How to connect a hard drive to your computer

Despite the fact that all the components for notebooks and personal computers has long been standardized, yet sometimes the question arises, how to connect the hard drive.In fact, nothing complicated about it, the main thing - just follow the recommendations.

First of all, we should remember that any operations with the components and the computer itself must be made with the power off.Important: a simple toggle switch-off button on extended enough, but be sure to remove the plug from the wall outlet.Enough of the fact that the electric currents flowing through the circuits of the motherboard, make up several tens of amperes, despite the fact that the danger of their value - only 10 mA.In addition, since the human body is always a certain electric charge (all seen it when shooting a sweater made of synthetic thread) that can damage sensitive electronics, then accidental contact with the conductive lines and the chip on the card should be avoided.

To answer the question of how to connect a hard drive to your computer, so often sounding in computer forums, you need to understand what distinguishes one from the other hard drive.There are several differences: the volume, the manufacturer, type of interface, and others.In this case, interest is the type of interface.Distribution received three of them: the obsolete IDE, SATA and modern alternative connection via the USB.

If you look at the back wall of the hard drive, then next to the power connector there is always the other end - this is the output interface.At the IDE it is represented by two rows of metal pins.If your motherboard supports this interface, then it has the same two rows of pins.How to connect a hard disk IDE?To this end, a special cable must be connected to the device and the connector on the motherboard, do not forget to connect the power.Cables are available with 40 and 80 cores.Read the thin wiring is not necessary, because the difference is clear "by eye": 40 vein version wire Bole thick and clearly less.Standards 40 and 80 are compatible, that is the newest IDE HDD can be connected vein loop 40, but at the same speed falls in two or three times.In this arrangement, there is always a special jumper, which allows to choose the mode of operation.Explanation is usually given on the information label.Flex allows you to connect to a port at the same time two devices near to your computer is a slave (Slave), and further - leading (Master).Loading the operating system is available only to Master.For automatic tuning, it is recommended to put a jumper on all devices in the position of Cable select.Currently IDE drives (and other equipment) are not produced as in the mass segment motherboards supporting this interface is not.

newer SATA interface changed the IDE.How to connect a hard disk SATA?It is much easier than in the previous case, as here implemented the principle of "one port - a single device."External Connector is a small plastic bar with several sliding contacts.The size is significantly smaller than the IDE.SATA cables can be easily inserted into the connector on the device and the motherboard.In addition to the hard drive power is connected.If there is a jumper on the hard drive the speed limit, it should be put in mode S-ATA 3.0 Gbps and only for old boards - at 1.5 Gbps.Sometimes there is a computer power supply wires for power SATA.In this case, the adapter may be used with conventional connector Molex - SATA.Sometimes the recommendations of the various instructions to help figure out how to connect a hard drive, lose sight of the quality of trails.The main scourge of SATA - is a weak lock loop connector, resulting in a loss of performance or even failure of the device.Therefore, you should buy a special cable with metal latches.

So, the answer to the question of how to connect a hard drive is that a train must be connected to the appropriate device and the connector on the motherboard, and connect the power.