Summary:
If your PC needs a new hard drive, this 980-word tutorial offers you step-by-step directions. From choosing a new hard drive to erasing the data on the old one, this tutorial covers it all.

Details or Sample:

If your PC’s old hard drive is dead or dying, a swap will get you back up and running again. Fortunately, this hardware upgrade is easy to pull off – even if you know next to nothing about PCs. This tutorial will show you exactly what you need to do to get your computer up and running again.

You Will Need:
* A new hard drive
* Your operating system’s installation/recovery CD (with key, preferably)
* A Phillips-head screwdriver
* A can of air
* At least one free hour to complete the project

If you can still access your old hard drive, you should back up your most-important files. You can save them to a USB drive, burn them to CD, or even e-mail them to a Web-based e-mail account. This way, you’ll be able to retrieve them even after you remove your old hard drive.

Also: Before you shut down the PC for the last time, run a drive-scrubbing utility on the hard drive. If you’re going to throw away the old drive when you’re finished, you really don’t want to leave personal data and files for other people to find. A good utility will make the data unreadable, which protects you from identity theft and other problems.

First, you need to acquire a new hard drive. Be careful when you go shopping, because hard drives have different types of connectors. Before you go shopping, figure out what type of connector your computer uses. This saves you a lot of frustration - and restocking fees, in some cases.

One easy way to figure out what you need is to go to the PC maker’s Web site. You can search by your PC’s model to find replacement components. You don’t have to order your new hardware from the manufacturer, but this is not a bad idea. This ensures that your purchase is compatible with your system – and you know that you can trust the manufacturer to ship the merchandise to you.

Another solution is to visit a hard-drive vendor’s Web site. Some sellers have compatibility checkers or lists to help you buy exactly what you need for your system. You can search the Internet for vendors and use this information to track down a Web site with this feature.

When you get your new hard drive, gather everything else that you’ll need and take your PC’s tower to a clean work area. You want plenty of room to work, so a table is a good spot. Move any food or drinks away from your work area so that you don´t accidentally spill something on your computer or hardware.

You should not have to worry about the hard drive’s jumper settings. Most manufacturers leave these in the right place for you when they leave the factory. You can, however, look on the hard drive – or in the manual that might have come with the new hardware – for the correct settings.

Depending on your operating system, installing to the new hard drive requires different steps. Before you start working, you should find the documentation that came with your OS. This should tell you how to install to a fresh hard drive. If you can’t find this information, an Internet search will give you the steps that you need. Be sure to have this information before you begin. Otherwise, you could get halfway through the process and be stuck.

Removing the Old Hard Drive

Taking out your dead hard drive is simple.

1. Remove your PC tower’s service panel and put it aside.
2. While you have your tower open, you should use the canned air to blow out the dust and other debris that have accumulated.
3. Locate your hard drive. The hardware might be bolted into a piece of metal that looks like a cage, so keep an eye out for this.
4. Carefully disconnect the cables leading to the hard drive. Be cautious, as some cables are a bit fragile. You should also be sure that you remember which cables attach to the drive. You don’t want to connect the wrong lead.
5. Remove the screws that hold the hard drive in the tower. In most systems, you’ll simply remove the entire drive bay – the piece of metal that’s holding the drive in place.
6. Take the drive bay off the hard drive.
7. Attach the drive bay to the new hard drive. Be sure to put the bay on the same way that it fit on the old drive.
8. Reattach the drive bay to your PC’s case.
9. Plug in the cables.
10. Replace your access panel.

Now, you’re ready to hook up your PC and install your operating system on the new hard drive. Just follow the steps that you found in the manual or online and your OS should begin installing.

If your old hard drive is dead, you might think that you can simply throw it into the nearest Dumpster. If you can’t make the drive boot, then why worry about it? However, you should destroy the drive. Even though you can’t access the data, you want to be certain that nobody else can, either.

A simple way to destroy an inaccessible hard drive is to pound several large nails through the hardware with a hammer. This destroys the drive’s internal components and allows you to relieve some of the stress that the faulty hardware has caused.

Now that you know how to replace your PC’s dead hard drive, you can enjoy the new hardware. Be sure to regularly back up all of your important data. Even if the new hard drive works perfectly, you can’t predict some PC crashes. Being sure that you can restore your important files is the easiest way to prevent the frustration that comes from trying to recreate all those things.

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Written by: Sarah81
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Words: 980