How do sata drives connect to the motherboard

In some data loss situations, like in cases of an OS crash or accidental deletion of files from the system partition, it is highly recommended to take the hard drive out of the affected computer and plug it into another PC for recovery.

As modern system units use the SATA interface for the connection of hard disks, at least basic technical skills will suffice to carry out the procedure. Follow this guide to connect your SATA drives directly to the internal slots on the motherboard of the computer. Warning: Any interference with equipment under warranty may lead to its breach.

If your device is still under warranty, use a special USB to SATA adapter which reduces the speed of connection but will keep the warranty in effect. Shut down the system and turn off a switcher on the back panel of the system unit. If such a switcher is missing on the case, just unplug the tower. The electronics of the drive and other hardware components are extremely sensitive to static electricity and can be damaged by an electrostatic shock. Once the computer is turned off, you can open the system unit by removing the screws on the back panel which hold the side panel.

Locate the HDD you wish to replace and disconnect each of the two cables coming out from the rear of the drive. If you are adding storage to your existing configuration, you should leave the original hard drive installed where it is and skip down to Step 5. Notice that the cable on the left is insulated and has a wider connector than the other.

The flat, red cable on the right has a smaller connector. Disconnect each from the drive by pulling gently on the connectors. Remove the old hard drive. The method for securing the HDD into the drive bay will vary somewhat from system to system, but it typically requires two small screws on each side of the drive that hold it in the bay.

Remove the screws and slide the old HDD out from the drive bay. The old drive has now been removed. Insert the new hard drive into an empty bay. If your case permits, try to maintain some space between the new drive and any existing drives to help promote airflow and cooling. Be sure that the metal side faces up and the black, plastic side faces down. Also verify that the two SATA connection ports in back of the drive are accessible. Secure the drive. Secure the drive into the drive bay by inserting two screws into each side of the hard drive through the corresponding holes in the drive bay.

Make sure to only use short screws designed for hard drives; if the screws are too long they could seriously damage the hard drive when it is running. Connect the SATA cables to the hard drive. Connect the insulated power cable with the wider tip into the larger connection port situated on the left-rear of the HDD.

If the power cable does not fit easily, check to make sure that it is not upside down. Connect the data cable to the smaller SATA port on the hard drive. If the power supply is older, it may not have any SATA power connectors.

Molex plugs have four pins, and may be white or black. Connect the data cable to the motherboard. If you are adding a new drive, you will need to connect the data cable to a SATA port on the motherboard if you are replacing and old drive, the data cable should already be connected. SATA ports are usually grouped together and labeled.

Your primary boot drive should be connected to the lowest SATA port on your motherboard, unless otherwise specified in your motherboard documentation. You will need to install a motherboard that supports the SATA format. Finish the installation. Once the hard drive is secured and connected, close up your computer and power it back on. Before you can use your new drive, you will need to format it. If you are replacing the primary drive or building a new computer, you will need to install your operating system.

Follow one of the guides below for more detailed instructions: Install Windows 7. Install Windows 8. Install Linux. Format your new storage drive. Method 2. Turn off the power switch on the back of the power supply, but leave the cable plugged in if possible. This will help keep you grounded. If you have to unplug everything, be sure to follow Step 2 closely. Open the case using the thumbscrews or a screwdriver if necessary. You will need to remove both side panels on many older cases and some newer ones in order to properly secure the drive.

Insert your new optical drive. Most optical drives are inserted from the front of the case. Secure the drive using two screws on each side, or by using rails if your case has them.

Connect the power supply to the optical drive. You should also check to see if you have an available SATA port on your motherboard where you can plug in the new hard drive. Ensure you have a spare port to connect your new hard drive into. Again, you can skip this check if you are simply replacing your existing hard drive.

Once unplugged, you can open your computer tower by unscrewing the screws which hold the side panel in place. These may be thumbscrews or you may need to use your screwdriver. Be sure to ground yourself by touching some exposed metal on the computer case. This will prevent the risk of static from damaging your internal components. It will usually be a SATA cable, shown below:.

Most hard drives will have the option for both Molex or SATA power connections, and you can use one or the other as you like. The two different types together look like this:. You can then secure it in place using screws installed through the outside of the mounting rack into the side of the hard drive.

Time to close up your case, power on, and get to configuring your new SATA hard drive for use. Refer to our next guide in this series for a walk through of configuring your new hard drive.

You now know how to plug a SATA hard drive into both your motherboard and power supply so that it is ready to be used. The next step is to configure the new hard drive in your operating system so that you can actually use it. This involves powering your computer on, and clicking a few buttons in software.