Have you been banging your head all over the internet, seeking the best way to install a second SSD? If that’s the case, the quest ends right here.
To install a second SSD on your computer, get yourself a new storage solution, open the CPU compartment, locate the drive bay, position the new SSD into it and close the case back. Once done, turn on your computer, help the OS recognize the newly installed SSD, and you’re good to go.
Whether you want to install a second SSD to serve the requirements of a faster primary drive or just want to expand your current storage volume, the following guide will help in every possible manner.
How To Install a Second SSD: Everything You Need To Know
Installing a second SSD on your PC is a systematic process that requires a proper approach. No doubt the entire procedure is a touch complicated, but once you’ve got the resources and adequate knowledge ready by your side, you’ll find yourself sitting on the convenient end. To help our readers, we’ve sectioned the tutorial into three parts.
- Prerequisites.
- Installation.
- Initialization.
Keep reading as we unfold each unit in the most digestible manner.
Prerequisites: Things That You’ll Require
Before anything else, make sure you’ve got all the resources sorted. Here is a quick look at the items you’ll require for installing a second SSD on your PC.
- A vacant drive bay inside the CPU of your computer.
- An available SATA data connection within the motherboard.
- An external SSD drive to install.
- Some tools like a screwdriver. This will help you open the case and position the drive properly.
- A properly working SATA data cable.
- A well-operational SATA power connector.
- When and if your motherboard lacks a port for SATA connections, a SATA controller.
Remember, your system can have one or two different drive bay sizes. For SSDs, you’ll generally need a 2.5-inch drive bay. If you’re looking to install an SSD inside a bay typically meant for a 5.25-inch drive, you’ll require an adapter to secure the connection.
Installing a Second SSD to Your PC
Now that you’ve got the pieces of equipment ready by your side, it is time to install the SSD. Keep in mind that if at any stage you feel things are turning out to be tricky, feel free to seek some professional supervision. However, if you stick to what I’m about to uncover, facing trouble is an unlikely event.
- Unplug all the power cables in case you haven’t already.
- Use the screwdriver to unscrew and open the CPU case.
- Locate the available drive bay. Seek for the one scaling to 2.5-inch. If you can’t find any, locate the 5.2-inch drive-bay instead.
- Carefully remove the drive caddy and position the new SSD into it.
- Check everything before installing the caddy back into the drive bay.
- Sort the connections. Find an available SATA data cable port (inside the motherboard) and plug one end of a well-working SATA data cable into the free SATA power connector.
- Complete the connection by plugging the data connectors into the compatible ports in the new SSD.
- Verify all the wires and cables one more time.
- Close the CPU case, and that wraps up the physical installation.
Initializing the New SSD
After concluding the physical installation, plug in all the power cables and turn on your computer. As the system boots up, head to the system information page and check if the new SSD has been identified. If you can’t see any changes to your system storage, that’s probably because your OS hasn’t recognized the new SSD. Don’t worry; follow the below steps and get everything up and running in minutes.
- Launch the Control Panel from the Windows Start menu.
- Find the option that says “Disk Management” and click on it.
- If you come across a prompt asking to initialize the disk, pick the “GPT” option.
- Click “OK” and proceed.
- Wait for automatic detection. If it doesn’t happen, scroll down and select the new SSD.
- Right-click it, and click “New Simple Volume” from the list of options.
- Click “Next”.
- You’ll then see a set of two numbers. Ensure that both match each other for seamless functioning.
- Desirably pick a drive letter or go with the default one. Click “Next” one more time.
- Choose the NTFS file system as the preferred option and enter the volume label.
- Click “Next”, verify all the information, and conclude the process by hitting the “Finish” button.
Wrapping Up
So there you have it; an easy and seamless guide to installing an SSD on your computer. Although the procedure smells tricky up front, once you know how to deal with it, the rest is a cakewalk. I hope the write-up has helped you enhance the storage utility of your PC.
