Hard drives can be removed manually by carefully following the instruction manual provided by hard drive manufacturers. A hard drive is removed when it needs to be repaired or replaced. Its important to follow instructions as rough handling can damage the equipment and nullify its warranty.
The only tools required for this procedure are a couple of screwdrivers. The first step involves shutting down the computer and switching off power supply. This is done to avoid damage to the internal components of a computer. After this, all the external cords and covers are removed and left as it is for 5 to 10 minutes to allow components to cool down.
A human body generates static electricity, which should be discharged before touching any component of the computer. Touching any metal object discharges static electricity from the body. First, the air deflector is removed and kept on a clean cloth. Then the drive data cable and power cable is disconnected from the hard drive and the drive is pulled out from the drive bay. It is important not to touch the bottom of the drive as the printed circuit board (PCB) may get damaged.
The guide screws and air deflector removed during this process should be kept in a safe place. When the old hard drive is replaced with a new one, it is important to reinstall the air deflector properly as the PC will not function in its absence. The computer is switched on to check the installed hard drive and other components. If all systems are functioning properly, the computer must be switched off and covers put back in place.
It is important that the CPU is not handled during testing. Physical activity should be avoided while removing hard drives to reduce the build up of static electricity. Computers of different configurations have different guidelines for removing hard drives and should be followed accordingly.