The next step is to attach the power and data cables to the new drive. The drive cable is connected according to the drive configuration and jumper settings. For a bare system install, find the IDE 1 connector and run a data cable from it to the new drive. If the drive is being added as a Slave device, then simply attach it to the secondary connector on the IDE cable. When using ATA 66 or 100 drives, use the appropriate 80-pin data cable, but remember that when mixing ATA 33, 66 and 100 drives on the same channel, overall drive speed will still be limited by the slowest drive.

The data cable should be oriented to the hard drive with the red stripe pointing towards the open power connector. IDE cables also have a raised portion that fits one-way into current hard drives. Then find an open power cable, and line it up to the drive connection and push it firmly in. ATX power cables can also only be inserted one way, so there is no danger of attaching it incorrectly. If there is no open power cable, then a Y-adapter can be used to split one of the currently used plugs.

At this point, you should leave your case open, but connect the various external cables and connectors. Then power the computer up and confirm that the new drive has been recognized. Most PCs will display the attached IDE devices upon boot, making it easy to confirm that the new drive is functioning properly.

If there is a problem, you may need to enter the system BIOS and make sure the appropriate IDE channel is set to AUTO, in order to autodetect the drives. Most motherboards ship with IDE channels set to AUTO by default, and only extremely old motherboards do not have this feature. For these models, you may have to physically enter the drive parameters (found in the manual or on the back of the drive) into the system BIOS.

If the system has been setup properly and the drive still does not initialize, then it is time to check the jumper settings and ensure that all data and power cables are connected properly. When dealing with newer IDE hard drives, the initial boot should be a seamless process, but mixing older and newer devices can sometimes be a problem. If the older drive is in the Slave position, check the Master drive for a special Master with non-ATA Slave (or similar) jumper setting. This jumper setting may work, since it enables Slave mode even to older drives that do not support the current ATA signaling.

If these tips still do not work, reconfigure the new hard drive as the Master, and try to boot with it hooked to the PC. If the drive is initialized, then cabling or jumper settings might have been the culprit the first time around. When mixing drives from different manufacturers there is always the small chance they are incompatible. If the system still does not recognize the new drive, and the settings have been confirmed, it may be time to call it a day and take it back for replacement.

Otherwise, we have confirmed that the new drive is being initialized by the system, so the case itself can be closed up and we can move on to the next step.