Replacing a laptop hard disk.

I get around · 5 Sep 2009 at 15:41

Right well I've run out of space on this puny little 160gig hdd on my laptop, it won't even hold all my music so I have to use the desktop more than I'd like to.
I wanna know how easy it is to change a hard disk on a laptop as I've never opened one up before?
It's an acer aspire 5735, nothing fancy but it does what I need.

beermonster · 5 Sep 2009 at 17:36

Should just be a panel on the base, usually has the HD cylinder symbol on it. Take it off, you will see the HD caddy, it might be secured with screws, take caddy out, take screws out securing HD, then fit new and reasseble. Do you have the recovery CD's to reinstall the OS, you might need to burn them off before you change it.

I get around · 5 Sep 2009 at 17:48

Yeah I'll have to find where i put them or burn some more off, then find all the software discs and that (bloody nightmare, i think they're in the loft) sounds easy. Cheers.

atomiser · 5 Sep 2009 at 17:51

it is easy...top tip...spend the 20 squids on a copy of acronis true image home...take an image of your existing drive...swap the drive...restore the image...grow the partition...voila, same environment, bigger drive. unless, of course, you fancy a re-install.

malcolm · 5 Sep 2009 at 20:48

atomiser said:
it is easy...top tip...spend the 20 squids on a copy of acronis true image home...take an image of your existing drive...swap the drive...restore the image...grow the partition...voila, same environment, bigger drive. unless, of course, you fancy a re-install.

Have to agree, I replaced the HD in my Inspiron last year using Acronis and it went without a hitch, well worth it. You can use the trial version for free for 14 days and that is enough to swap your HD over.