connect the power cable and data cable to the hard drive.
  
  Connect the power cable to the computer. You need to turn on your computer to set it up to use the new hard drive.
4. Enter BIOS. BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is the software that the processor needs to determine the installed components and equipment, such as an additional hard drive. The method for entering and making changes to the BIOS depends on the manufacturer and model of the motherboard. Read your motherboard's documentation to find out how to enter the BIOS and open the Hardware section.
  - Turn on the computer and immediately hold down the appropriate key.
  - Once in the BIOS, look for a section (or tab) called “Hardware,” “Setup,” or similar. Navigation within the BIOS is carried out using the keyboard.
  - The list should show the installed hard drive. If it is not listed, turn off your computer and check that the associated cables are securely connected.
  - Find and activate the "Auto-detect" option.
  - Save your changes and exit the BIOS. To do this, you need to press a specific key. The computer will automatically restart.
5. Format your hard drive. Before using your hard drive, you must format it with a file system that is compatible with your operating system. If you plan to install Windows on your hard drive, format it with NTFS, and for simple data storage, xFAT or FAT32 is suitable. The following procedure is intended for Windows 10 users, but most likely applies to other versions of this system.
  - Press Win+R to open the Run window.
  - Enter diskmgmt.msc and click OK. The Disk Management utility will launch.
  - In the list, right-click on the new hard drive and select “Format” from the menu.
  - Select the desired file system and click OK. The disk formatting process will take some time (depending on the disk size). Once the formatting process is complete, you can use the hard drive.
- An IDE cable has two or three plugs. One end of the cable connects to the motherboard and the other to the device (hard drive or optical drive). A maximum of two devices can be connected to one IDE cable. If your motherboard does not have a free IDE connector, install an additional card with an IDE connector. If your motherboard supports the Serial ATA (SATA) interface, use hard drives with this interface (data transfer speed will increase significantly). Many motherboard models support connecting up to four SATA hard drives (in the case of an IDE interface, you can connect only two drives), which will allow you to create a RAID array.
- Any internal hard drive can be inserted into a special case and used as an external hard drive.
- Keep in mind that other users are connecting to the network drive, so take steps to protect your data.
- Instead of a 3.5-inch hard drive, you can use a 2.5-inch drive, which is usually found in laptops. In this case, you will have to buy the appropriate adapters or brackets.
- If you want to install an internal hard drive but can't afford to lose the hardware inside your computer case, consider purchasing a larger case.
Warnings
- Take care of your safety! Before opening the computer case, disconnect it from the power source. Also, before working with computer components, touch an unpainted metal surface to eliminate static electricity.
What you will need
- Additional hard drive.
- Screwdriver. To open the computer case and remove the hardware, you will most likely need a screwdriver. The type of screwdriver depends on the model and manufacturer of the case.
- Matching adapters. To install a 3.5" hard drive in a 5.25" bay (instead of an optical drive), you will need an adapter or bracket. When using a 2.5-inch hard drive, an appropriate container or adapter is required.
- Powerful power supply. Remember that as you add more hardware, the load on your power supply increases. Therefore, read the documentation for your power supply and make sure that it is capable of powering an additional hard drive.
- Free power cable and data cable. If there is no free power cable, buy an appropriate splitter.
- A BIOS that supports the required number and size of hard drives (unless you are going to create a RAID array).

The time has come when one hard drive in a computer is no longer enough. More and more users decide to connect a second HDD to their PC, but not everyone knows how to do it correctly themselves to avoid mistakes. In fact, the procedure for adding a second disk is simple and does not require special skills. It is not even necessary to mount a hard drive - it can be connected as an external device if there is a free USB port.

Options for connecting a second hard drive are as simple as possible:

Connecting the HDD to the computer system unit.
Suitable for owners of regular desktop PCs who do not want to have external connected devices.
Connecting a hard drive as an external drive.
The easiest way to connect an HDD, and the only one possible for a laptop owner.

Option 1. Installation in the system unit

HDD type determination

Before connecting, you need to determine the type of interface the hard drive works with - SATA or IDE. Almost all modern computers are equipped with a SATA interface, so it is best if the hard drive is of the same type. The IDE bus is considered obsolete and may simply not be present on the motherboard. Therefore, connecting such a drive may cause some difficulties.

The easiest way to recognize the standard is by contacts. This is what they look like on SATA drives:

And this is how the IDE does it:

Connecting a second SATA drive in the system unit

The process of connecting a disk is very easy and takes place in several stages:

Boot priority for SATA drives

The motherboard usually has 4 connectors for connecting SATA drives. They are designated as SATA0 - the first, SATA1 - the second, etc. The priority of the hard drive is directly related to the numbering of the connector. If you need to manually set the priority, you will need to go into the BIOS. Depending on the BIOS type, the interface and controls will be different.

In older versions, go to the section Advanced BIOS Features and work with the parameters First Boot Device And Second Boot Device. In new BIOS versions, look for the section Boot or Boot Sequence and parameter 1st/2nd Boot Priority.

Connecting a second IDE drive

In rare cases, there is a need to install a disk with an outdated IDE interface. In this case, the connection process will be slightly different.

Connecting a second IDE drive to the first SATA drive

When you need to connect an IDE drive to an already working SATA HDD, use a special IDE-SATA adapter.

The connection diagram is as follows:

The jumper on the adapter is set to Master mode.
The IDE plug connects to the hard drive itself.
The red SATA cable is connected on one side to the adapter, and the other to the motherboard.
The power cable is connected on one side to the adapter, and on the other to the power supply.

You may need to purchase a 4-pin to SATA adapter.

Initializing the disk in the OS

In both cases, after connecting, the system may not see the connected disk. This does not mean that you did something wrong; on the contrary, it is normal when the new HDD is not visible in the system. The hard drive must be initialized before it can be used. Read about how this is done in our other article.

Option 2. Connecting an external hard drive

Often users choose to connect an external HDD. This is much simpler and more convenient if some files stored on the disk are sometimes needed outside the home. And in the situation with laptops, this method will be especially relevant, since there is no separate slot for a second HDD.

An external hard drive is connected via USB in exactly the same way as another device with the same interface (flash drive, mouse, keyboard).

A hard drive designed for installation in the system unit can also be connected via USB. To do this, you need to use either an adapter/adapter or a special external case for the hard drive. The essence of the operation of such devices is similar - the required voltage is supplied to the HDD through the adapter, and the connection to the PC is made via USB. Hard drives of different form factors have their own cables, so when purchasing you should always pay attention to the standard that specifies the overall dimensions of your HDD.

If you decide to connect the drive using the second method, then literally follow 2 rules: do not neglect to safely remove the device and do not disconnect the drive while working with the PC to avoid errors.

We talked about ways to connect a second hard drive to a computer or laptop. As you can see, there is nothing complicated in this procedure and it is absolutely not necessary to use the services of computer specialists.

Connect the second hard drive to the computer.

The time has come when one hard drive in a computer is no longer enough. More and more users decide to connect a second HDD to their PC, but not everyone knows how to do it correctly themselves to avoid mistakes. In fact, the procedure for adding a second disk is simple and does not require special skills. It is not even necessary to mount a hard drive - it can be connected as an external device if there is a free USB port.
Connecting a second HDD to a PC or laptop
Options for connecting a second hard drive are as simple as possible:

Connecting the HDD to the computer system unit.
Suitable for owners of regular desktop PCs who do not want to have external connected devices.

Connecting a hard drive as an external drive.
The easiest way to connect an HDD, and the only one possible for a laptop owner.

Option 1. Installation in the system unit
HDD type determination

Before connecting, you need to determine the type of interface the hard drive works with - SATA or IDE. Almost all modern computers are equipped with a SATA interface, so it is best if the hard drive is of the same type. The IDE bus is considered obsolete and may simply not be present on the motherboard. Therefore, connecting such a drive may cause some difficulties.

The easiest way to recognize the standard is by contacts. This is what they look like on SATA drives:

And this is how the IDE does it:

Connecting a second SATA drive in the system unit
The process of connecting a disk is very easy and takes place in several stages:

Boot priority for SATA drives

The motherboard usually has 4 connectors for connecting SATA drives. They are designated as SATA0 - the first, SATA1 - the second, etc. The priority of the hard drive is directly related to the numbering of the connector. If you need to manually set the priority, you will need to go into the BIOS. Depending on the BIOS type, the interface and controls will be different.

In older versions, go to the section Advanced BIOS Features and work with the parameters First Boot Device And Second Boot Device. In new BIOS versions, look for the section Boot or Boot Sequence and parameter 1st/2nd Boot Priority.
Connecting a second IDE drive
In rare cases, there is a need to install a disk with an outdated IDE interface. In this case, the connection process will be slightly different.

Connecting a second IDE drive to the first SATA drive

When you need to connect an IDE drive to an already working SATA HDD, use a special IDE-SATA adapter.

The connection diagram is as follows:

The jumper on the adapter is set to Master mode.

The IDE plug connects to the hard drive itself.

The red SATA cable is connected on one side to the adapter, and the other to the motherboard.

The power cable is connected on one side to the adapter, and on the other to the power supply.

You may need to purchase a 4-pin to SATA adapter.

Initializing the disk in the OS

In both cases, after connecting, the system may not see the connected disk. This does not mean that you did something wrong; on the contrary, it is normal when the new HDD is not visible in the system. The hard drive must be initialized before it can be used. Read about how this is done in our other article.
Option 2. Connecting an external hard drive
Often users choose to connect an external HDD. This is much simpler and more convenient if some files stored on the disk are sometimes needed outside the home. And in the situation with laptops, this method will be especially relevant, since there is no separate slot for a second HDD.

An external hard drive is connected via USB in exactly the same way as another device with the same interface (flash drive, mouse, keyboard).

A hard drive designed for installation in the system unit can also be connected via USB. To do this, you need to use either an adapter/adapter or a special external case for the hard drive. The essence of the operation of such devices is similar - the required voltage is supplied to the HDD through the adapter, and the connection to the PC is made via USB. Hard drives of different form factors have their own cables, so when purchasing you should always pay attention to the standard that specifies the overall dimensions of your HDD.

If you decide to connect the drive using the second method, then literally follow 2 rules: do not neglect to safely remove the device and do not disconnect the drive while working with the PC to avoid errors.

We talked about ways to connect a second hard drive to a computer or laptop. As you can see, there is nothing complicated in this procedure and it is absolutely not necessary to use the services of computer specialists.