Table of Contents
Introduction
Technology has advanced so much in recent times that even the simplest of things require much more space than they used to back in the days; this is because of the incredibly demanding software that we have these days. Everyone in the entertainment and multimedia industries has taken such large leaps towards enhancing their programs and quality of deliverance that it takes a toll on our storage spaces.
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Movies take up at least a couple of gigabytes to download, even the not-so long ones. Games have become increasingly heavy on the storage facility and some graphics-intensive ones can even easily go up to 100 gigabytes. Anyone remember the good old days when we could store all our video game data on an 8 megabyte memory card on the earlier PlayStations. However, we need to understand that, as time has evolved, applications have significantly upgraded and we need the required space for them if we want to experience them to the fullest.
Introduction
With the introduction of software and applications that have much more demanding specifications and storage requirements, it has become almost a necessity to add a hard drive on your computer.
What is a hard drive though? A hard drive is basically a storage device that you can install in your computer which will give you the extra storage that you require. You’ll be good to go if you get a hard drive for yourself, as most computers’ storage will get filled up pretty quickly with the way things are these days.
You must be thinking: why should I go through all the trouble of opening up my computer when I can just use a USB instead? Well, there are many reasons that you shouldn’t opt for a USB as your main storage facility. For starters, it’s just not as spacious as a hard drive might be. You can get terabytes of space on a hard drive that can set you up for life, but that just won’t be possible with a USB. Moreover, USBs can’t provide you with the optimal level of performance that you might need because they have slower read and write speeds.
It should be noted that hard drives cannot be installed on to laptops or Mac computers. They do not allow you to open the parts of the device and add on a secondary storage unit. So, we’ll be looking at ways to add a secondary hard drive to your computer, specifically being from HP’s Pavilion line of desktops. These computers can perform heavily when needed and they have ample storage as well. However, it doesn’t hurt to be safe and have that extra storage at hand.
Why Install a Second Hard Drive in an HP Pavilion Desktop?
Even though the newer versions of the Hewlett Packard Pavilion series are top-of-the-line desktop computers with several terabytes of built-in storage, those computers won’t be in the hands of the average everyday person. Most people still have older versions of these desktops, which could definitely use an additional drive.
Storage
Storage is obviously going to be the number one reason why installing a secondary hard drive is a good idea. These days, a lot of people just download their favorite TV shows, movies, and even games right on their desktop computer instead of streaming or playing them online. Just a few downloads of these applications or media files can easily fill up your entire storage, even if it is just a couple hundred gigabytes.
You’ll be relaxed about your storage space and won’t have to clean up space every now and then once you install extra hard drive in your PC. You can find hard drives with storage of up to 2 terabytes in the market and, with that kind of space, you’ll be able to download whatever you feel like on to your computer without its performance slowing down.
Performance
You’ll start to witness a downgrade in your HP computer’s performance when its storage space gets filled up. It’ll start feeling sluggish, hang a lot, and even crash at times if you put too much of a load on it. Users have been experiencing this issue lately quite often and, if you want to avoid them yourself, you’ll need to shop for a new hard drive from the marketplace.
Your computer needs a considerable amount of storage to be kept in its backup in order to perform tasks like it normally does. So, when you do make use of an extra drive, you can divide your data between your internal storage and the drive’s storage; hence, your computer won’t have to push through all that data on its own. Moreover, data drives also transfer data at high speeds to and from the computer, so you don’t have to witness another slow episode again.
Security
When you have an extra hard drive at your disposal, you don’t need to worry about keeping your data safe. Often times, computers that operate on Windows can fall victim to several types of virus attacks and other malware which can drastically affect the state of your data. These harmful programs can often corrupt your data, steal it, or even completely delete it; this is a huge vulnerability of computers and you need to keep your data safe even if you have a strong line of defense system in terms of firewalls and anti-malware software.
You can keep your entire data safe by keeping a back-up of your files and information on somewhere other than your internal storage, and this can be in the form of a secondary hard drive. Hard drives can be used to safely store a back-up of all your data so, even if you are targeted by a virus, you’ll still have a copy of your data in a safe place. Moreover, unlike external hard drives and USBs, your drive is installed inside your computer and won’t ever get stolen or physically damaged.
How to Add Second Hard Drive to HP Pavilion Desktop
You might think that you can just get an external hard drive instead of opening up your PC. Secondary drives have their own benefits, but that’s for a different discussion. We have compiled a step-by-step guide for you to follow so that you can install a secondary drive in your HP desktop with ease.
Step 1: Buy a Compatible Internal Hard Drive
You need to make sure that you buy the right type of hard drive that will work with your version of HP Pavilion desktop. To start off with, you need to get a SATA type hard drive for it. SATA hard drives are newer and better performing drives as compared to IDE ones, that were used in computers almost 2 decades ago. Try to buy a HP hard drive but if you can’t, then make sure that whichever brand you opt for is compatible with your desktop.
Step 2: Turn Off Your Computer and Open the Lid
Before tinkering with the computer’s insides, you need to make sure that it’s completely powered off and that the fans have stopped working. Once this is taken care of, proceed to opening the casing of the PC. Get a couple of screwdrivers, carefully take the screws off, and place them aside. You will now be able to take the cover easily apart.
Step 3: Place the Drive in the Casing
Once you’ve opened the lid, you’ll notice a cage that is made for specifically carrying a hard drive. Your computer’s internal hard drive will be placed here as well, and you can place the extra one above or below it – wherever there’s space in the cage. You can even follow the way the first drive is connected to connect yours.
Step 4: Attach the Cables in Place
Make sure that you connect the cables of the hard drive in the right places on the motherboard. Connect your SATA hard drive into the next available SATA connector on the circuit board. If the computer has IDE connectors, you’ll need to purchase an additional IDE to SATA connector piece and then proceed with this step. The power cable will go in the power connection where all other cables have been connected as well. Make sure that you plug the cables in tightly, or else the computer might not recognize your hard drive.
Step 5: Turn Your Computer on and Configure
Turn the power on and your CPU should boot up normally. Once it does and you’re on your home screen, head on to Settings and open the disk management window. After that, just click on the Initialize Disk option for your hard drive to be read by the computer. Follow the on-screen steps to finish the configuration process, and you’re done!
5 Best Internal Hard Drives for Your HP Pavilion Desktop
Now that you’re familiar with the installation process, you can start looking for suitable internal hard drives! We have compiled a list of the best hard drives on the market to make your selection process much easier.
Western Digital Black 500GB
WD is a powerhouse of the hard drive market and it makes quality products; this is also the case with the Digital Black 500GB. This hard drive is meant for the average consumer as it is cheap and has decent specifications.
Features
- 500GB storage space
- 7200 RPM
- 6GB/s data transfer speed
- 2.5-inch in size
Pros
- Decent data transfer speed
- Slim in size
- 5 years manufacturer’s warranty
- SATA drive
- Cheap
Cons
- Only 500GB of storage
- Only has a 32MB cache
Verdict
The Western Digital Black 500GB is a decent option for average users who just want a hard drive for downloaded movies and songs.
Western Digital Blue 1TB
The WD Blue is another good choice if you want a hard drive for casual gaming and media storage. It offers double the storage of the aforementioned model.
Features
- 1TB storage
- 7200 RPM
- 3.5-inch size
- 64MB cache
Pros
- Respectable amount of storage
- 64MB cache helps in faster operations
- 7200 RPM will help in performance
- 2 year’s manufacturer’s warranty
Cons
- A little pricey for its features
- 3.5-inch in size seems too much for 1TB
Verdict
The Western Digital Blue 1TB can be considered to be a good option, but you can find better deals in the 1TB department.
Seagate 1TB Desktop HDD
Seagate is known for its high-end hard drives, but they also make great budget ones like this 1TB Desktop HDD.
Features
- 1TB of storage
- 7200 RPM
- 64MB of cache memory
- 6GB/s data transfer
Pros
- Cheap
- Fast data transfer
- 2 year’s manufacturer’s warranty
- 62MB cache at this price point is superb
Cons
- Looks old
- A little hefty due to its 3.5-inch size
Verdict
The Seagate 1TB Desktop HDD is overall an excellent choice for day-to-day use and is probably the best option available at this price point.
Seagate Barracuda 2TB HDD
Seagate is the go-to choice for most gamers; this is because their models perform at amazingly high levels, just like the Barracuda.
Features
- 2TB storage
- 256MB memory cache
- 7200 RPM
- 6GB/s data transfer
Pros
- High performance with 256MB cache
- Lots of storage available
- Looks modern and sleek
- 2 year’s warranty
- Fast data transfer speeds
Cons
- May be pricy for some people
- SATA cables not included
Verdict
It’s hard to find any flaws with the Seagate Barracuda 2TB, and it is the best option for an HDD.
Seagate IronWolf 4TB
The Seagate IronWolf 4TB is another one of Seagate’s top-tier hard drive collections.
Features
- 4TB of storage
- 64MB memory cache
- 3.5-inch in size
- Built for NAS environments
Pros
- Large storage space
- Much quieter than other HDDs
- Ideal for NAS solutions
- Durable for 1 million hours of MTBF
Cons
- Pricey
- Only 5900 RPM
- Only 64MB cache
Verdict
The Seagate IronWolf 4TB is a considerable option with lots of storage, but it isn’t as fast and high-performing as other hard drives.
Things to Consider When Buying a Hard Drive
You should keep these qualities in mind before buying a hard drive:
- Higher RPM: Preferably 7200
- Memory cache
- Data transfer speeds (in GB/s)
- Storage space
- Price
Our Recommendation
We believe that the Seagate Barracuda series takes the win for the best possible HDD on the market; it’s fast, has one of the highest memory caches, and offers 2TB capacity. This will fulfill your gaming needs and any other media-related content you consume.
Conclusion
All in all, any type of hard drive you buy is going to serve you well in terms of the basics. You should opt for a hard drive if you need that extra storage space, as internal drives are much more secure and faster than external ones.
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