Hard drive upgrade

[RoyBoy]

I am installing a new 7200RPM 100GB hard drive (upgrade from 4200) in my main laptop. What is the best way to go? I have a network hard drive with a complete system backup on it, I can just swap drives and restore to the new one, or would I be better off doing a complete fresh reinstall of the OS and all programs, etc?

 

[jvencius]

I am installing a new 7200RPM 100GB hard drive (upgrade from 4200) in my main laptop. What is the best way to go? I have a network hard drive with a complete system backup on it, I can just swap drives and restore to the new one, or would I be better off doing a complete fresh reinstall of the OS and all programs, etc?

Even though it's much more time-consuming, you're pretty much always better-off doing a fresh install w/re-installing all your apps but that only works if you have the original OS and app disks.

I've got to ask, though, unless you already have the new drive (or are bound by hardware limitations), why are you only going with a 100GB drive? You can get a Hitachi 200 GB/7200rpm drive from NEWEGG or any number of 7200 rpm drives from OWC (yes, I know it's a Mac site, but a 2.5" HD is a 2.5"HD).

 

[RoyBoy]

Yeah I suppose I coulda gone to a 200 GB drive, but at almost 2x the price of a 100, not sure if it's worth it, got mine from newegg for $110. I didn't even see that 200 GB for some reason
I guess I could send this one back

Yeah I have the original OS discs.

 

[jvencius]

Yeah I suppose I coulda gone to a 200 GB drive, but at almost 2x the price of a 100, not sure if it's worth it, got mine from newegg for $110. I didn't even see that 200 GB for some reason
I guess I could send this one back

Yeah I have the original OS discs.

Since opening up a laptop is, for the most part, a nightmare (I've done a couple and none of 'em have been fun) you might as well make it worth your time while you're in there doing the upgrade and go with as big of a drive as you can afford.

At one point I had the OS install disks I used for putting XP on my old Dell, but they didn't exactly come from Microsoft...

 

[RoyBoy]

Since opening up a laptop is, for the most part, a nightmare (I've done a couple and none of 'em have been fun) you might as well make it worth your time while you're in there doing the upgrade and go with as big of a drive as you can afford.

At one point I had the OS install disks I used for putting XP on my old Dell, but they didn't exactly come from Microsoft...

Mine is no problem to remove, I suppose partly because it's a MONSTER HP NX9600, 4 screws and pop it out.

Mine is only a couple years old and I got all the install disks in a fireproof file cabinet

thanks for the help

 

[RoyBoy]

My old drive is Ultra ATA/100, so looks like I got the biggest I can get, unless I'm not understanding correctly...

 

[dpantazis]

royboy-

does the bios see the new drive and it proper size. if so, you are good.

dp

 

[bushpilot]

new/fresh install +1


Windows XP and Windows 2000 limit partition creation to no larger than 32GB on FAT32. This limitation is by design: Microsoft wants you to use NTFS for large drives. If you use Windows Me or Windows 98 to format a drive, XP and Win2K can use a FAT32 partition larger than 32GB; however, these OSs can't create the partition. Also, keep in mind that when you use ATA/IDE hard disks larger than 127GB, you might need to update your computer's or hard disk controller's BIOS to properly support those larger drives.

 

[RoyBoy]

it's done

Well I got it all done, I ended up (for lack of time/ ambition) just restoring my network hard drive backup to the new drive. I needed to verify that it actually WORKED (and learn how to do it) in the case of a disaster. Everything's just flyin' along now, but you know it NEVER is fast enough