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Installing a Primary IDE Hard Drive

By , About.com Guide

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Power Up the Computer

Plug the Power Into the PC

Plug the Power Into the PC

©Mark Kyrnin

Now that the case is closed up, power can be restored to the computer system. Plug the AC cord back into the power supply and be sure to flip the switch to the ON position.

It will be necessary for the computer BIOS to detect the hard drive the next time that it is powered up. Check with the manual for your computer or motherboard on how to detect a new hard drive. It may be necessary to change some of the parameters in the computer BIOS in order for it to detect the hard drive on the controller. The drive must also be formatted for use with the operating system before it can be used. Please consult the documentation that came with your motherboard or computer for additional information.

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