Replace hard drive

tonyhempeltonyhempel tn.
edited June 2009 in Hardware
! have a dell xps 400 with a fried hard drive.I,m a novice and i need to know what else,if anything, i will need to purchase besides the hard drive.Now's a good time as any to learn.

Comments

  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited June 2009
    Nope! Just make sure you buy the right drive. If the back of the drive looks like the following picture, you have to buy a SATA drive:

    LGGSAH62N_sata2.jpg

    If it doesn't look like that, you'll be buying an IDE/EIDE drive.
  • tonyhempeltonyhempel tn.
    edited June 2009
    Thanks Thrax,Now that i've got that settled,could you please tell me how to go about downloading windows xp,since i don't have a recoverydisc.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited June 2009
    You need to contact Dell for a replacement CD. It won't be free, but it will much less than buying an operating system at retail.
    please tell me how to go about downloading windows xp
    Illegal. Icrontic draws the line at that. Site policy.

    Please stay active here, and we'll see you through to getting your computer running again!
  • tonyhempeltonyhempel tn.
    edited June 2009
    I was in no way suggesting doing anything illegal.I am ,as stated,ignorant when it comes to the tech knowledge.
  • LeonardoLeonardo Wake up and smell the glaciers Eagle River, Alaska Icrontian
    edited June 2009
    Hey Tony, don't sweat it. I understand you need an operating system without much wait. It's an interesting time for you, for sure. XP is gradually becoming obsolete, but Windows 7 won't be out until late October. Although Vista is available everywhere now, why pay for that if 7 is so close? If you order the recovery disks - all that was factory loaded originally on your computer - from HP, you will have to pay, but not nearly as much as if you were purchasing a new OS directly from Microsoft or from a store.

    Tony, welcome to Icrontic! We will help you get things back in order.
  • ardichokeardichoke Icrontian
    edited June 2009
    If your system never came with a recovery disk... iirc the company is obligated to provide you with one. Also, once again iirc, they are supposed to provide you with a copy of the OEM install media for the operating system that came with your computer if you request it. I believe the only thing they can charge you is for shipping.

    Oh, and I'm assuming that your computer is no longer under warranty since you're replacing the drive yourself. If it's under warranty you should be talking to the manufacturer for a replacement drive which they usually pre-load the OS onto.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited June 2009
    There's no obligation of the sort.
  • GnomeWizarddGnomeWizardd Member 4 Life Akron, PA Icrontian
    edited June 2009
    I would suggest Buying Vista because right now you can upgrade to Windows 7 for free when it is release
  • ardichokeardichoke Icrontian
    edited June 2009
    Thrax wrote:
    There's no obligation of the sort.

    It seems I'm incorrect. Fair enough. They are supposed to provide some means of restoring your system to the factory installed state though be it install media or a recovery image of some sort. Also, I've dealt with Dell before and they have always been happy to ship recovery media when needed. You just need to jump through their hoops is all.
  • Nate_LapTNate_LapT Ferndale MI. Icrontian
    edited June 2009
    I dont see how owning a key (Which being a dell will be the sticker on the back/side of his case) and downloading a iso of a piece of software he already owns consults to piracy.

    Second that drive above is a sata dvd drive, hdd are similar but not quite the same looking, mainly if the cables match like so.

    Third preorder Win7, then goto microsoft.com and download the RC. its free to try until next year so why wait.
  • Nate_LapTNate_LapT Ferndale MI. Icrontian
    edited June 2009
    Most deals right now for win7 upgrades are if you buy a pc with vista installed, I personally havnt seen any for if you buy vista as the software alone being able to upgrade, could be wrong, but as I previously stated, why wait if its avalible FROM Microsoft.com
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