Most modern external drives are powered directly through your computer’s USB port.
Once the appropriate drive has been acquired, the physical installation is remarkably simple. The user should begin by placing the drive on a flat, stable surface near the computer. If the drive has a dedicated power switch, it should remain in the "off" position until the data cable is connected. The user must then insert the USB cable into the external drive and plug the other end into the computer. For the best performance, the cable should be plugged into a USB port directly on the motherboard (usually located on the back of a desktop tower) rather than a front-panel port or a USB hub, which may not provide sufficient power or bandwidth. Upon connection, the operating system will typically emit a notification sound, and if the drive has an indicator light, it should illuminate, signaling that the device is receiving power. how to add an external hard drive to a pc