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| Not all hard drives are created equal. Look at magazines such as PC World, PC Computing and others to find out which drives the experts prefer. Online sites such as www.cnet.com, which features extensive reviews of computer products, also can help. |
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| Shut down, unplug the PC. Put on an anti-static wrist band, then remove the PC's cover.
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| Remove the drive from its bay, unplug the power cable, then the interface cable. Note how the interface cable's marked edge lines up with the cable's connector on the drive. |
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| Copy the following from the label on the new drive: Number of cylinders and the head and sector values. You will need the information to set up the drive. |
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| Connect the power plug and then connect the interface cable so that its marked edge is aligned the same way it was on the old drive. Note: Do not close computer yet. |
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| BIOS, the file controlling your computer's configuration, has to know about the new drive. Boot up and watch the screen. A message will tell you which key to press to enter BIOS' Setup program. |
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| In Setup find the section in which your hardware is listed and, from the notes you took, fill in the information that will lead the BIOS to recognize the new drive. |
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| Allow the computer to boot up completely. If the second drive is not recognized by Windows, shut down and check your connections and your BIOS data. If the drive is OK, shut down and then replace the cover. |
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| Partition and format the new drive. Reinstall your programs. Note: Some drives come with software that will prep the drive for you. |
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