When you run out of free hard drive space, you can either remove something or add more space. While an external USB hard drive is an easy way to plug and play, it’s actually not perfect — they take up disk space, possibly an extra power outlet, use a valuable USB port, and tend to be slower than internal drives. Today let’s look at a more complex option for adding a second internal drive.
Now is the time to get familiar with the basics of your computer. We’ll only be focusing on the hard drive today, but the guide will give you a great overview of all the random connectors and ports you’ll see on the motherboard when you open it up.
Step 1. Determine if you can add another internal drive or not
Unfortunately, not all computers are the same. If you have a laptop or all-in-one device where the internals of the system are hidden behind a monitor — then the only option is to plug in a USB drive and you really shouldn’t think about opening it. If you have a thin desktop then read on as chances are you will have enough room for a second drive. If you have a medium to large tower, you can easily add a second drive, two or three! Refer to the table below if you are unsure.
Step 2: Backup
While we don’t expect any issues, it’s a good idea to back up your important data before making any changes to your hardware. We’ve covered some great backup options here.
Step 3: Open a Case
Before going any further, disconnect power from the case and all peripherals.
Most tower cases can only be removed with two screws. You need to remove the side that doesn’t have the motherboard, so look at the back of the system, find the USB/mouse ports and remove the OPPOSITE side.
Step 4: Get rid of any static electricity in your body
When touching the inside of a computer, technicians use a grounded wrist strap to reduce the risk of electrostatic buildup in the human body hitting any delicate components. For our purposes, it is enough to touch the radiator.
Step 5: Find your hard drive and its connectors
The internals of all computers are very similar. The hard drive is a fairly large piece of metal like this: