This information pertains to Windows 10, 8.1, 8, and 7.

Laptops are an exception, as most laptops do not have space to install a second SSD.

If your laptop does have space, then you won’t need a SATA connector.

An open drive bay in a PC.

Laptop drive bays come with built-in power and data connectors.

How to Install a Second SSD in Your Windows PC

Files pile up over time.

Eventually, you’ll be faced with deleting old files or using a secondary storage gadget.

An SSD in a drive caddy.

Be careful to avoid discharging static while working inside your PC case.

Locate an open drive bay.

Your case may have one or two different drive bay sizes in addition to peripheral bays.

An SSD installed in a drive bay.

Remove the drive caddy, and install your new SSD into it.

Some cases don’t have drive caddies.

load the caddy back into the drive bay.

SATA data ports on a motherboard.

Locate a free SATA data cable port on your motherboard, and install a SATA data cable.

Locate a free SATA power connector.

Plug the SATA power and data connectors into your SSD drive.

An unused SATA power connector.

The power connector is the longer of the two connectors on your SSD.

Close your case up, connect everything back up, and turn on your rig.

If everything is in working order, then you might go ahead and set up your new SSD.

A second SSD installed in a PC.

Here’s how to set up a newly installed SSD in Windows:

Navigate toControl Panel>Disk Management.

In Windows 7, click theStart button, right clickComputer, and chooseManageto access Disk Management.

If prompted to initialize the disk, selectGPT (GUID Partition Table)and clickOK.

A screenshot of Disk Management in Windows.

If you’re using Windows 7, chooseMBR (Master Boot Record).

If the setup wizard starts automatically, skip to step 5.

Otherwise, scroll the disk management window until you find your new SSD.

A screenshot of Windows disk management.

Right click, and selectNew Simple Volume.

double-check the two numbers match, and clickNext.

Select a drive letter if you don’t like the default one, and clickNext.

A screenshot of creating a new simple volume.

Verify the information, and clickFinish.

Your second SSD is now ready to use.

FAQ

SSD stands for asolid-state drive, a storage system that uses a chip to store data.

A screenshot of the new simple volume wizard.

They’re typically faster but more expensive than a hard disk drive (HDD).

HDDs are also cheaper and larger than the smaller and more efficient SSDs.

Toclone an HDD to an SSD, use Macrium Reflect 7.

The new simple volume wizard.

Choose the drive to clone and go toClone This Disk>Destination>Select a Disk to Clone to.

Sony has instructions forhow to add a second SSD to your PS5if you want to expand its storage.

A screenshot of the new simple volume wizard.

The new simple volume wizard.

A screenshot of completing the new simple volume wizard.

A screenshot of newly installed SSD in Windows 10.