Hardware Reference Guide

Removing and Installing drives
When installing drives, follow these guidelines:
● The primary Serial ATA (SATA) hard drive must be connected to the dark-blue primary SATA connector on
the system board labeled SATA0.
● Connect secondary hard drives and optical drives to one of the light-blue SATA connectors on the system
board (labeled SATA1, SATA2, and SATA3).
● You must install mounting screws for hard drives and 5.25-inch optical drives to ensure the drive will
line up correctly in the drive cage and lock in place. Mounting screws can be purchased from HP.
IMPORTANT: To prevent loss of work and damage to the computer or drive:
If you are inserting or removing a drive, shut down the operating system properly, turn o the computer, and
unplug the power cord. Do not remove a drive while the computer is on or in standby mode.
Before handling a drive, be sure that you are discharged of static electricity. While handling a drive, avoid
touching the connector. For more information about preventing electrostatic damage, refer to Electrostatic
discharge on page 54.
Handle a drive carefully; do not drop it.
Do not use excessive force when inserting a drive.
Avoid exposing a hard drive to liquids, temperature extremes, or products that have magnetic elds such as
monitors or speakers.
If a drive must be mailed, place the drive in a bubble-pack mailer or other protective packaging and label the
package “Fragile: Handle With Care.”
22 Chapter 2 Hardware upgrades