Hello friends! Today we will consider connecting a drive to a computer. There are not so many existing methods, however, they can also cause difficulties for an unprepared performer, especially if he is on “You” with computers.
Such a device, regardless of the data bus, is mounted in a special pocket, 5.25 inches in size. This section is located on front panel and usually there are several of them - at least two.
It is installed horizontally, but not always. Slim type enclosures do not have sufficient width to mount such a drive. They need a special drive with support vertical loading disks. It differs from the usual one in that there is a special disc holder on the tray.
At the same time, it is important to install the device correctly - so that the disc does not fall out when the tray is closed.
On the chassis, the device is fixed with fixing screws. Usually, there are four threaded holes, but it is enough to screw in two screws. On back cover there are slots for connecting power and data bus. I want to note right away that when buying new components, you will most likely come across DVD drive SATA.
Although these slots are similar, it is difficult to confuse the data cable and the power cable, and it is completely impossible to connect it incorrectly due to the difference in size.
If the power supply does not have a suitable connector, you can use a Molex to SATA adapter (read more about this in the publication about all PC power supply connectors, which you will find here). 
The data cable should be inserted into a suitable slot on the motherboard (I also advise you to read about all the connectors on the motherboard).
In general, the installation procedure is simple and even with a deliberate delay in the process, it will take no more than 10-15 minutes. The same connection scheme is used in outdated IDE format drives, only the data cable there has a much larger width.
If you do not connect the power, the device simply will not work and be determined by the computer. If you do not connect the data bus, the tray will open, but the BIOS will not see the device.
I also want to note that an optical drive from a laptop to a computer is suitable if it is SATA: the connectors on it are the same.
However, installation can be problematic, as it is difficult to fix it to the chassis, due to the lack of appropriate fasteners. Additional "crutches" will be required if you want to install the device motionless.
In this case, everything is much simpler: as a rule, such a device does not require installation inside the case, as it is designed for regular transportation, and has a self-sufficient design. Both data and power are transmitted via USB, which are plentiful on a modern computer. 
If there are not enough ports, you can purchase a special hub - a kind of splitter with one plug and several "sockets". Besides, external drive, as a rule, does not require the installation of drivers. Just as easy, you can disconnect this drive from one computer and connect it to another.
A common occurrence is when, when a drive is connected, the computer does not boot, but in the absence of a device, it works normally.
The problem is most likely in the boot priority: the drive is listed as the first device in the queue. If there is no disc in the tray or a disc with non-OS content, the computer will not boot.
It is not difficult to get rid of such a problem - just go into the BIOS and set the hard drive or SSD drive as a priority device.
Everything is much more serious if, after installing the device, the computer does not turn on. In this case, the problem lies, most likely, in the power supply: although the drive consumes little power, the PSU does not have enough of it.
Some devices are difficult to connect to a computer, but this rule does not apply to the drive. The process of connecting it is the simplest, if only the scheme of this procedure is clear. Next, we will consider in detail how to do this correctly.
Powering off the computer is optional, but recommended to avoid electric shock. Usually this does not happen, but if the drive has a factory defect, or under other conditions, the consequences can be very traumatic. It will be useful to protect yourself from force majeure circumstances.
You can also use special adapters, but the amount for its purchase very rarely pays for itself.
In order to get into it, you must press certain keys during the boot of the operating system. Often, this is the DEL key on the keyboard, but depending on the BIOS version, computer configuration, etc., it may vary. When the computer boots up, the words “Press X to enter setup” may appear in the lower corners. It is the button that will be indicated instead of "X" that you need to press to get into the system.
If there are no changes, then either the device itself is defective (factory defect or damage due to operation), or you still connected it incorrectly.
The second way is to buy an adapter. Available in the respective stores a large number of adapters for every taste:
Laptop drives are much smaller than standard PC drives, so inside the system unit they need to be placed lower, in narrower spaces (in the same place as the hard drive, for example). But if you cannot fix the drive, or the cable from the adapter is too short, then the device must be placed next to the computer case.
Exactly the same method works when connecting a computer drive to a laptop (this is where the USB adapter is often used). This rule also applies to external drives.
Connecting a drive is a fairly simple matter, although at first it may seem a little confusing. All connectors are signed, and it is unlikely that you will be able to connect the device incorrectly without breaking something in the process. Follow the safety precautions when turning off the power, but otherwise there will be no difficulties.
There are times when optical drive laptop crashes. It may take some time for a warranty repair or replacement, and on a laptop you need to urgently open the disk. Of course, you can go to your friends, make a virtual disk image, copy it to a USB flash drive, download a program for mounting virtual images and use it to open the disk. But you can do it differently. Take the drive from home computer and temporarily connect it to the laptop. The second way will be much faster and more convenient.
No laptop is immune to optical drive failure. Its repair can take quite a long time. To immediately open a disk on a laptop, you can use your home PC's disk drive. There are several ways to connect a drive to a laptop, depending on the drive interface of the device.
If the drive has a USB interface, you need to connect it to the USB port, and then turn on the laptop. After the system detects new hardware, the necessary drivers for the device will be installed. After connecting the drive, a notification will appear stating that it is ready for use. The drive can be used after the corresponding icon appears in "My computer". If the drive is equipped with a SATA interface, you will need an adapter " USB-IDE/SATA ”, which can be purchased at a computer store. You can connect any device that supports the SATA interface to the adapter. Complete with adapter USB-IDE/SATA There are additional power supplies. "USB-IDE / SATA" must be connected to the laptop's USB port, then connect the optical drive to the adapter, then the drive. Plug the adapter into AC power. After turning on the laptop, you must wait until the operating system boots. New hardware should show up. After notification that the equipment is ready for use and the icon appears, you can start using the drive. The system may not be able to detect the new device immediately. In this case, open context menu "My Computer", select "Properties". The Device Manager tab will display a list of hardware. Right-click on the top line and "Update Configuration".
If the list contains "Unidentified Device" need to "Update Driver" by right-clicking on the device. In the next window, select "Automatically search for drivers". You can use the Internet to search for drivers.
The drive - until recently a mandatory element in any computer, today is losing ground to flash drives and retires. Manufacturers have caught this trend and are now happy to follow it, refusing to install a drive in computers and laptops. But what if you need a drive? About this - in our article.
First we need to decide what we need a drive for. It's not about his type - by default, he should be able to read and write DVDs, such is the time. But there is such a thing as a connection type - an interface that our drive connects to a computer. He is to be chosen.
The easiest way to determine this is to visually inspect the motherboard and determine the available connection points.
Let's take it in order:
Have you considered the motherboard? Let's evaluate the availability of free ports. If there are several free SATA ports and an IDE port, then you definitely need to choose the first option. He has seriously more pluses, and it’s easier to connect. If there is only one free SATA port, then you can think about it - suddenly you want to connect another one to the computer HDD? He needs this port. Well, the easiest option is if you have either SATA or IDE ports. You have no choice, act according to the circumstances.
To do this, you will need a medium-thick Phillips screwdriver with a good slot and a vacuum cleaner.
Note! Take care in advance of collecting mounting hardware in a separate place - it will help a lot with reassembly. It is very unpleasant to look for bolts all over the apartment.
Note! Some models of system units do not allow you to pull the drive inward. Pulling it out is prevented by the front panel - for example, the drive bays have rounded edges, for which the drive clings. In this case, you need to remove the front panel by unscrewing the four bolts or slightly bending the latches in four places. Do this with the utmost care: a system unit with an insecurely fixed front panel will finally lose its presentability.
In addition to a screwdriver, you may need pliers.
On a note! If you replaced the drive and completed the previous step to remove the old one, then you have already prepared everything for installation.
Now we will consider how to be someone who wants to put a drive in new computer, where it never was, or wants to put a second drive in addition to the old one.
Note! It would be nice to find complete bolts from the system unit, but there are none, buy four or eight bolts along with the drive to mount it.
IDE is an old format with its own customization rules. The loop implies the installation of two devices, so it turns out that one device is always the master (“Master”), and the other is always the slave (“Slave”). This is where the problem may lie if the connected drive is not detected. To fix it, check the position of the jumper on the back of the drive. Pay attention to the screenshot.
Universal case: if there is only one drive on the cable and it is connected by the last connector, then set the jumper to the left position (“Cable Select”, or auto-detection of the connection type). If there are two drives or devices in general on the cable, then the jumper should take a position based on the position of the device: if the connector is extreme - "Master", that is, the right position, if the middle one is "Slave", that is, the middle one. However motherboards IDEs have been around for a very long time, so they can easily fall short of standards. In this case, there is only one advice - refer to the instructions.
It remains only to close the side covers, tighten their fixing screws and start using the computer. Ready!
