- 1). Install the second hard drive in your computer. If you are installing an internal hard drive you will need to remove the case according to the instructions in the user guide that came with your PC, then insert the hard drive into a free drive bay. If you are using an external hard drive you can simply plug the cable into a free USB port on your computer.
- 2). Look at the speed rating of any new hard drive you are considering. Hard drives are rated for the speed they can provide in RPMs, and a 10,000 RPM hard drive will be much faster than a 7,200 RPM drive from the same manufacturer.
- 3). Use your primary hard drive to hold your base operating system and system files. Chances are your primary hard drive is already set up that way. Make sure that the "Program Files" folder and the "Windows" folders remain on your primary hard drive. Moving these system files to the secondary hard drive could cause your computer to stop working altogether.
- 4). Move your data and user files to the secondary hard drive. For best performance your data files should be kept on the "D" drive, while the operating system and programs should be loaded on to the "C" drive. Whenever you install a new program be sure to install it on to the "C" drive. Whenever you save a Word document, spreadsheet or other file, save it to the "D" drive.
- 5). Check the space available on each of your drives and make sure you have at least 10% free space. To check the space on the drive right-click on "My Computer" and choose "Explore" from the menu. Then right-click on the "C" drive and choose "Properties" from the drop-down menu. You will see a pie chart showing how much space is available on the drive and how much has been used. If the drive is nearly full it will not be able to operate efficiently. Repeat this process with the "D" drive as well. If space is tight be sure to delete any unneeded files.
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