question: new hard drive on laptop?

[AussieGuy92]

hi guys, looking for some help/advice i have an 80gb in my laptop it is a acer aspire 5315 (if you want more info then look at my system specs) i want a bigger hard drive that will icrease speed but not a solid sate drive and i dont want it to be too expensive since i payed 300 dollars for this laptop.

p.s is it hard to replace a hard drive in a laptop or should i pay someone to do it for me?

 

[pparks1]

Changing out the hard drive is pretty easy. You just purchase a 2.5" notebook drive. Usually you pop out a couple of screws, slide the old hard drive out and then slide the new drive in, replace the screws and install the operating system.

 

[AussieGuy92]

ok so where would you purchase a hard drive? and the hard drive would be located in an easy spot?

 

[pparks1]

I would purchase a hard drive from NewEgg and just order it online. But any computer shop or place which sells laptops/computers should have them.

 

[AussieGuy92]

proberly a studip question but in a laptop there is only on spot for a hard drive?

 

[whs]

Yes, only one spot in most laptops. There are some recent 17" HP laptops that have 2 HD bays though. If you live down under, it will be difficult for us from the USA to give you advice where to buy. Best is to Google your local suppliers.
Here is a US site with pretty good prices that will give you an idea of the prices (in the US):
http://www.deals2buy.com/more/c117.htm You have to look for 2.5" internal drives.

 

[hubris]

Hi stillfreefilms. long thread but very informative. i don't want to wade through it though.

go backwards from last posts.

hope it helps. MSY in AUS for parts ?

Aspire 5315 CPU upgrades and other info - Page 16

 

[AussieGuy92]

heres some that i found what do you think would they fit it my laptop?

WD IDE 160G Hard Drive - Hard Drives - DealsDirect.com.au Australia

Western Digital 160GB 2.5 Mobile HDD SATA2 Scorpio Blue - Hard Drives - DealsDirect.com.au Australia

 

[whs]

The first one is no good. It is an IDE and you most likely need a Sata. The second one could fit. But why do you go for 160GBs. I would look for 320GBs at least. They cost hardly more.

 

[AussieGuy92]

well the second link its a 2.5 which i think it would fit and i dont really need that much and i am looking to do this soon. so the hard drive will come with a disk with drivers or does windows find them for me?

sorry for all the little questions i am a noob at upgrades and have not done this before. so just to make sure the second link it would work with my laptop since i am not sure it a stata 2 would work?

or would this on be more compatable with my model: http://www.dealsdirect.com.au/p/samsung-120gb-2-5-internal-ide-hard-drive/

 

[whs]

That Samsung is another IDE - no good. But now you are facing a completely different problem. The disk is completely empty when you buy it. You need to bring your current system over to it. For that you need to do cloning or migration. For cloning, you need an external disk to where you can clone. Do you have an external disk large enough to hold your system? Best program for cloning is to use Acronis. For migrating, you need an external enclosure (costs about US$20). Then you can use the Acronis Migrate Easy 7.0 - there is a free demo version but I am not sure though what that demo version can do and whether it is full function.

 

[AussieGuy92]

i thought this might help does this mean i can only have 160gb as the max amount?

and i dont keep an important files on the hard drive, only on my external and i dont mind re-installing windows does it matter that i have a oem version i am still installing it on the same system.

 

[whs]

I don't think so. I have never heard of such a general restriction. This must be specific to that drive. Btw, in lieu of changing the internal drive, how about just attaching an additional external drive via USB. That works just as well and needs no migration and all the other problems. The migration is not trivial if you have never done it.

 

[AussieGuy92]

i do have a external hard drive i want to have a bigger internal hard drive i think it might be easier to ring my local computer guy and get him to do it for me.

 

[tw33k]

Installing a hdd in a laptop is very easy. Also, have a look here:Notebook SATA Hard Drives | TECH4U.COM.AU Online Computer Store
I get all my parts from them. Very good prices, quick delivery and great support (they even have an IM type help available Mon-Fri 9-5)

 

[AussieGuy92]

thanks,tw33k thats a very helpful website so the problem is will a sata drive work in my laptop? or even a SATA 2 work?

 

[AussieGuy92]

ok i think this on is the one that will work and i like the price...

http://www.tech4u.com.au/samsung-1pk-160gb-serial-p56557.html

 

[whs]

Installing a hdd in a laptop is very easy. Also, have a look here:Notebook SATA Hard Drives | TECH4U.COM.AU Online Computer Store
I get all my parts from them. Very good prices, quick delivery and great support (they even have an IM type help available Mon-Fri 9-5)

Right, installing the drive is easy. But migrating your OS and stuff is another story - unless you reinstall everything.

 

[whs]

i do have a external hard drive i want to have a bigger internal hard drive i think it might be easier to ring my local computer guy and get him to do it for me.

I think that is not such a bad idea.

 

[tw33k]

thanks,tw33k thats a very helpful website so the problem is will a sata drive work in my laptop? or even a SATA 2 work?

Yeah that drive will work in your laptop. Did a bit of research and apparently your mainboard does support SATA2 but a few people needed to update the BIOS (only try this after extensive research)

Do you have all your data backed up? You'll need to before you swap the drive. If you have any problems reinstalling the os and everything, check this forum. You'll find all the help you need.