Getting a new laptop HDD...

RWBRWB Icrontian
edited May 2006 in Hardware
Just curious about getting a new laptop HDD, I would like to get a new one but there is no secondary slot that I know of to put it. So in effect is there a way I can put in the new HDD without having to reinstall everything?

Comments

  • MissilemanMissileman Orlando, Florida Icrontian
    edited May 2006
    Yeah there is.

    Most laptop hard drives are standard 2.5" drives. Just pick up and external 2.5" case. Clone your drive acrossed using Acronis and then install the new one in place of the old. Put the old in the case and you have a very cool porta drive :)
  • RWBRWB Icrontian
    edited May 2006
    I already ordered the drive, got me a 100GB 7200 RPM Hitachi with 8MB cache on the way... with a 3.5" "METAL GEAR" drive enclosure on the way as well.. I didn't think about getting the 2.5" drive enclosure :( I should have, and will when my nextpaycheck comesin.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited May 2006
    3.5" "METAL GEAR"
    If that's the model with an aluminum plate as each side, thumbscrews, and LEDs under the mesh edge trim, you've made a very smart purchase. That's an excellent cooling external drive. I've got one and swear by it.
  • edited May 2006
    You could use the drive enclosure with one of those EIDE->Laptop HDD (I forget the interface's name), connect that to your laptop and image it using Acronis. The adapters can be had at CompUSA for less than $10.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited May 2006
    The enclosure should be USB 2.0 and Firewire. Should be plug and play with the laptop as is.
  • edited May 2006
    But the enclosure isn't set up for a 2.5" drive, is it?
  • RWBRWB Icrontian
    edited May 2006
    The metal gear I bought purely for my 250GB 3.5" drive currently in my other computer which doesn't get used anymore becuase I love my laptop be it much slower than the desktop :P
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited May 2006
    But the enclosure isn't set up for a 2.5" drive, is it?
    :doh: Oops. No. You're correct. He'd need to get an adaptor to mount the 2.5" drive in it probably.
  • edited May 2006
    RWB wrote:
    The metal gear I bought purely for my 250GB 3.5" drive currently in my other computer which doesn't get used anymore becuase I love my laptop be it much slower than the desktop :P


    I mean just to get the old data off the old drive and onto the new one.

    OR you could send an image file to the external HDD from the old laptop drive, install the new drive, then pull the image off the old drive onto the new one.
  • RWBRWB Icrontian
    edited May 2006
    damnit! Thy tricked me, there are two versions of this driver enclosure, the one I got was an SATA NOT USB type... I dont have SATA ON MY LAPTOP!!!!!! ****!
  • RWBRWB Icrontian
    edited May 2006
    Just installed the new disk with a fresh copy of windows.... omg this is very noticably faster. I had thought the main reason behind my computer lagging behind more than my desktop was because my desktop was Dual Core, but this baby is flying! I am doing alot more at the same time than ever before where I used to have to wait a bit(for the HDD to catch up I suppose) not anymore!

    Can't wait to see the gaming difference.
  • RWBRWB Icrontian
    edited May 2006
    After running for a day, I don't know why this is but I actually have gained a noticable framerate increase on all of my games, I am maxed out in GTA San Andreas and Oblivion(which I dont really play) is also increased somewhat... though not much.

    Now I figured the loading time would increase... which OMG YES IT DID, but framerate? I have 2GB of RAM so I doubt there is much caching yet I did get a noticable speed increase in this.

    Though the drive is louder, I only hear it when I am downloading stuff not listening to music and such... but this was definitly worth the buy!
  • RWBRWB Icrontian
    edited May 2006
    This has GOT to be the WORST design and execution of an external enclosure there can be. I simply cannot put the HDD in the enclosure, there is PLENT of room, but it the SATA cable inside will not allow the connection, it folds awkward and causes too many problems.

    So far one bolt has CHEERED off, the enclosure has fallen apart and is an utter mess, the HDD won't fit due to the wires, the top probably won't even fit on top becuase of the wires, I am AFFRAID my HDD will be broken next.

    Leo, if there is some TRICK, please tell me... a HDD is a HDD is a HDD, I have two manufacturers Maxtor and Western DIgital, neither will fit as they are essentially the same in terms of size and layout.

    WTF!?
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited May 2006
    Sorry your model is such a poor design. Mine is IDE internal with USB and Firewire interface to the computer. Mine is very simple to use and swap drives. Try disassembling the end the enclosure. Then, instead of dropping the drive in the enclosure from the top, slide it in from the end onto the connector.
  • GHoosdumGHoosdum Icrontian
    edited May 2006
    I agree with you that a HDD upgrade is a big performance jump on a notebook. I made a similar upgrade earlier this year and my notebook is now my primary gaming rig. I was so impressed by the performance increase that I'm writing a front-page article about it that should be finished soon.
  • RWBRWB Icrontian
    edited May 2006
    Yeah definitly worth the money, had I known the advantages being this good (for the laptop upgrade) I would have done it alot sooner ;)

    But then again, I wouldn'thave known the greatness.
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