Installing and configuring a new hard drive or solid storage drive should not be difficult. This guide will explain step by step how to do it correctly.
Have you bought a new hard drive and don't know how to install or configure it? Well, you won't need to contact a computer expert. With the guide that we are going to show you in this article you can install it in the blink of an eyethe only thing you will need is to be patient and invest just 45 minutes of your free time.
Set up a new hard drive on your PC
So that you do not make mistakes when installing and configuring a new hard drive on your computer, we advise you to take things slowly, because if you rush when carrying out this procedure, you could damage your new hard drive forever.
Having clarified this issue, the steps that you will see below will help you to install any type of storage drive: SSD (Solid State Drive) and HDD (Hard Disk Drive).
Back up all your data
Although there are usually no problems when installing a new hard drive or SSD in a computer, it is better “prevent than cure”. A lot can happen during the setup process and Being cautious is without a doubt an issue to take into account..
You can use an external drive to make a copy of all your files, or even use an online service. If the number of files to be backed up does not exceed 32 or 64 GB, you can use a pendrive.
Check that your PC has space to fit a new hard drive
Most PC cases have several “bays” to install different storage units. From your tower manual you will always be able to know how many spaces do you have available.
The same way, It is better that you remove the side cover of the PC chassis and check that there is space to install 3.5-inch drives (hard drive) or 2.5-inch drives (SSD).
Take things slowly, safety is very important
Before setting up a new hard drive, you must turn off the computer, disconnect it from the power and wait at least 5 minutes so that the electrical capacitors are completely discharged.
Having turned off the PC, you will be forced to have to remove the power cable from the source. Likewise, you should use an antistatic bracelet, as any electrostatic discharge could damage the internal components of your computer.
Place the new hard drive inside the tower
Once you have located where the hard drives are placed, you will need to take your HDD or SSD and use some of the bays that has your PC case.
If it is a system of the type “removable bays”you must remove it and screw in the storage unit you want to install. On the other hand, if it is an anchor system, you will have to remove them and install the hard drive.
It is extremely important that the hard drive or solid state drive is securely fastened to the case bay. Any movement could cause the disc to hit and damage the components inside.
Connect the power cable and data cable
Now it will be your turn connect the unit. This is a very simple and quick process. Most, if not all, storage drives require two cables, one for data and one for power.
The good thing about this procedure is that They have only one connection position, so you should not make mistakes when connecting the respective cables. You must connect the data cable to the hard drive or SSD, as well as to the motherboard. Meanwhile, the power cable must be taken from the power source that your computer has.
Set up the new hard drive in Windows
Once you have finished installing it, you will have to configure it from Windows. This process is very simple and should not take you more than 5 minutes to carry out:
- First you will have to do a right click on the Windows button (the one that appears on the taskbar).
- Then, you must click on “Disk Management”.
- A list will appear with all the available storage units.
- The new hard drive will appear a small black bar showing the message “Not assigned”.
- Therefore, you must right click on that unit.
- You will have to select the option that says “Format”.
- You must choose the format “NTFS”.
- The next step you will have to carry out will be to click on “Accept”.
- Once formatting is complete, you can use the new storage drive.
Last but not least, if Windows does not detect the new hard drive, from here We advise you to check its internal connections., as well as access the motherboard BIOS. You may need to activate it from the system settings of your computer's motherboard.