Help > Laptop Hardware

Are laptop hard drives exchangeable?

(1/3) > >>

Grandpa:
I did a quick search couldn't find the answer.  My daughter has a Dell laptop.  She thinks the hard drive is bad.  So the question is, Do I need to only buy one for a Dell?  Thanks for any replies.   

The Chief:
You should be able to get one most anywhere. 

Just make sure it is the right physical size (laptops usually have 2 1/2 inch drives) for physical compatibility.  And that it has the correct interface (IDE, SATA) for electrical compatibility.   Then you should be fine.

Checking specs on the model number at the Dell site should allow you find out what the drive actually is.

You can also replace it with a drive that has more storage capacity.  For example, a 320gb rather than a 160 gb.  As long as it will fit, the computer won't care.

Grandpa:
Thanks "The Chief"

µT6:
yes, buy the same connector, if it is old ide, buy ide but if it is sata you will need that

if it is a old sata and you buy a sata II, it will work, i have done that

sometimes if the hard disk is 200gbs(for example) you shouldn't buy a much larger one than 500gbs, in laptops is not uncommon to see that there only will be support for certain sizes

about brands, samsung is what is easier to find and usually the cheapest but if you can find a toshiba, it really is a good investment

does that dell laptop has a direct access bay to remove the hard disk?

if it has, all you have to do is unplug laptop, remove battery and remove the 2 or 4 screws in place

many models has a tray that has to be pulled gently in a specific direction, some others have a small screw holding in place that tray so remove it first

once you have removed the tary, remove the screws in the tray and remove the hard disk, put the new one and put everything back in place and then boot the machine, enter in the bios and see if the hard disk is detected correctly

the old one, you can put it on a external case, some really nice samsung models, you put the old hard disk, connect the case as a usb hard drive and recover the files if you couldn't do it before removing it with a recovery tool

if you format the old hard disk and doesn't make weird noises or doesn't show errors when formating, you have a new external storage device  :)

Just17:

--- Quote from: Grandpa on November 25, 2012, 10:23:12 AM ---I did a quick search couldn't find the answer.  My daughter has a Dell laptop.  She thinks the hard drive is bad.  So the question is, Do I need to only buy one for a Dell?  Thanks for any replies.   

--- End quote ---

Has she tested the HDD?

Why does she think it is faulty?

Is it possible the fault is not the HDD?  It might be ....  but it would be of benefit to be sure, would it not?

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page