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Fitting the Drives

Fitting a Floppy Disk Drive

The next step is to install your data storage devices.

Unpack the FDD (Floppy Disk Drive). Make sure at this stage that you have your anti-static measures in place and even briefly make contact with both hands on the metal of the case to make sure.

 

You will notice, on the front panel of your PC case, there is an opening the same size as the floppy drive's front panel (if there is a plastic cover plate fitted, just gently push it out from behind.)

Slide the floppy drive into the opening backwards such that its front panel becomes flush with the front of the PC case. Clear any obstructions to this insertion from inside the case if necessary.

Once fully inserted, there should be some fixing holes inside the case such that you can secure the floppy drive to the case. Use the fine threaded screws for this.

Fitting the Drives

Fitting a Hard Disk Drive

Unpack the HDD. Make sure at this stage that you have your anti-static measures in place, and even briefly make contact with both hands on the metal of the case to make sure.

IDE Hard Drives

Locate the IDE Configuration Pins on the HDD. These can usually be found next to the power and data connections, and will be a group of six or eight small pins with a small plastic 'jumper' attached between two of the pins. If this is to be the only HDD in your PC, then set this to Master. Alternatively, if this is to be an additional HDD then it must be set to Slave.

S-ATA Hard Drives

If you have a S-ATA (Serial-ATA) drive then no configuration should be necessary, as only one S-ATA drive can be connected to each S-ATA connector on the motherboard.

The Hard Drive differs from the Floppy Drive in that it is usually inserted from within the PC case. On one end of the Hard Drive will be the sockets for connecting the cables. This end must point into the case such that the cables can be connected later on.

Gently slide the Hard Drive into the bay that now holds the floppy drive above. Move the drive around until you find the fixing points. You may need to clear any obstructions to this insertion from inside the case if necessary.

Once inserted, use the coarse-threaded screws to secure the drive to the case.

Fitting the Drives

Fitting a CD or DVD Drive

Unpack the CD-ROM. Make sure at this stage that you have your anti-static measures in place, and even briefly make contact with both hands on the metal of the case to make sure.

Using the IDE Configuration Pins set this device as a Master. In some cases, particularly with DVD or CD-Writers, it is necessary to select Slave for best performance.

As with the floppy drive, you will notice, on the front panel of your PC case, there is an opening the same dimensions as the front panel (if there is a plastic cover plate fitted, just gently push it out from behind.) Slide the CD-ROM into the opening backwards such that its front panel becomes flush with the front of the PC case.

Once fully inserted, there should be some fixing holes inside the case such that you can secure the CD-ROM drive to the case. Use the 'fine threaded' screws for this.

Once inserted, use fine-threaded screws to secure the drive to the case.

 

 



 

 

 

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