Final answer:
The correct answer is option A. The HDD should be connected to the lowest numbered SATA connector on the motherboard to ensure it is recognized as the boot drive automatically.
Step-by-step explanation:
Connecting the HDD to the lowest numbered SATA connector on the motherboard will ensure that the BIOS recognizes it as the boot drive automatically.
The BIOS typically assigns boot priority based on the SATA connector numbering. The lowest numbered connector is usually given the highest priority and will be recognized as the boot drive.
For example, if you have multiple storage devices connected to your motherboard, including an SSD and an HDD, connecting the HDD to the lowest numbered SATA connector will make it the default boot drive.
Connect the HDD to the lowest numbered SATA connector on the motherboard. Most BIOS or UEFI systems will check the SATA ports in numerical order when searching for bootable devices. Therefore, connecting your boot drive to the lowest numbered SATA port can help ensure that it's recognized first and set as the boot device automatically.
This method is a general practice for motherboard configurations and does not require a specialized SATA data cable. The power supply connector order does not affect which drive is selected as the boot drive. Similarly, higher numbered SATA connectors are typically secondary preferences for the BIOS when detecting bootable drives.