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Lesson 5: Hard drive installation - Steps to replace a hard drive

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Overview

In lesson 5 we'll configure and install the hard drives into the case. Pay attention to the direction of the data and power connections, being sure they are facing the back of the case.  The steps to replace a hard drive are the same.  Just reverse the order to remove an existing hard drive.

Before we install the 2 SATA hard drives into the 3.5 inch bays lets talk about IDE hard drives.  If your motherboard has an IDE controller and you want to install an old style IDE hard drive, please go to www.homepcbuilder.com/ide for instructions on configuring the jumpers the IDE drive.

If you have a SATA hard drive, you don't need to configure any jumpers.

Installing the Hard drives

Example 1

We're installing 2 SATA hard drives into our case. The first is a 1TB drive and the second is a 250GB drive.  To install the hard drives we have to remove the hard drive cage.

It's held in by eight thumb screws, 4 per side and it slides out the front of the case.  There is also a bracket for an optional fan that we won't be using.

We'll install the 1TB drive into the top and the 250GB drive into the middle bay.  Making sure the power and data connections will be facing the back of the case.

This cage comes with special, long screws. The cage is much wider than a typical hard drive cage so the screws have to reach further in.

We'll put two screws, per drive, on one side, leaving them loose, turn the cage over and put two more screws, per drive, tighten them down and then tighten the other side.

The reason for leaving the screws loose, at first, is to let the drive move just enough, so we can get all the screws in.

We'll slide the cage back in the front of the case and secure it with the eight thumb screws.

Example 2

Some hard drive bays are fixed in the case.  You slide the hard drives in, from the back of the case.

Again, making sure the cable connections are facing the motherboard and secure the drives with 2 screws on each side.

It’s important to use all 4 screws for each drive.  If the drives aren’t secure, they will vibrate, which will increase the chance of failure and increase the noise the drives make.

Example 3

Some cases have sliders than put tension on each side of the hard drive and secure it into the bay.

We’ll connect the power and data cables later.

In the next lesson we’ll install the DVD drive into the 5.25 inch bays.

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