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How to install a 3.5 hard drive in a laptop. How to connect a hard drive from a computer to a laptop

To access content from a PC or laptop hard drive via USB, you will need a special device - an adapter.
The connection is not complicated, the main thing is the presence of a special device. There are several types of devices that allow you to connect HDD(hard drive, HDD) desktop computer or laptop to USB and open its contents. Here are the two most popular: a universal USB controller (for example, AGESTAR FUBCP) or a case adapter (SATA External case, ITEC MySafe Advance and others).

In China you can buy the following devices that are built-in instead of a laptop disk drive:

There are also combined options with a complete set (adapter, cord, power supply).

The advantages of the first one are that such a device is cheaper than a case adapter, and often supports several types of connections (SATA, IDE). However, using a regular hard drive as a portable drive with it is problematic, since it will not be protected by anything.

The second option is a case adapter, which is specifically designed to turn a hard drive into a portable memory device with a sufficiently large capacity, since the case will reliably protect against dust and mechanical damage. But at the same time, the versatility of the device suffers: before purchasing, you will have to decide which connector the purchased adapter will support.

Using a hard drive in a case version is a fairly simple procedure, so let’s look at how to connect and open a hard drive via USB using universal adapter(using the example of AGESTAR FUBCP).

Connection procedure

The first thing you need to do is determine the type of HDD connector that you plan to connect via USB. Plugs come in the following types:

SATA (a more modern connector, used in newly built PCs and laptops);

IDE (can be found mainly in “experienced” PCs).

We will consider the connection using the example of AGESTAR FUBCP, since it supports both “old” and modern HDDs. The average cost of such a device is Russian stores electronics is about 1,500 rubles.

The device is equipped with three interfaces (plugs):

SATA (7-pin plug).
IDE 40pin (40-pin plug, for IDE 3.5″).
IDE 44pin (respectively, 44-pin plug, for IDE 1.8″/2.5″).

Description of AGESTAR FUBCP connectors below.

Step-by-step connection of HDD to computer

So, we have determined the connector of the connected hard drive; now it needs to be connected to the corresponding connector on the device. After that, insert the USB connector for data transfer (black) into the USB port of your computer or laptop. If we work with hard drive laptop (2.5”), you can turn on the adapter, and the HDD should appear in the list of computer disks. Sometimes, with such a connection, the hard drive may not have enough power and will not be detected by the system. In this case, turn off and connect the red USB connector of the adapter to any of the computer ports and turn on the adapter again.

If the connected hard drive was previously installed in a PC (3.5” format), the power supply from your PC’s USB will not be enough for it. The AGESTAR FUBCP comes with a power supply for hard drives 3.5" format To open the hard drive via USB, first connect it to the appropriate connector (IDE/SATA), then insert the black USB cable into one of the USB ports of the computer, then connect to the adapter a power supply that operates on 220 V (plug it into a power outlet) .

After all cables are securely connected, turn on the adapter. The connection is complete, the hdd will be detected by the computer, and you can work with it.

Ability to connect additional hard disks It will be very useful for you if there is a lack of free disk space on the already installed ones. You can connect the HDD to a personal computer:

Installed in system unit using standard SATA connectors on motherboard.
Installed into the system unit using the SAS RAID controller connectors.
Using a USB-SATA adapter.

This is interesting! PredecessorSATA was the interfaceATA (another name isIDE). The difference lies in the method of data transmission - serial transmissionSATA, parallelATA. It is generally accepted that serial transfer is faster, however, for the average user the difference is invisible.

SATA

Step 1. Remove the case cover of your system unit.

Step 2. Attach the data cable to the connector on the motherboard.

On a note! The connector number is not important. The bootable hard drive is determined by the software installed on it.

Step 3. Connect the data cable to the connector on the hard drive.

Step 4. Connect the power cable to the hard drive connector.

Important! When connecting the cable, the computer's power must be turned off. When connecting a cable with voltage applied to it, there is a high risk of damage to the hard drive controller, or the controllerSATA motherboard! In the event that your power supply has power connectors only for hard drivesIDE, use a special adapter.

Step 5. Secure the hard drive to the case with screws.

Important! Make sure that the cables do not come into contact with the cooler blades of the system unit.

If you are using a 2.5-inch drive, use special slides to secure the hard drive more tightly inside the system unit.

Connecting the hard drive inside the case to the connectorsSAS

These connectors are backward compatible, that is, SATA can be connected to SAS, but SAS cannot be connected to SATA.

Step 1. Install the hard drive into a special structure (sled) of the appropriate size.

On a note! The designs are designed for certain form factors, that is, inserting a 2.5-inch drive into the controller cage of 3.5-inch hard drives will not work.

Step 2. Insert the slide into the controller basket and push until the slide handle locks in the desired position.

Important! Don't forget to check the cable connectionRAID to the motherboard and change your controller settings.

Connecting a 3.5-inch hard drive using an external power adapter

Step 1. Attach the adapter to the hard drive.

Step 2. Connect the adapter and the desired port on your computer using a USB cable.

Step 3. Connect the power cable to the adapter.

Step 4. Apply power to the adapter by switching the toggle switch to the working position.

Step 5. If necessary, install drivers for the connected equipment.

Connecting a 2.5" hard drive using a 3.5" adapter

2.5" drives are commonly used in laptops. The connectors are no different from the connectors for 3.5 drives, but the laptop hard drive is attached to the case using a special basket (sled).

Step 1. Remove the slides or other structures from your hard drive.

Step 2. Follow the instructions for connecting a 3.5 hard drive using an adapter.

Connecting a 2.5-inch hard drive using the appropriate adapter

When using a special adapter for 2.5 hard drives, you do not need to remove the slide. As a rule, such adapters do not have external power supply, and receive voltage from the computer's USB port.

Step 1. Connect the adapter to the hard drive.

Step 2. Connect both ends of the USB adapter cable to the computer ports.

Important! Two ends of the cable are needed because one of them transmits information, and the other carries power to the adapter.

Video - How to connect a hard drive

Conclusion

We looked at three different ways connecting hard drives with SATA connectors to a personal computer. Each of them requires the purchase of additional equipment, at least cables. If you decide to use a SATA drive as an external one (connected via a USB adapter), it is recommended to purchase a reliable protective case for the drive. When working with the device, the cover should be removed to avoid overheating. Some parameters of hard drives working with different technologies, are presented in the summary table.

Name	Data transfer rate, Mb/s	Number of devices per port
IDE (ATA)	133,5	2
SATA R.1	150	1
SATA R.2	300	Up to 15
SATA R.3	600	Up to 16
SAS R.150	150	Up to 4
SAS R.300	300	Up to 4
SAS R.600	600	Up to 4

Have you bought a brand new hard drive for your computer and don’t know how to connect it?! In this article I will try to talk about this in detail and in an accessible way.

To begin with, it should be noted that the hard drive is connected to the motherboard either through the IDE interface or through the SATA interface. IDE interface on this moment is considered obsolete, since it was popular back in the 90s of the last century, and new hard drives are no longer equipped with it. The SATA interface is found in all computers that have been produced since approximately 2009. We will consider connecting a hard drive with both interfaces.

Connecting a hard drive via SATA interface

Disconnect the system unit from the network and remove the side panel. At the front of the system unit there are compartments for devices. Optical drives for CD/DVD and Blu-Ray are usually installed in the upper compartments, while the lower compartments are intended for installation of hard disks. If your system unit does not have the compartments shown in the figure, you can install the hard drive in the upper compartment.

We install the hard drive in a free cell so that the connectors face inside the system unit, and fasten it to the case with screws: two screws on one side and two on the other.

This completes the installation of the hard drive, check that it is not loose in the cell.

Now you can connect the hard drive to the motherboard.

If you purchased a hard drive with a SATA interface, then the drive itself has two connectors: the shorter one is responsible for transferring data from the motherboard, the longer one is for power. Additionally, the hard drive may have another connector; it is useful for supplying power via the IDE interface.

The data cable has identical plugs at both ends.

We connect one end of the cable to the SATA data connector on the hard drive.

The data cable plug can be either straight or L-shaped. You don’t have to worry about the correct connection; you simply won’t be able to plug the cable into the wrong connector or the wrong side.

We connect the other end of the cable to the connector on the motherboard, usually they are bright in color.

If the motherboard does not have a SATA connector, you need to buy a SATA controller. It looks like a board and is installed in the system unit in a PCI slot.

We are done connecting the data cable. Now we connect the power cable to the corresponding connector of the hard drive.

If your power supply does not have connectors for SATA devices, and the hard drive does not have an additional power connector for the IDE interface, use an IDE/SATA power adapter. Connect the IDE plug to the power supply, the SATA plug to the hard drive.

That's all, we connected a hard drive with a SATA interface.

Connecting a hard drive via the IDE interface

We install the hard drive into the system unit in the same way as described in the paragraph above.

Now you need to set the mode work hard disk: Master or Slave. If you are installing one hard drive, select Master mode. To do this, you need to place the jumper in the desired position.

The IDE connectors on the motherboard look like this. Next to each of them there is a designation: either IDE 0 – primary, or IDE 1 – secondary. Since we are connecting one hard drive, we will use the primary connector.

That's all, the hard drive is now connected.

I think now, using the information from this article, you can P connect the hard drive to the computer.

We also watch the video

Users of personal computers, laptops and netbooks are often faced with the need to connect additional external devices. One such device is an external hard drive.

The need to connect a disk may be associated with transferring a significant number of files to a laptop, exchanging information with other devices, or organizing external data storage. Sometimes the user simply has old hard a drive that he intends to continue using.

As laptops get smaller in size, today's laptops include a significant variety of different types of storage devices.

Scheme for disconnecting the hard drive from the PC

Laptops usually use 2.5-inch hard drives because... they are smaller and consume less power than 3.5-inch drives found in desktop PCs. However, a 3.5-inch drive from an old PC can be successfully used as external storage.

Step 1. Turn off the computer and disconnect it from the 220 Volt power supply so as not to accidentally turn on the PC when removing the hard drive.

Step 2. Open the computer case, most often by removing the right side panel (viewed from the side of the PC connectors) after unscrewing the mounting screws or pressing a button and removing the panel along the case to the back and to the side.

Step 3. Find the hard drive inside the PC case. The hard drive is a rectangular metal box the size of a small book and is usually located in a special compartment of the PC case.

Step 4. The hard drive is usually connected to the PC using two cables. Carefully inspect the cables and carefully pull them out of the connectors.

Important! Dismantling actions are carried out with some, but not extremely significant, effort. Before removal, it is necessary to carefully inspect the part and make an appropriate decision on the method of its dismantling.

Step 5. Consider the method of attaching the hard drive, and, having chosen the appropriate method, remove it. The disk can be secured with screws or placed in the case on special “slides” with latches on the sides, sliding out through the removed front panel of the case.

Connecting an external drive to a laptop

To connect external hard disk, the first thing you need to do is determine its size.

Step 1. If the size of the drive is unknown, you can measure its width. Hard drives are rectangular in shape, and its width determines its size (form factor) in the name. The width of a 3.5-inch drive is 10.2 cm, and the width of a 2.5-inch drive is 7 cm.

We measure the width of the hard drive, the width of a 2.5-inch drive is 7 cm, a 3.5-inch drive is 10.2 cm

Step 2. Next, you need to determine the type of connection of the hard drive in order to select a case compatible with it, which serves as an “adapter” for connecting the drive to the laptop. Older computers used hard drives with an IDE connection; today, drives with a SATA connection are used.

Consider the type of HDD contacts. The IDE connector consists of two rows of metal pins for data transfer, as well as a separate hard drive power connector. The SATA connector includes two small pads with flat contacts for data transfer and power supply to the drive.

Step 3. Purchase a case that matches the size and type of HDD connection, as well as the type of connection to the laptop. For example, purchase a 2.5-inch case with a SATA connection for a 2.5-inch SATA drive.

Most hard drive enclosures have a computer connection type with USB interface 2.0, as well as FireWire, since they are the most popular today. Some universal enclosures have a combination of both interface options.

Most USB 2.0 enclosures are compatible with any USB port on a laptop or netbook. However, enclosures that have a USB 3.0 interface provide more high performance when connected to USB port 3.0.

Reference! All on sale today personal computers equipped USB ports 3.0, so you can purchase a hard drive enclosure with a USB 3.0 interface, making sure that this type of connector is available on your laptop.

It's also important to consider that 2.5-inch cases typically draw power from the PC's USB plug-in port and do not have their own power adapter, making them completely portable.

That said, 3.5-inch hard drives require more power, so their cases usually come with an AC power adapter, which means they won't work in areas where there isn't a power outlet.

Step 4. Installing hard drive into an external enclosure is very simple. Usually the most that is required in this case is a screwdriver. Most often it is necessary to remove top cover case, position the hard drive being inserted into it parallel to its base, and carefully slide the drive onto the contact pad to connect it. Close the hard drive housing cover (see photo).

Reference! To connect the hard drive to the enclosure, please refer to the instructions supplied with the HDD enclosure.

In some cases, on older 3.5-inch drives, you may need to move or remove the jumper that sets the hard drive as a Master or Slave device in accordance with the enclosure instructions.

It is also possible to connect 3.5 and 2.5-inch hard drives to a special docking station. In this case, you need to carefully insert the disk into a suitable size connector, pressing slightly on it from above in order to securely connect the contacts of the disk to the station.

Step 5. After connecting the hard drive to the case, you need to connect the case to the laptop connector special cable included in the kit.

For this:

On a note! To supply enhanced power to a 2.5-inch hard drive, it is also possible to connect a second USB connector located on the cable included with the case.

In addition to special cases for connecting a hard drive, an open option for connecting the HDD through a special adapter that fits onto its connector is also possible.

Connecting an “old” drive in Windows

If the hard drive has already been used in Windows before connecting it, then it has already been formatted. In this case, when connected, it will automatically be assigned a letter in the system, and it will appear in Windows Explorer, already ready for use.

If the disk does not appear in the system, you may need to install a driver for the hard disk enclosure.

Step 1. Press the “Win+R” keys on your keyboard. In the “Run” window that opens, type “devmgmt.msc” and click “OK”.

Step 2.“Device Manager” will launch. View the dispatcher for the presence of devices with exclamation marks. If there is such a device, right-click on it and select “Update drivers” from the menu with the left button.

Step 3. In the window that opens, click on “ Automatic search updated drivers."

After finding the system the required driver The exclamation mark from the device in the Manager will disappear. You may need to restart your PC.

If the hard drive does not appear in the system, and a CD with drivers is included with the HDD enclosure, then you need to:

Step 1. Insert this disc into the drive optical disks laptop by opening it with the press of a button and snapping it back after inserting the CD.

Step 2. On the desktop, double-click on the “This PC” icon with the left mouse button.

Step 3. A list of Windows OS disks and devices will open. Double-click to open the CD drive.

Step 4. Find the “Run” or “Setup” file to be launched in the folders by double-clicking on it with the left mouse button.

Step 5. Install required software in accordance with the proposed course of action. The HDD will appear in the system.

Connecting a new drive to the OS

If the connected hard drive has not yet been used in Windows, it will not appear in Explorer because it has not yet been initialized and formatted.

Step 1. Press the “Win+R” key combination on your keyboard. The Run window will open. Type “diskmgmt.msc” in the line and click “OK”.

Step 2. Will start Windows utility"Disk Management". Find the disk labeled “Not initialized” in the left column and right-click on it, selecting “Initialize disk” in the drop-down menu with the left button.

Step 3. Check the box next to the HDD you want to initialize. Check “MBR” if the HDD has a capacity of less than 2 TB, and “GPT” if more, and click “OK”.

Step 4. After the disk is initialized, it will be placed in the Unallocated state. Right-click on the unallocated HDD space and left-click on “Create simple volume”.

Step 5. In the wizard that appears, click “Next”.

Step 6. Leave the default settings and click “Next”.

Step 7 Select in the drop-down list the letter by which the drive will be identified in the system, click “Next”.

Step 8 Select the file system type (usually NTFS) and the volume label (any HDD name in the system), check the “Quick format” box and click “Next”.