Replacing a hard drive

[Wayout]

  The hard drive on my lap top is going bad and needs to be replaced.  I've never replaced a hard drive before and was wondering if there are any tricks that would make the process easier or any pitfalls I should be aware of before I begin.  I have the Windows Vista install disk.  Thanks

[Bizman]

As long as you have access to the old disk, try to save all your personal files.

By the Vista install disk, do you mean one that either came with your laptop or a factory default disk that you were persuaded to create? A generic install disk will produce a leaner Windows, but you'd have to get all the drivers from the manufacturer's site. Also remember that some preinstalled programs can't be downloaded like Nero or other burner, and Cyberlink or other dvd viewer with codecs.

Be careful with static charges.

[Bizman]

First it won't take the post, then it triples

[Bizman]

.

[Wayout]

As long as you have access to the old disk, try to save all your personal files.

By the Vista install disk, do you mean one that either came with your laptop or a factory default disk that you were persuaded to create? A generic install disk will produce a leaner Windows, but you'd have to get all the drivers from the manufacturer's site. Also remember that some preinstalled programs can't be downloaded like Nero or other burner, and Cyberlink or other dvd viewer with codecs.

Be careful with static charges.

The disk came with the laptop.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

The disk came with the laptop.

Here's what you should do:

Buy an external USB harddrive enclosure. Make sure you get the correct kind (sata or ide depending on the type of your hdd, ide is becoming very rare). Unscrew the bottom of your laptop, remove the old harddrive. Slap in the new one. Screw back in again. Slap in the install dvd and let it do its thing.

While the OS is installing, install the old harddrive to your USB enclosure. After the OS finishes installing you can then plug in the USB enclosure proceed to extract whatever personal files you happen to have on the old harddrive. Then you might want to start uninstalling all the bloatware the laptop install disc stuffed your new HDD with.

[Bizman]

The disk came with the laptop.

Alright. Then the easiest way to do it is to just uninstall the old disk, put in the new and boot from the CD. After a short while you'd feel like gone back in time, your laptop acting precisely as it did when you first opened the box.

Note that there's probably an ancient time limited demo version of some antivirus. You most definitely would want to remove it and replace it with a more recent one. You also might want to get rid of some other preinstalled stuff, but that's outside the original question.  

[Wayout]

Here's what you should do:

Buy an external USB harddrive enclosure. Make sure you get the correct kind (sata or ide depending on the type of your hdd, ide is becoming very rare). Unscrew the bottom of your laptop, remove the old harddrive. Slap in the new one. Screw back in again. Slap in the install dvd and let it do its thing.

While the OS is installing, install the old harddrive to your USB enclosure. After the OS finishes installing you can then plug in the USB enclosure proceed to extract whatever personal files you happen to have on the old harddrive. Then you might want to start uninstalling all the bloatware the laptop install disc stuffed your new HDD with.

Great suggestion, I never would have thought of that. 

[Wayout]

Alright. Then the easiest way to do it is to just uninstall the old disk, put in the new and boot from the CD. After a short while you'd feel like gone back in time, your laptop acting precisely as it did when you first opened the box.

Note that there's probably an ancient time limited demo version of some antivirus. You most definitely would want to remove it and replace it with a more recent one. You also might want to get rid of some other preinstalled stuff, but that's outside the original question.  

That's what I first thought but I didn't know if that was the best thing to do.  Thanks. I'm beginning to think I can do this.   

[Bizman]

You most certainly can, if you know which end of a screwdriver goes to the x-slot. The most difficult part would be making the laptop to boot from the CD, if it doesn't do that by default.

[Wayout]

The most difficult part would be making the laptop to boot from the CD, if it doesn't do that by default.

It doesn't.

[Bizman]

It doesn't.

Do you need advice on booting from cd? The best source would be the manual of your laptop. The second best is to google for "change boot order [laptop brand and model]". Generally speaking the boot order can be changed in the BIOS settings, getting there is again a brand specific thing. Del, F1, F2, F10... Some computers have an option to make one time boot choices by pressing a brand specific button like Esc. Often the choices are given on the first or second screen after boot. You know you can use the 'pause' button to stop the boot procedure, don't you? Enter will make it continue.

If you need further help, some details of your laptop would help.

[Wayout]

Do you need advice on booting from cd? The best source would be the manual of your laptop. The second best is to google for "change boot order [laptop brand and model]". Generally speaking the boot order can be changed in the BIOS settings, getting there is again a brand specific thing. Del, F1, F2, F10... Some computers have an option to make one time boot choices by pressing a brand specific button like Esc. Often the choices are given on the first or second screen after boot. You know you can use the 'pause' button to stop the boot procedure, don't you? Enter will make it continue.

If you need further help, some details of your laptop would help.

I googled, as you said, and hitting the F12 during boot brings up the boot order menu.  I gave it a test run and it seems pretty straight forward.  BTW, the lap top is a Dell Inspiron E1705.  Thanks for the heads-up.  I'm sure the boot order would have caused me problems.

[Wayout]

In the process of replacing the Hard Drive.  Now downloading 106 updates.  So far it's gone as smooth as silk.  Thanks for all the help.   

[Bizman]

Glad to hear! Don't forget to uninstall all the crap that comes preinstalled. You certainly won't need anything with a "demo" label, and many if not all of the "Dell" software have an equivalent already built in Windows.