Replacing my laptop hard drive.

Brains · 13 Nov 2006 at 18:34

This is my laptop...

http://uk.computers.toshiba-europe.....do?service=UK&PRODUCT_ID=106453&DISC_MODEL=1

...andthis is the hard drive spec...

capacity : 40 GB
certification : S.M.A.R.T.
height : 9.5 mm
drive rotation : 4,200 rpm
number of disks : 1
number of heads : 2
bytes per sector : 512
interface : Enhanced IDE (ATA-6)
buffer size : 2 MB
desktop or notebook? : notebook

I'm going to replace the hard drive soon for a 120GB (the largest notebook HDD available?) but i'm not sure about the specifications on some of the hard drives i have found, i don't know if some interface types are interchangable?

This is the one i had in mind anyway, anyone know if it would fit? Many thanks.

"Sorry"

semi-pro waster · 13 Nov 2006 at 18:48

You should be fine to replace it with any 2.5"(standard) laptop hard drive, it needs to be 9.5mm high or less but that is also standard so the hard drive you highlighted will be fine however you can't link to competitors so please remove the link.

Cyber-Mav · 13 Nov 2006 at 21:41

looks like you need an ide drive too so make sure you don;t buy sata.

Brains · 13 Nov 2006 at 21:47

Cyber-Mav said:
looks like you need an ide drive too so make sure you don;t buy sata.

The one i have in mind says "ATA-100" bit is in the " IDE/UDMA" category.

Cyber-Mav · 13 Nov 2006 at 22:34

that will be fine.

stoofa · 14 Nov 2006 at 14:32

Just remember that if the replacement HD you buy is either a 5,400rpm or 7,200rpm unit it will reduce your battery life.

Brains · 15 Nov 2006 at 09:44

Another query is, i also bought a caddy so i can use my old HDD via usb aswell just for storage, is it possible to connect the new one via usb, copy the entire contents of the hard drive over to it, swap them over and then boot up using the new HDD with all my old stuff running as normal, i know it is possible to do it, but i can't remember whether it's that simple of you need a special program?

semi-pro waster · 15 Nov 2006 at 11:41

You will need something like Ghost or Anachros TrueImage, both cost money but I've yet to see something free that does it although there may be.

Brains · 15 Nov 2006 at 15:37

Got my stuff, when i put the new HDD into the caddy and connected it up via usb inc. the additional power cable to another usb port it was detected but nothing appeared in my computer. Apparantly i 'might' have ton format it but how if nothing appears? Is something faulty?

It also mentions a jumper setting but there are no jumpers on it, there are four pins in a 2x2 formation next to the main drive port, but no little plastic jumper!?

rpstewart · 15 Nov 2006 at 16:07

You'll need to go into Disk Management - Right click on My Computer and pick Manage, in the resultant window pick Disk Management from the left hand tree. In Disk Managment you'll get a view of all the attached disks in the system. You're new disk should show as a drive made up completely of unallocated space, you'll need to right click in this space and create and format a partition on the new drive.

Don't worry about the jumpers, they're for setting the drive as master or slave. It'll be set to master at the moment which is what you want for both the caddy and when it goes into the machine proper.

Brains · 17 Nov 2006 at 17:49

It's not there?

S'ok, sorted it, but it only says 111gb, i paid for a 120gb?

semi-pro waster · 17 Nov 2006 at 18:20

Brains said:
S'ok, sorted it, but it only says 111gb, i paid for a 120gb?

You paid for 120gb i.e. 120,000mb, unfortunately file systems have 1024mb =1gb, hard drive manufacturers take 1000mb=1gb so 111gb isn't that far off, quick calculation suggests you should have a bit more space but you do also have to allow for file system overheads etc. Basically it is nothing to worry about.