How can I hook up a 3rd Hard Drive to my PC? & Questions

[Techguy1]

So I have a extra hard drive from my old pc and I would like to use it for videos but I don't know how to hook it up and what settings to put. Is it only picking the boot order? or do I have to do RAID? (Don't know much about doing that).
I have a SSD for my boot drive and programs, updates, a 1tb HDD for my games and programs.

If you need me to clear things up please say.

Thanks!


Also am I able to move the "Program Files" and "Program Files x86" to my 1tb hard drive instead of my ssd because I'm worried about running out of space on my ssd, because it seems to be always going down. I have 73 gb left.

 

[phil22]

Third hard drive: put it into an external hard drive enclosure which plugs into a USB port. Drive jumper position does not matter when it's hooked up externally.


Transferring "Program Files" and "Program Files x86" to a different drive is a definite no-no.
You will have to uninstall them from the SSD, then re-install them to the preferred location.

The reason: When you install software, some support files are written to the Windows folder, to your user account folder, and keys and values are written to the Registry. If you move that software's main program folder, all the associated paths for that software will be wrong, as will the associated Registry information. Windows is not able to correct those discrepancies, and those programs will not work.

Therefore you have to uninstall and re-install those applications if you want to move their location.

 

[dingo07]

putting the old HDD into an enclosure just adds clutter to the workspace... open the case, look at the connections to the SSD and see if they (data and power) are the same as the old HDD - if they are, get the necessary data cable and connect it to a open space on the motherboard (near where the other 2 drives are connected - called SATA ports), then connect the power from your power supply and secure the drive into the chassis

any computer store in your area can do it for you in less than 5 minutes, if you can't manage to do it yourself

you might not have to pick the boot order, just plug it in and boot up

 

[yoji]

Third hard drive: put it into an external hard drive enclosure which plugs into a USB port. Drive jumper position does not matter when it's hooked up externally.

Why on earth would you suggest he do that?
Why strangle a HDD with USB speed? esp as he almost certainly not USB 3.0

Dingo07 has the right idea.. try and get it in the main case... with proper SATA connection/speed.

We assuming your extra hard drive from old PC uis not an old IDE HDD..

Cheers

 

[Chicano]

So I have a extra hard drive from my old pc and I would like to use it for videos but I don't know how to hook it up and what settings to put. Is it only picking the boot order? or do I have to do RAID? (Don't know much about doing that).
I have a SSD for my boot drive and programs, updates, a 1tb HDD for my games and programs.

If you need me to clear things up please say.

Thanks!


Also am I able to move the "Program Files" and "Program Files x86" to my 1tb hard drive instead of my ssd because I'm worried about running out of space on my ssd, because it seems to be always going down. I have 73 gb left.

Funduc's "Application Mover" takes care of the registry editions and all those inconveniences Phil22 speaks about.

I've tried it and all those links, keys and values, seem to indicate the right path, the application asks for confirmation before editing the registry so don't let this detail go by while moving applications.

I've used the application and it seems to make all the necessary changes to make all moved applications work normally. I've checked the registry information on the application paths and all looks ok, plus associated files work as they should... so this application is your best hope.

Application Mover
http://www.funduc.com/app_mover.htm

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If the extra Hard Drive is IDE interface(?) (you'd have clear this up) you can use SATA adapters for Digital as well as power connections to use IDE drives in SATA only motherboards.

 

[jnkweaver]

How old is the old pc and is the hd SATA of IDE? If it is an IDE drive than Phil's suggestion makes sense. If it is SATA then internal is the best answer.

 

[Techguy1]

putting the old HDD into an enclosure just adds clutter to the workspace... open the case, look at the connections to the SSD and see if they (data and power) are the same as the old HDD - if they are, get the necessary data cable and connect it to a open space on the motherboard (near where the other 2 drives are connected - called SATA ports), then connect the power from your power supply and secure the drive into the chassis

any computer store in your area can do it for you in less than 5 minutes, if you can't manage to do it yourself

you might not have to pick the boot order, just plug it in and boot up

Ok so when I hook it up how can I delete all the things off of it? Are there programs or what?


EDIT- For those asking its a SATA hard drive.

 

[Chicano]

Ok so when I hook it up how can I delete all the things off of it? Are there programs or what?


EDIT- For those asking its a SATA hard drive.

OK, so the old HD is a quick fit in...

How to delete all the things off of it... a quick format can do the job if you don't need all that's in it... if you do need things in it.. you can move them to another partition on the larger hard drive, if you don't have an extra partition it's easy to create one with a partition Managment program like Minitool Partition Wizard.

 

[Techguy1]

Best answer selected by techguy1.