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Things to Do Before and During Your Hard Disk Upgrade

So you say you're ready to star in your own personal episode of Home Computer Improvement? Although you don't have to be a hardware guru anymore to install a hard drive, Murphy's Law remains in effect, and things can go wrong. For a stress-free upgrade, keep this list handy.

Before

Allow plenty of time--several hours, to be safe. And while burning incense and meditating isn't necessary, it helps to be in a serene state of mind.

Install during tech support hours. Make sure you can call for help immediately if necessary. IBM has 24-hour phone support every day, but many other companies don't answer calls in the evening or on the weekend.

Create a DOS boot disk. All hard drive installation software (except Seagate's) requires that you boot from a DOS floppy. If you don't make this disk before you remove the old drive, you may have to start all over again. Place a blank floppy in your PC, open My Computer, right-click on the A: drive icon, and choose Format. Check the Copy System Files box, and format the disk. Reboot from the floppy (restart your computer with the disk in the A: drive) to make sure the disk works.

Get your FAQs straight. Most hard drive makers have an area on their Web site for frequently asked questions. Read it, and if it isn't too long, print it out. It may contain crucial information not in the installation manual. Also, visit the Web site of the manufacturer of your old drive, so you can print out its jumper settings.

Get to know BIOS. Make sure you know how to get into your PC's BIOS setup program and find the settings for your hard drive. Familiarize yourself with how the program works before you take anything apart.

Consider a BIOS update for your PC. Newer versions of BIOS setup software handle jumbo hard drives better, but they aren't always necessary. Check your PC maker's Web site for BIOS update software you can download. If your PC requires a replacement of the actual chip to upgrade BIOS, don't bother. The installation software that comes with your upgrade kit should be able to handle any major incompatibilities.

Check the brackets. All the kits we tested come with standard mounting brackets that work with most PCs. But some systems (from Compaq, HP, and IBM, among others) use proprietary brackets. An extra set or two may have come in the box with your PC. If not, contact your dealer or your PC maker's tech support to get them before you begin.

Gather your tools. You'll need a medium-size Phillips screwdriver for mounting your new drive, and a pair of needle-nose pliers or tweezers to set tiny drive jumpers.

Back up, back up, back up. Back up your PC completely before you begin.

During

Double-check cable connections. Make sure the EIDE cable to your new drive is connected properly. Some connectors have a plastic notch that prevents plugging them in backward; if not, note that the red wire on the cable always goes to pin 1 (marked on the drive's connector). The rectangular plastic DC power plug is just as important. Reversing the connection can destroy the drive. Look for the beveled edges on the connector and on the drive, and never force a plug if it doesn't go in easily.

Don't panic if your PC locks up or gives you an error message after you've installed the new drive and turned on your PC. Your PC's BIOS probably didn't recognize the drive and stopped the boot process. You may need to enter settings manually in your system's setup program, or in some cases, trick your PC with bogus settings. All of the upgrade kits we tested provide instructions for handling precisely this situation.