How do I change the hard drive on a laptop?

Answer 1

Power down PC, unplug power. Open the PC, determine type of hard drive connection, most likely IDE. Buy similar drive.

If your old hard drive is bad, remove old HD (need screwdriver). There should be a diagram on both hard drives showing where to place the jumper. Look at this and then place the jumpers on the hard drive, matching the new one to the old one (usually located in the back by the ide/sata and power plugs) to match the diagram. Cable select is usually the right choice especially if there is only one drive on a cable with only one connector at each end.

Recomended drive: 7200 RPM or greater, 2MB Cache or better

Make sure you get the same type hard drive - PATA (IDE) or SATA - as you old one, unless your motherboard does both.

While your case is open, blow out the dust. It improves circulation and can add to the life of your computer. Also make sure all the fans are working. Leave the case side open and turn it on without touching the inside. All the fans should come on, assuming you have a name brand computer (read: bottom-line for company) without thermostat controlled fans.

The first part is a matter of cloning the hard drive (assuming you are not just moving the disk from one computer to another). Otherwise the process is known as a repair installation where you will need the bootable CD with the OS to fix the old hard drive so it works in it's new home hardware.

Answer 2

• Power down PC, unplug power. Open the PC, determine type of hard drive connection, most likely IDE. Buy similar drive.

• If your old hard drive is bad, remove old HD (need screwdriver). There should be a diagram on both hard drives showing where to place the jumper. Look at this and then place the jumpers on the hard drive, matching the new one to the old one (usually located in the back by the ide/sata and power plugs) to match the diagram. Cable select is usually the right choice especially if there is only one drive on a cable with only one connector at each end.

• Recomended drive: 7200 RPM or greater, 2MB Cache or better

• Make sure you get the same type hard drive - PATA (IDE) or SATA - as you old one, unless your motherboard does both.

• While your case is open, blow out the dust. It improves circulation and can add to the life of your computer. Also make sure all the fans are working. Leave the case side open and turn it on without touching the inside. All the fans should come on, assuming you have a name brand computer (read: bottom-line for company) without thermostat controlled fans.

• The first part is a matter of cloning the hard drive (assuming you are not just moving the disk from one computer to another). Otherwise the process is known as a repair installation where you will need the bootable CD with the OS to fix the old hard drive so it works in it's new home hardware.

Answer 3

Instructions STEP 1: Ground yourself with any professional grounding equipment you have. If you do not have professional grounding equipment, ground yourself by touching the power supply. STEP 2: Position hard drive in drive bay inside case. Secure it with screws. STEP 3: Connect data (ribbon) cable to back of hard drive. Align red band of cable with pin No. 1 on hard drive connector. STEP 4: Connect other end of data cable to IDE controller on motherboard. If you have two IDE controllers, use No. 1. STEP 5: Connect power cable from one of the connectors on power supply. STEP 6: Connect computer power cable to surge suppressor. Boot computer. STEP 7: Follow instructions in motherboard manual to set up hard drive in BIOS. STEP 8: Format the drive. Tips & Warnings If possible, do installation in an uncarpeted area. If you do not understand these instructions or lack good manual dexterity, have a qualified technician install the hard drive for you.

Answer 4

This depends on the model. There is usually only one screw holding the laptop in. It will be marked by a Cylinder symbol that should look like your Hard Drive Activity light. Simply take out that screw and slide the disk out of the chassis.

There may or may not be small pieces attached to the disk for the purpose of grasping, mounting, or simply decorative case pieces. Reattach those pieces, then just slide the new drive in and tighten the screw.

Answer 5

On a non-laptop type computer you "open" the machine typically a machine has thumb screws or screws holding a side panel secure. Remove those screws to gain access to the contents within. A hard-drive is a device about 5 1/4" wide and abuot 6" long. A ribbon cable and power cable will be connected to the hard-drive. Remove both of these connectors by firmly pulling them. Next depending on your cable there will be 2 screws on each side of the hard-drive securing the drive to the drive bay. Remove these screws and the hard-rive will become free of the machine.

All machines are different, so this is a general comment on how to remove a hard-drive.

On laptops, these are much different. Most laptops have a access panel, usually screwed to the laptop. Once you remove this panel there will be a tab afixed to a 2 1/2" wide hard-drive. You pull on this tab and the hard-drive and drive cradle will slip out of the laptop.

Again all machines are different, the best bet is to read the manual before starting. And at all times be sure to remove the power cord and if working on a laptop the battery before starting.

Answer 6

If it isn't a data corruption problem, your only option is to replace the drive. There ARE companies that can extract data from a failed hard drive, but if the data isn't worth the large pricetag, most people won't do it. That's why backups are so necessary.

If it IS a data corruption problem you can usually reload the operating system without destroying the data.

Answer 7

It depends on what computer model you have. Some motherboards won't let you add a drive internally. Some cases aren't large enough or have an empty bay for a 2nd drive. The easiest, fastest, most failsafe way to do it is to get an external USB hard drive. Just plug it into your USB port and you're ready to go. It will show up in My Computer or Windows Explorer with a new drive letter (probably "D"), unless you already have partitions on your existing drive.

Answer 8

If you are using a laptop, you will have to remove some screws from the bottom and then carefully remove the hard drive using an appropriate tool. If you are using a desktop, you will have to remove a few screws from the back that is holding the hard drive in. You will also have to remove a plug that goes from the hard drive to the computer. Then, do these steps in reverse with the new hard drive.

Answer 9

Follow the link in the related links. You'll find hard drive replacement instructions for many different laptops.

Answer 10

# Open Up the case # disconect all cables going to the hard drive # Remove the screws holding it in place # pull/push the drive out of the coumputer