Home-Payment systems-Connecting an internal hard drive via USB. Physical disk connection

Connecting an internal hard drive via USB. Physical disk connection

The system unit case has compartments for devices (usually they are located in the front part of the case). The upper compartments of the housing are usually intended for installation optical drives CD/DVD, Blu-Ray. And the lower compartments shown in the photo are designed for installing hard drives.

We select any of the available compartments and place the hard drive there. It is necessary to position it so that the connectors (see image) of the drive face inside the case.


Then, we take the hard drive and insert it along the guides that prevent it from falling down.


All. The disk is inserted, now it needs to be secured with screws. As you can see, the case has corresponding mounting holes.


It is necessary to ensure that the threaded holes on the disk match the holes on the body. Now we will tighten the screws in them.


It is desirable that there are four screws, two on one side and two on the other. Having screwed the hard drive on one side, unfold the case and screw the other side.


We have secured the hard drive. Check that it does not wobble; if the disk moves, then tighten the screws more tightly.


Installation hard drive completed, you can now connect it to motherboard. First of all, you should consider that hard drives different generations have different connectors different cables(“loops”) for connection.
We will consider connecting hard disk with the most common interfaces IDE (outdated, but still in use) and SATA.

Connecting a hard drive with a SATA interface

The SATA hard drive is connected using a narrow data cable shown in the figure.

We connect one end of this cable to the connector on the disk, and the other to the motherboard.


After connecting the information cable, connect the power cable (from the power supply) to the corresponding connector of the SATA drive


If your power supply does not have connectors for SATA devices, use an IDE/SATA power adapter. If the hard drive has two types of power connectors, SATA and MOLEX, connecting one of them is enough.

All. We have a hard drive with a SATA interface connected.


How to connect hard drive via SATA video:

Connecting an IDE hard drive

When connecting an IDE disk, first of all you need to set its operating mode: MASTER (master) or SLAVE (slave). Since we are installing one hard drive, we need to set the MASTER mode. The mode is determined by the position of the jumper on the back of the disk.


The figure on top of the hard drive shows which position to install the jumper to make it work as MASTER.

This is what the IDE connectors on the motherboard look like for connecting IDE drives and other IDE devices.


Devices are connected using an IDE cable (cable).


We take the end of a longer segment of the cable and connect it to the connector on the motherboard. Since we have one hard drive, the cable should be connected to the first IDE channel (on the motherboard there is usually a designation - IDE 0 Primary and IDE 1 Secondary).


Now we connect the cable to the hard drive. The connector located at the end of a short section of the cable is always connected to MASTER.

That's it. We took a step-by-step look at how to correctly connect a new hard drive via SATA, as well as a hard drive with an old IDE connector. By following these instructions, you can also additionally connect second hard disk to computer. If the hard drive is new or transferred from another computer, then the following are all necessary procedures its settings will be completed during .

Additional;

Choose which one hard drives will be the main one, that is, the active one, from which the operating system will boot. Determine the order by installing small jumpers in the appropriate positions according to the diagrams shown directly on each hard drive.

Turn on your computer and go to BIOS settings. If hard drives are not detected automatically, identify them manually with the appropriate command. Then save the changes and exit the BIOS.

Video on the topic

Sources:

  • how to install a second hard drive
  • How to connect a second hard drive

To connect to computer as second hard disk external device designed to work via a USB port, you just need to insert connecting wire into the corresponding connectors on the bodies of both devices. The process of installing a stationary hard disk as the second main drive in the system unit of your computer. The sequence of actions for this option is described below.

Instructions

Finish work operating system, turn off the computer and unplug it network cable. Position system unit so as to have free access to both of its side surfaces.

Remove both side panels. As a rule, to do this, it is enough to unscrew two screws connecting them to rear panel, and then move it 5 centimeters back and put it somewhere not very far.

Install new hard drive into one of the free slots in the case. Do this carefully so as not to accidentally disconnect the wires, of which there are plenty inside the case. The connectors for connecting power should be on the motherboard side, and the hard drive is secured with four screws - two on each side of the system unit case. As a sample placement and fastening, use already installed hard drive.

Connect the power cable and data cable (“cable”) between the new hard drive and the motherboard. These wires differ depending on the type of hard drive being installed (IDE or SATA), but in any case, their connectors are asymmetrical in shape and the connectors can only be inserted in one way, so you cannot make a mistake. This will help you find the right slots on the motherboard. installed hard disk - the connectors you are looking for should be located next to those used to connect it. On hard drive cases that use the IDE bus, there are jumpers that are used to establish a hierarchy of disks installed in the computer - one of them must be designated as primary, and all the rest as secondary. However, in most cases there is no need to use them, since the BIOS is able to figure out the device configuration itself with the jumpers set by default.

Make sure that you have not damaged anything inside the system case during the installation process or forgotten any tools in it. Do not rush to close the case - you should first check the result of the operation performed. Connect all the necessary wires, the last of which should be the network cable. Then turn on your computer and go into the BIOS settings to make sure it can recognize the new device. After this, turn off the computer and replace the side surfaces of the system unit.

Sources:

  • how to connect a drive to a computer in 2019

The time has come when one hard drive in a computer is no longer enough. More and more users decide to connect second HDD to your PC, but not everyone knows how to do it correctly themselves in order 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 the hard drive - it can be connected as 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 HDD connections, 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 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 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 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:

  1. The jumper on the adapter is set to Master mode.
  2. The IDE plug connects to the hard drive itself.
  3. Red SATA cable one side is connected to the adapter, the other to the motherboard.
  4. 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 new HDD 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 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 outer casing for hard drive. The essence of the operation of such devices is similar - through the adapter the HDD is supplied required voltage, and the connection to a PC is via USB. Hard drives of different form factors have their own cables, so when purchasing you should always pay attention to the standard that sets overall dimensions your HDD.

If you decide to connect the drive using the second method, then literally follow 2 rules: do not neglect safe removal devices and do not disconnect the disk 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.

The production of hard drives does not stand still. Technologies are actively developing: writing and reading speeds are increasing, service life is increasing, new standards and form factors are appearing, which is why many old devices are becoming incompatible with modern computers. Using IDE SATA adapter and you can even force old car work with new drives.

Differences between SATA and IDE

IDE (ATA) - parallel interface connecting storage devices or optical drives to the motherboard. Old standard from the 1990s. IDE technology uses a 40-pin connector to connect to the motherboard and a separate 4-pin power supply. Currently an almost obsolete class. The exception is old equipment, which is still in use for unknown reasons.

SATA- serial interface exchange of information. Now used in all new devices. It has a number of advantages over the old system.

Main advantages of SATA:

  • high speed of reading/writing information;
  • increased storage capacity;
  • ability to connect devices without restarting the system.

There is also a more recent variety - eSATA. The same SATA, but guarantees stable contact throughout the entire operating time. Applicable for external HDDs.

Why do you need an adapter?

There are several problems that can make you want to purchase an IDE SATA adapter. For example, at home there is old hard an 80 GB IDE disk, and you suddenly need to “pull” a photo out of it. It will not work to connect it to a new computer with SATA connectors.

  1. There was suddenly not enough memory on the computer, but there was a IDE hard a disk of the required size, which at first glance is useless.
  2. The situation may be the opposite: without an upgrade to IDE interfaces I want to get more additional memory or restore files.

All situations have one solution - use a SATA/IDE or IDE SATA adapter. It is capable of converting data flow from one system to another, thus blurring the boundaries between different standards. The complexity of the application is nothing more than using an adapter for microSD cards.

How to choose?

The first step is to decide which adapter you need. There are as many as five options:

  • IDE/SATA.
  • SATA/IDE.
  • IDE USB.
  • SATA USB.
  • IDE SATA USB.

The first two points are suitable for indoor installation. They will be useful if you want to place one or more hard drives or SSDs of different standards in a computer case. Usually these adapters do not even have a housing and are not protected in any way. Look like regular fee, where it is intuitively clear where and what to connect.

An important parameter The adapter from IDE to SATA is the speed of reading and transferring information. In the case of USB adapter, this could be 2.0 or 3.0 version. The latter allows you to process information faster, but depends on the version of the computer ports, as well as on the capabilities of the hard drive itself.

IDE SATA with USB output

In addition to adapters for switching between IDE SATA standards, you can find IDE SATA on the shelves USB adapters. This device allows you to connect any hard drive directly to USB port regardless of standards. So, it is allowed to use ordinary ones as a large flash drive. This is most useful for laptops or tablets.

They are found as universal (SATA IDE adapter on one board, connecting several media of one or different types), and separate (SATA or IDE only) adapters. The choice depends on your specific needs and price. An important parameter when choosing will be the presence of built-in or additional block nutrition. Without it, the adapter will cost a little less, but will be less functional. It is possible to use the central power supply of the computer, but this is not always convenient, and you will also have to unscrew the cover each time.

Nutrition

IDE series drives are powered by a regular Molex connector with 12v and 5v pins. It is available on all power supplies.

SATA drives require connections for 12v, 5v and 3.3v boards. For this you can find a regular adapter SATA power supply 15 pin IDE with Molex connector. The problem is that standard Molex does not have a 3.3v wire, which means it is not able to power a certain board block. This feature was taken into account by disk manufacturers and, to some extent, resolved.

Connected via a drive powered by a Molex/Sata adapter, it will work adequately on all machines, but not all will be able to support hot-plugging technology (removing or attaching to the system during operation). Most modern power supplies have a separate output - a SATA connector, which is not Molex and includes 3.3v power. One way or another, modern SATA devices do not require a 3.3v voltage to operate.

Adapter or new drive?

There is no clear answer to this question. It all depends on your preferences and budget. Nowadays, memory prices have dropped significantly, but they are still not encouraging in some respects. Perhaps a more rational solution would be to purchase a new drive or docking station that will allow you to quickly connect hard drives different formats based on the principle of a flash drive.

It is worth considering that buying a new hard drive may entail an upgrade of the entire system, while installing an adapter does not oblige you to anything.

DIY

Most useful electronic devices can be assembled for just a few dollars with your own hands, without special knowledge electronics, but the IDE SATA adapter hardly falls into the category of easily reproducible devices. Ultimately, most likely, much more time and money will be spent than if you purchased a ready-made adapter, although it is easy to find many working diagrams on the Internet. But “technomonsters” should like this task.

If you learn to decide an easy task how to connect a hard drive to a computer, you can repair the capricious device yourself or install additional hard drive to increase internal memory. For installation work you will need a simple screwdriver and general knowledge about the simple design of the system unit.

Winchester, HDD, and hard drive – different names the same storage device. On this drive all information is stored permanently, it does not disappear after the power is turned off and can be deleted by the user. This is where you drop your music, TV series, photos and valuable documents. If you know how to connect a hard drive to a computer, then even if your PC is seriously damaged, you will be able to remove the HDD and transfer important data to other devices in just a few minutes.

How to connect a hard drive to a computer:

  1. Turn off the system side and disconnect all wires.
  2. Remove the side cover of the system unit.
  3. Having reached the inside of your PC, pay attention to the lower right zone, here are the compartments for mounting the HDD.
  4. We insert the hard drive into the free slot and screw it to the frame with screws on both sides.
  5. We make sure that the necessary connectors always face the inside of our block.
  6. The next stage of the task “How to connect a hard drive to a computer” is connecting the drive to the motherboard and power. For this purpose, there are cables in SATA or IDE format.
  7. The power and interface connectors on the hard drive are located next to each other, but they differ in size, and it is impossible to confuse them.
  8. It is advisable to connect the cables carefully until they stop; in case of an error, turn the connector over to the correct side.
  9. The connectors on the motherboard are located at the bottom and in most cases are marked.
  10. Connect the end of the power cable to the hard drive.
  11. Close the system unit with the lid and connect the peripheral cables.
  12. When you turn it on, sometimes the new HDD is not detected, then you need to find it in the “Disk Management” section, format it, and assign its name.

How to connect a second hard drive to a computer?

All blocks have several HDD slots located vertically one above the other. We mount the hard drive according to the same rules as in the previous instructions. IN standard version There are several cables coming from the power supply, so the problem is how to connect two hard drives at the same time, it can be solved simply. Otherwise, you will have to purchase an inexpensive splitter.


Computer disks measuring 3.5″ and 25 mm high will not fit inside a laptop; they are used for this purpose HDD size 2.5″ and 9.5mm high. To replace or install a new drive, you need to turn the laptop over, disconnect the battery and remove the cover, freeing access to the hard drive. Next, unscrew the mounting screws and can remove old disk or proceed directly to connecting a new drive.

How to connect extra hard disk to laptop:

  1. We place the chassis with the hard drive in the niche, connect it, pressing it all the way.
  2. We secure the hard drive to the bottom of the laptop with special screws.
  3. Install the battery.

How to connect a second hard drive to a laptop?

Many users have a desire to increase the memory of their device, but the dimensions thin laptop they are not allowed to do this in a convenient way, like on a personal computer. There are several ways to implement this idea; you need to understand the components and choose the right option. Don’t be afraid to make a mistake about which SATA to connect the second hard drive to; in most versions, the devices are equipped with only one connector for the drive and a connector for the DVD drive.

Options for connecting a second hard drive to a laptop:

  1. In rare models there is a slot for a second hard drive.
  2. We use adapters SATA-USB, SATA-IDE, IDE-USB. We supply power to the device with an additional cord.
  3. The use of factory containers for HDDs, which allow connecting the drive via a USB port. When buying this adapter pocket, you need to know the size of your disk; there are versions for 2.5 inches and 3.5 inches.
  4. Purchasing a ready-made laptop computer.
  5. Remove the DVD drive and install a second hard drive in its place.

How to connect an external hard drive to a laptop?

This method of expanding memory has significant advantages; you do not need to disassemble the device and use special adapters, so even beginners can quickly solve the problem of how to connect a hard drive to a laptop. We buy external drive and let's get to work. Please note that some models are powered from the mains and require a separate power supply.

How to connect a hard drive to a mobile computer:

  1. Connect power to the external drive.
  2. Connect the USB cable to the hard drive.
  3. Second end USB cord connect to a free port.
  4. When the indicator lights up, the HDD is ready for operation.
  5. The disk is displayed on the laptop monitor.

The way devices interact changes over time, new formats constantly appear, which leads to problems of how to connect a new HDD to personal computer or laptop. Port sizes and connecting cables from an old device often do not fit a new hard drive. There are three main types of interfaces that are actively used on mobile or desktop PCs, understand them to the modern user it won't be difficult.


IN SATA computers Reliable 7-pin connectors for the data bus and 15-pin connectors for power connections are used. They are reliable and are not afraid of multiple connections. When it comes to the question of how many hard drives can be connected to a computer, it all depends on the number of ports on the motherboard. Interface cables to the disk and motherboard are connected in the same way. There are several versions of SATA with different bandwidths:

  • SATA I – 1.5 Gbit/s;
  • SATA II – 3 Gbit/s;
  • SATA III – 6 Gb/s;

IDE interfaces have been in use since the 80s, throughput by today's standards, they are small - up to 133 MB/s. Now they have been replaced everywhere by new versions of high-speed SATA ports. IDE devices found mainly on budget motherboards and PCs in the low-cost segment. Due to the fact that users still have plenty of old-style drives, they have to solve the problem of their compatibility. The best option- produce IDE connection hard drive to a new generation cable without installation additional drivers– use a modern SATA-IDE adapter.


It is easiest to work with a special external USB disk, for which no additional devices are needed. In case of connection standard HDD An adapter is needed from a PC or laptop. It looks like a box made of a metal or plastic case; when assembled, this device differs little from the standard one external hard drive. A 3.5-inch drive is often connected without a box, using a direct adapter cable. If one hard drive is not enough, then the problem of how to connect the HDD to the computer can be solved using a docking station for several disks.




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