desktop 500-016 hard drive wires

[jams12]

My grandson removed the hard drive in my hp pavilion desktop 5500-016. 

When i put it back in put the small plug (power?) Into hard drive - the other wire assembly has 2 plugs - P3 & P4-  where do they both go?

[jams12]

OOPS   -  500-016   NOT 5500-016

[TheOldMan]

I suspect it is a hp pavilion desktop 550-016..  It has a SATA hard drive which uses a power supply and data plug.

This is the pictorial on page 11 - see the shape of the plugs that are used.

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c04717087.pdf

One lead goes to the power supply and the other goes to the motherboard.  If the cable was removed from the motherboard, it goes to one of the ports that looks like these.  Preferably the one marked SATA0

[jams12]

It is the model 500-016...11 years old... made in 2003. Where is the motherboard located?

Thanks

[TheOldMan]

Ok.  I did find a desktop about the age - it came with Windows 8 but it still has a SATA hard drive, so the info is similar for the cables.

The motherboard is located inside the case, so it needs to have the case opened up.

Does it look like this? a side panel well come off and you should see the motherboard.

 The motherboard will look somewhat as this does.  The picture of the SATA ports is still valid

[jams12]

Where on the motherboard would it plug in ?

[jams12]

Ooops, i meant made in 2013 .

[TheOldMan]

The plug goes into one of the ports as pictured below.

This picture shows four of the SATA ports but they will look similar, and your motherboard may not have that many in a group.  The color does not necessarily match but they will look the same.