How To Install A Second (Transplanted) Hard Drive? Advice Please.

  • Thread starter Thread starter KIMOSABE
  • Start date Start date
K

KIMOSABE

Before I begin, let me say that I don't know much about computers, but
I can usually follow directions.

My wife's computer died. To make a long story short, I want to put
her hard drive into my computer as a second hard drive so that she can
retrieve her stuff and move it to an external hard drive we have.

I took her hard drive out. It has a flat cable that has two
connectors that were plugged into her motherboard. When I open my
computer, I'm sure that my hard drive will be using those plug in
places. So, how does a second hard drive get installed?

Both computers are similar and are the same brand and around the same
age.

Thanks in advance for any help.
 
The easiest way to do it so you don't have to worry about proper jumper
settings is to unplug the cable to the cd-rom drive(s) in your PC and
connect her hard drive to that, copy the date over, then shut down and
reconnect your cd drives.

--
 
The easiest way to do it so you don't have to worry about proper jumper
settings is to unplug the cable to the cd-rom drive(s) in your PC and
connect her hard drive to that, copy the date over, then shut down and
reconnect your cd drives.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the response. Just for clarity, do you mean to follow the
leads from the cd roms to the motherboard and unplug them there? The
hard drive cable has two things to plug in, (one gray, one blue, and
in her computer, the blue plug was in a blue recepticle) so do I have
to free up two places on the motherboard?

I reallize these may be knuckleheaded questions, but I have sparse
knowledge of computers.
 
KIMOSABE said:
Thanks for the response. Just for clarity, do you mean to follow the
leads from the cd roms to the motherboard and unplug them there? The
hard drive cable has two things to plug in, (one gray, one blue, and
in her computer, the blue plug was in a blue recepticle) so do I have
to free up two places on the motherboard?

I reallize these may be knuckleheaded questions, but I have sparse
knowledge of computers.
Click to expand...

Your first post was a little unclear to me whether you wanted to
permanently mount your wife's hard drive in your machine or if you were
just going to do this temporarily to get her data off. If the latter,
then I agree with Dave B. that the easiest thing to do is unplug the cd
drive(s) and plug in the hard drive.

You will have a ribbon cable going from the motherboard to the cd drive.
Carefully and gently unplug this ribbon cable from the cd drive, leaving
the motherboard end connected. Either unplug the power connector from
the cd drive or if you have an unused power connector use that to give
the drive power. You will see that with both the power connector and the
ribbon cable connector there is only one way you can connect them to the
hard drive (also to the cd rom drive when you put it back).

If you think you want to keep the hard drive in your case, you'll need
to mount it and jumper it correctly. If you think you want to keep the
hard drive as an extra external backup drive, buy a usb drive enclosure
and mount the drive in that. In fact if you think you'll want to do
that, just go get the drive enclosure and don't mess about with
temporarily putting it in your computer.

Here are various links showing how to install a hard drive inside a
computer:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=how+to+install+a+hard+drive&btnG=Google+Search


Malke
 
I like that idea a lot. Turn it into an external drive. I didn't
know that could be done. Where can I get the enclosures? Would
Staples or Office Max sell them?
 
KIMOSABE said:
I like that idea a lot. Turn it into an external drive. I didn't
know that could be done. Where can I get the enclosures? Would
Staples or Office Max sell them?
Click to expand...

I suppose an office supply place would have them. So would a computer
store like CompUSA here (of course I don't know where you live and
what's available to you). I usually buy stuff like this online. I'm fond
of the Thermaltake enclosures because they have an on-off button and a
fan. I like to buy the bigger 5.25" cases with fans for my hard drives.
Here's an example at NewEgg just to give you an idea of what you're
looking for:

Main enclosure page:

http://www.newegg.com/ProductSort/SubCategory.asp?SubCategory=92&name=External-Enclosures

I have several of these:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817145011

Hope that helps,


Malke
 
Malke,

I placed the order with NewEgg and my problem is solved. You made my
day and saved my bacon. Thanks for sharing your know-how.
 
KIMOSABE said:
Malke,

I placed the order with NewEgg and my problem is solved. You made my
day and saved my bacon. Thanks for sharing your know-how.
Click to expand...

I'm glad I was able to help. Just another tip: hard drives in external
drive cases need to be jumpered Master. Since your wife's drive was
presumably the only one in her machine you won't need to change anything.

Once you have the drive in the case and hooked up to your computer,
transfer the data over. After the data is safe, you can format the drive
from within Windows.


Malke
 
Back
Top