Now that we know our main components are working after doing our quick power up test, we can finish building the computer. We are going to configure all of the drives, and install them in the case.
Installing the Hard Drive
- Remove the hard drive from its packaging/anti static bag.
- Select where you want to place the hard drive within the case, usually there are a couple of spots labeled ‘HDD’ where the hard drive is intended to go.
- On the top of the hard drive, there should be a diagram telling you how to jumper the drive for installation.
- If this is your only hard drive, and it is an SATA type drive, then you can set the drive as ‘master’. Follow the diagram and place the jumper across the pins to make this setting. Many times leaving a jumper off completely will default the drive as master.
- If you are installing an IDE type drive with another IDE hard drive or DVD/CD rom drive on the same cable, then set your jumper for master or cable select. Cable select means the computer will auto configure it for you. If you do set the drive to master, make sure you set the other drive you are installing on the same cable to ‘slave’ by setting the jumper correctly.
- Once you have the drive jumpered and setup correctly, push it into the slot you want and line up the screw holes with the case. Make sure to leave the back to attach connections open, so you will want this facing to the rear.
- Attach the four screws to the case and you are set!
Let’s continue on to install your DVD and/or CD-Rom drives.
Installing your DVD/Blu-Ray drive
When we prepared the case before, we recommended that you remove the front cover(s) for the location where you wanted to install your CD-Rom and/or DVD drive. The next step is to make sure they are configured correctly, and position them in the case.
- Remove the drive from its packaging/anti static bag.
- Your drive should be an IDE type drive, and we will need to configure the drive, depending on if it is installed on its own cable or not. If the drive is on its own cable, and you have already installed an SATA hard drive, then set the jumper to master on the drive. Like the hard drive we configured before, there should be a diagram somewhere on the drive, or labeled on the drive directly how to configure it as master. If the drive is sharing a cable with the hard drive, we recommend setting is as cable select if your IDE hard drive was set to cable select, or slave if the IDE hard drive has been set to master.
- You should have already removed the front cover of where you want it to go, so and slide the drive into the case from the front.
- Line up the holes with the drive and the case, and make sure the drive is flush with the front edge of the case.
- Attach the screws to the case to secure the drive.
- If you have more than one CD-Rom or DVD drive to install, repeat the exact same process as above.
Step 8: Connect The Cables
