Videos, music and programs take up a large amount of memory, so running out of hard drive space is not unusual. If that is the case, there is no reason to start deleting files and programs. Instead you can add valuable storage space to your home personal computer by adding additional hard drives. They come in a variety of different storage sizes, from less than 100 gigabytes to more than a terabyte (1,000 gigabytes).
Instructions
1. Determine whether you want an external or internal hard drive. Internal hard drives are installed inside your computer. They take up no desktop space but are much harder to install and you can add only one additional hard drive. External hard drives can be connected to your computer via USB or Firewire cable.
2. Purchase a hard drive with more than enough room. Memory space has become significantly cheaper over the past few years and you can purchase more than a terabyte of hard drive space for a few hundred dollars. Unless you are a professional video editor, you will likely never run out of storage space if you purchase a hard drive of this size.
3. Install the hard drive. If you purchased an internal hard drive, you need to power off the computer, remove all exterior cables and unscrew the top of the computer case from the base with a Phillips-head screwdriver. All the screws can be found on the back side of the computer. Slide the case off and insert the hard drive into an available drive slot, typically directly below the original hard drive. Insert the ribbon cable into the back of the hard drive and plug the other end of the cable into the motherboard, next to the original drive's ribbon cable. Attach the power plug into the hard drive and plug it into the motherboard, next to the other drive's power cord. Reattach the computer case and exterior cables.
If you purchased an exterior hard drive, plug the USB/Firewire cable into the hard drive and an available USB/Firewire port on the computer. Plug the power cable from the hard drive into an electrical outlet.
4. Insert the driver installation disk into the computer. Read and accept the license agreement. Follow the remaining prompts to complete the driver setup.
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