HowToInstallandTroubleshootSerialATA

(SATA)HardDrives
DetailedinstructionsforinstallingSerialATAdrivesinyourcomputer,including
cabling,jumper,andoperatingsysteminformation,andtroubleshootingproblemsthat
mayarise.
SerialATAinterfacediskdrivesaredesignedforeasyinstallation.WithaSerialATAinterface,each
diskdrivehasitsowncablethatconnectsdirectlytoaSerialATAhostadapteroraSerialATAporton
yourmotherboard.UnlikeParallelATA,thereisnomasterslaverelationshipbetweendrivesthatusea
SerialATAinterface.Becauseofthis,thereisnojumpertosettomakeaSerialATAdriveamasteror
slaveonitscable,asitwillbetheonlydriveconnectedtothatdatacable.

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Didthisarticleansweryour
question?
Yes

YoucanuseaSerialATAdriveinthesamesystemwithParallelATAdrivesaslongasbothinterfaces
aresupportedonthemotherboardorwithahostadapter.ThismakesiteasytoaddSerialATA
compatibilitytoyourexistingsystemwithoutremovingexistingParallelATAdiskdrives.

WhatYouNeed

APhillipsscrewdriverandfour632UNCdrivemountingscrews.
ASerialATAinterfacecable(soldseparately,unlessdrivepurchasedaspartofretail
kit).Maximumlengthis39inches(1meter).
ASerialATAcompatiblepowercableoradapter(soldseparately,unlessdrive
purchasedaspartofretailkit).
AversionofWindowswithNTFSfilesystem.
AsystemwithamotherboardthathasaSerialATAconnectoronit,oraSerialATA
hostadapterandavailablePCIslotinwhichtoinstalltheadapter.
RefertoyourcomputersystemdocumentationtoseeifyoursystemsupportsSerialATAonthe
motherboardandtolocatetheSerialATAconnector.IfyoursystemdoesnothaveaSerialATA
connectoronthemotherboard,youmustpurchaseaSerialATAhostadapterthatiscompatiblewith
yourcomputerandoperatingsystemandinstallitwiththeappropriatedevicedriveraccordingtothe
hostadaptermanufacturer'sinstallationinstructions.

HandlingPrecautions

Discdrivesarefragile.Donotdroporjarthedrive.Handlethedriveonlybytheedges
orframe.Keepthedriveintheprotectiveantistaticcontaineruntilyouarereadyto
installittominimizehandlingdamage.
Driveelectronicsareextremelysensitivetostaticelectricity.Whileinstallingthedrive,
wearawriststrapandcableconnectedtoground.
Turnoffthepowertothehostsystemduringinstallation.
Donotdisassemblethedrive.Doingsovoidsthewarranty.
Donotapplypressureorattachlabelstothecircuitboardortothetopofthedrive.

AttachingCablesandMountingtheDrive

1. AttachoneendofthedriveinterfacecabletotheSerialATAinterfaceconnectoron

Submit

yourcomputer'smotherboardorSerialATAhostadapter(seeyourcomputermanual
forconnectorlocations).Hostadapterconfigurationisshownbelow.
SerialATAconnectorsarekeyedtoensurecorrectorientation.

2. Attachtheinterfaceandpowercablestothedrive.
3. Securethedriveusingfour632UNCmountingscrewsineitherthesidemountingor
bottommountingholes.Insertthescrewsnomorethan0.20inches(5.08mm)intothe
bottommountingholesandnomorethan0.14inches(3.55mm)intotheside
mountingholes.
Donotovertightenthescrewsorusemetricscrews.Thismaydamagethe
drive.

ConfiguringtheBIOS
Closeyourcomputercaseandstartyourcomputer.Yourcomputermayautomaticallydetectyournew
drive.Ifyourcomputerdoesnotautomaticallydetectyournewdrive,followthestepsbelow.

1. Restartyourcomputer.Whilethecomputerrestarts,runthesystemsetupprogram
(sometimescalledBIOSorCMOSsetup).Thisisusuallydonebypressingaspecial
key,suchasDELETE,ESC,orF1duringthestartupprocess.
2. Withinthesystemsetupprogram,instructthesystemtoautodetectyournewdrive.
3. Savethesettingsandexitthesetupprogram.Whenyourcomputerrestarts,itshould
recognizeyournewdrive.Ifyoursystemstilldoesn'trecognizeyournewdrive,see
thetroubleshootingsection.
SerialATAisanewinterfacetype.Someoldersystemsmayseethedrive
andclassifyitasaSCSIdeviceifyouareusingaSerialATAhostadapter.Thisis
normaleventhoughthisisnotaSCSIdiskdrive.Thisdoesnotaffectdrive
performanceorcapacity.

MicrosoftOperatingSystemInstallationInstructions
FordetailedinformationaboutinstallingaMicrosoftoperatingsystemonyournewSeagatedrive,refer
totheMicrosoftKnowledgebaseArticlereferencesbelow:
Windows8/8.1
Windows7
WindowsVista

Seealso:
DocumentID:184911:HowtoinstallWindowsontoaSATAdrive.

UpgradingYourSystem:AdditionalStorageorTransferringYourDatatoYourNewDrive
Anewdriveisoftenanupgradetoanexistingsystem.Itcouldbeadditionalstorageorareplacement
foranexistingdrive.Ineithercase,thephysicalproceduresarethesameasdescribedabove.Sincethe
operatingsystemdoesnotrequireafreshinstallation,preparingyourdriveforuseiseasier.For
additionalstorageinWindows,youcanusetheDiskManagementutility.Ifyouneedtotransferyour
data(sometimescalleddatamigrationorclone)youcanusetheSeagateutilityDiscWizard.

Troubleshooting
Ifyourdriveisnotworkingproperly,pleasevisittheSATAHardDriveTroubleshooting
AgreatfirststepistodownloadSeaToolsdiagnosticsoftware.

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anyliabilityfromtheactionsorproductsofthelistedcompanies.Youshouldmakeyourown
independentevaluationbeforeconductingbusinesswithanycompany.Toobtainproduct
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