Trying to install a hard drive on my Hp Pavilion Gaming 790-0020 desktop

[RecordingBlock]

I may choose a ssd or an hdd depending on which one my desktop supports. I am wondering how I can install a hard drive on this computer. I also want to know which components I need to install a hard drive. I have learned that my desktop comes with an extra cable, but I don't know if I can use that cable with an ssd or hdd.

[Grzwacz]

Greetings,

Welcome to the forum.

I am not a HP employee.

Are you referring to a Pavilion Gaming Desktop 690-0020 (Link to this PC)?

Sorry, I did not look at the header on your post.

You have a 790-0020. Okay.

You have a 256 GB M.2 NVME SSD. No additional: HDD or SATA SSD option was provided at purchase. You have limited storage.

You can install either a platter HDD or a SATA SSD. I recommend a SATA SSD for performance unless you have a specific budget limiting your purchase options.

The problem I have seen is some of the newer HP PCs such as your PC is you need special HDD retention screws to lock the drive in the drive cage.  I think wb2001 has a link to purchase the retention screws.

You may need a HDD to SSD adapter to install a SATA SSD in the PC.

You may also have a problem with delivering SATA power to the HDD. Do you have this?

You do have an open SATA port on the motherboard for data. Two SATA ports are on the mainboard. One port should be open. The other SATA port is for optical media.

I should not have responded to this question. It may be a difficult problem to solve.

Regards

[Photoray002]

Hello all. I think @Grzwacz  has it pretty much covered. Ill just add to it.

We are volunteers not employees, so we don't always have access to every model that comes along.

Yes HP doesn't always put out enough information about maintenance. But they didn't intend for these models to be upgraded like an enthusiast build. HP figures a person is going to buy a ready built to run as it is.

With that said, you will have to open up the case and assess the accessibility as you go. On the 690 series, there is a black metal inner bracket panel that has to be removed first. Your 790 model might be the same or similar to this...

Once the panel is removed, you may or may not have to remove the DVD drive if it has one. It should push out the front usually. Once you can access the area that the HDD installs to, you will have to decide if you will need a 3.5 inch to 2.5 inch HDD adapter caddy. The caddy would insert into the same place as the 3.5 inch HDD would, but you would mount the 2.5 inch Sata SSD on top of the caddy plate first. The caddy would screw into the mounting for the HDD, but the SSD can either be screwed into the caddy plate, or you can simply use double sided tape to glue the SSD to the caddy.

Or you might be able to skip buying a caddy and simply tape the SSD to the bottom of the HDD cage. YOU will have to determine this after you open it up. The area the SSD is mounted to is not critical since there are no moving parts to deal with. As long as you can get the cables to mount into the SSD, you are golden. It will use the same Sata data and same Sata power cables as a Sata HDD will.

Let us know if you have other questions.

[RecordingBlock]

@photoray002 I have decided to get an hdd. I am wondering if I need a caddy for the Hdd or only for the ssd. For the hdd will I need any extra parts?

[Photoray002]

I don't think you will need one if you get a 3.5 inch HDD. But considering it didn't come with one to begin with, you will want to open the case up and see what is there and how it would install.

According to the parts list, there would need to be some isolation grommets needed, but they are not available to buy from HP.

511945-001

Hard drive isolation grommets (Blue color)

You will have to search the web for those screws. Here is an example of the screws that another user posted...

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-Hardware-and-Upgrade-Questions/HP-Envy-795-0030qd-3-5-inch-sat...

[RecordingBlock]

Will I need an extra cable to get power for the psu. On the website for the Motherboard that I have it says it only has an extra m.2 slot is this right?

[Photoray002]

An extra M.2 slot?

Um, no. It only has one M.2 M keyed slot for a NMVe drive that is already being used in your case.