User Manual

Table Of Contents
254
SATA Drive Installation
To create more internal storage space on your Force hardware, you can purchase a SATA (Serial ATA) drive and install it
yourself, but read this chapter first.
Your Force can support nearly any standard 2.5” SATA drive on the market—either a solid-state drive (SSD) or hard-disk
drive (HDD). Make sure it uses a 2.5” (63.5 mm) form factor and uses (or can use) one of these file systems: exFAT,
FAT32, NTFS, or EXT4 (for read and write capability) or HFS+ (for read-only capability).
Note: We recommend using an exFAT file system as it is the most robust one supported by both Windows and macOS.
Note: Alternatively, you could install an mSATA (mini-SATA) drive, but make sure you also purchase an adapter that
enables it to fit into a typical 2.5” SATA interface.
1. Make sure your Force hardware is powered off.
2. Locate the SATA drive panel in the center of the bottom panel of your Force hardware. Use a Phillips-head
screwdriver to remove the screws (don’t lose them!), and remove the SATA drive panel.
3. Gently pull the SATA connector and cable out from inside your Force hardware. Be careful not to disturb anything
inside—handle just the SATA connector and cable.
4. Connect your SATA drive to the SATA connector. Make sure the connection is secure.
5. Use four 3x5mm mounting screws (included with Force hardware or with your SATA drive) to secure the SATA drive to
the SATA drive panel. Do not overtighten the screws, but make sure the drive is secure and does not shake.
6. Place the SATA drive panel back onto the bottom panel of your Force hardware, and use the original screws to secure
it in place.
You can now access this drive while using your Force hardware!