Windows 7: Installing Additional SATA Hard Drive - Inquiry

Hello everyone, me again, thanking in advance for any comments or suggestions or opinions.

My OS is windows 7 64bit and I am using H61M-P31G3 MSI mainboard. It has 4 SATA slots: SATA 1 for my 500GB HDD, SATA2 for my DVDRW Drive, and SATA3 & SATA 4 none connected



I have an older PC with 200GB SATA HDD, and I plan to remove this HDD and use only as back-up hard drive on my newer PC.

My inquiry is >> IF I INSTALL THE HDD CABLE (200GBHDD) ON MY SATA 3 or SATA 4 slot, WILL IT BE JUST A SIMPLE "PLUG & PLAY," meaning that after rebooting my PC I can now use the 200GB old SATA HDD as a backup &/or file storage hard drive? or anything else that i must do in order to use it as a backup &/or file storage drive.

have a nice day to all.

Yes, it should be that simple. The OS will install device drivers for it when you boot.

If you have completely erased or "zero-written" that hard drive, when you install it you will need to go into Disk Management and Initialize the drive and either set up partitions, or just make it all usable space.

Thanks a lot guys., the above-mentioned problem is resolve., and another good day to all.

Now I am planning of changing my other PC's HDD. Currently installed is 500GB SATA HDD. If I install another 1TB SATA HDD >> HOW DO I COPY the "Dual Boot Windows 7 & 8" from the old 500GB HDD to the new 1TB HDD?

Is it just the simple "copy all & paste?"

Thanks alot again.

No. Some system files won't be copied, and the MBR (master boot record) won't be copied. You'll want drive cloning software.

Some may have come with the new drive (retail), or be available for download from the drive maker (for a bare drive). I've used Acronis True Image, which isn't free (but not expensive.)

thanks. i have asked this same problem in win8forums and i will try the freeware partition manager first..