Replacing, or adding an IDE Hard Drive for the unexperienced.

    If you are reading this right now, I am assuming you know what a Hard Drive is and why you would want to add / replace one to your PC. If you don't I highly suggest you go and read about computer hardware and then come back to see me : ]

Some other things you should know be able to posess:

1. Know how to open your PC Case
2. Common sense on not messing up the inside of your PC
3. The ability to do not mess with anything except for what I TELL you. (This is important)

OK, now you are going to need some things for this project.

1.    A working IDE Hard drive, if you dont know what difference "IDE" makes, google it.

2.    A working PC With open IDE Cable slots on the motherboard, if you dont have any open, you can get PCI Cards for extras.

3.    Spare IDE Cable. IF you dont know what it looks like, check out this link:  

Click for picture

4.    Permission from the PC Owner.

OK! Step one! We have all the requirements, lets check some things.

Pick up your IDE Hard drive, on the back you should see an IDE Port, ( The largest port ) and all the way on the right a molex power port (with the four pins) In the middle there will be some plastic pieces covering the pins. This is for JUMPER settings, it is important to check these to match the purpose of your project. Every hard drive has different settings for the jumper cables, they should be on the back of the hard drive above it, you can read those and adjust your jumpers to the one you want.

If you want this hard drive to be JUST extra space for your current OS I.E. Windows, for like just files and stuff, then you want you set them to the one marked as the "Slave" Setting. If you want to use this hard drive as a hard drive with an Operating System, then you are going to want to use the "Cable Select" or "Master" Setting. If you need some help on this step, I suggest Google.

Now, do you have the jumpers set correctly? If not please do not continue.

OK. Now for opening your PC. First make sure the PC you are operating on is SHUT OFF. This is for your own safety. Since I said you should already know how to do this I will only briefly cover it. Some PCs will require you to unscrew parts of it to reveal the innards, others, such as dell cases, open with some plastic mechanism, or like a book from a button on the top and another on the bottom that allow it to fold open. Either way, figure out how to open your particular PC.

Now that you are open and, if you are inexperienced, you will see a bunch of confusing things you may not understand ^^. You will be basicly focusing on the big board with all the stuff on it usually in the middle. This is called the "Motherboard". Now, locate your IDE Cable and your hard drive it and keep them handy. 

I have found a diagram that will help you on finding the IDE Connectors. Note the arrow pointing to the ports thats labeled  "IDE" Those are the ones we want.

See Diagram!

If none of those are open, you are going to need them open, so go look up where to get PCI extra IDE ports :[

 Now, take your IDE Chord, and find one of the ends, match it up with the IDE port on the motherboard. Now, making sure your putting it in right to prevent damage, plug it in the motherboard. Now do the same thing for the other end but plug it in the Hard Drives port.

OK Now, almost done! Now you are going to find the molex power chord coming from your PSU. You are bound to have one open. That one is the red and yellow chord ending with the 4 part plug that matches the one on your IDE Hard Drive.  

Picture!

Now make sure you are inserting it right and plug it in!

Everything plugged in! w00t! Now, leave your PC Open, turn it on, and see if the hard drive is moving and making noises, if so, then it is getting power! If you have set your jumpers to slave, or sometimes Cable Select works for both master and slave, then when you boot into Windows, you should see the Hard Drive in "My Computer". In Linux you should know how to find it ;) 

If you set it to "Master" or sometimes "Cable Select" Then I can't help you with that, installing the OS Is a whole nother tutorial. I might extend this or write one though :P

Did something not work? Contact me at contact@kayoscorner.com and I can help you. Or add my MSN at josh_is_in_dahouse@hotmail.com .

I will soon right a Troubleshooting FAQ for this tutorial.

Also, please email me comments and feedback :D