is it hard to change the harddrive on my laptop?
365274
Not at all.\n\nUnscrew the harddrive and pull it out, then put in the new one.
1012477
Ouch! Backup all your data...NOW! Been there, done that, many lost files and regrets...Stop using your computer until you can resolve all this.\n\nReplacing your hard drive is easy, problem is you will lose your Operating System, which does not function from a backup.\n\nI would recommend that you find a program which will make an exact copy of your current disk onto another one. I will not name any here as I am not a free advertising service, but you can search online and find one, there are even free ones out there you can use along with instructions on how to perform the procedure.\n\nTake anti-static precautions when opening and working on your PC components.\n\nOpen the case by whatever means. The hard drive is secured with phillips-head screws, sometimes on a bracket also secured with screws. Replacement is done by removing the current hard drive, unplugging the wires attached to it, noting the jumper settings on the old drive and setting the new drive jumper to the same setting, plugging the wires back in, and putting it back in the spot where you took the old one from. A very simple process really. \n\nGetting your OS back on if the new one is not a copy of the old one is a separate process. If you are lucky, you can place your recovery disks or OS disks in the CD ROM and boot and go through the processes. Anything that goes wrong at this point that does not allow you to install your OS will require a fresh question being asked about that.
125636
you can do this without any additional program.\n\nRight click My Computer and select Administration\nExpand Data Storage and click Data Storage Administration\nIn the right window upper half all connected drive will be shown. Right click on a Drive letter and then click Change drive letter.\nA new window open and then click on change and then select the desired drive letter.
787907
yes if you go to http://www.tigerdirect.com you should be able to get a new hard drive for it and maybe a better processor too.
317030
WIndows will reformat it to the NTFS system when you install it. I have hard drives that I switch between Linux and Windows all the time.
380056
Are you trying to convert a SATA hard drive into a IDE drive?
816066
You need to format the new drive - if it is the only hard drive in a new system, this will be done automatically as part of the installation of your Operating System (ie, windows).\n\nIf it is a second (third, fourth, etc) drive in your system, then you have to format it manually - in windows you can do this via the disk management interface - right click on 'my computer' and select manage.  Find the new volume in the disk management list and right click it.  Go to format.
1180667
I hope that you are talking about a laptop computer, and if so, then you can change your ram, processor, hard drive, etc.....can also add, remove, change, just about anything that you can in a desktop computer, just the process is not quite as simple, and if you don't know what you are doing, I highly recommend that you have someone who does do it for you!
1022454
Yes, you can.  It's on the hard drive.  Make sure the service technicians do not plan to wipe your hard drive prior to returning your laptop to you.  A good tech won't, but the bozos at places like Best Buy often do.
515444
You can take off the laptop harddrive and add it to the new desktop pc as another harddrive, then you can access the added harddrive from the desktop. \nI assume your laptop file system is the same as the desktop, if not the desktop must be NTFS.
805692
If you have access to another computer you should be able to open the case and remove the hard drive, then use an adapter cable to connect the drive to the second computer as a slaved drive. You may have to change a jumper setting on the drives so the new system bios will know which drive is the master and which is the slave. On older systems, you may have to manually detect the newly slaved drive correctly. For this you may need to get manufacturers settings for the laptop drive, so look on it's label for Manufacturer's name and model number, etc. Look up their website and look under support for the correct settings for the correct number of heads, cylinders, and sectors, for your model, or call Compaq and see if they have these settings. Once the laptop drive is detected in the other computer's bios, you should be able to boot up and "see" another drive. Once you can, you can copy the drive's contents and burn them onto a CD, (with the proper software and equipment.) You can just recover precious files, if you have limited drive space and/or no CD-Rom or DVD-Rom burner. Good Luck! : )\n\nCalico.Kitty
975219
If your computer has an IDE connection it should be easy enough. The first thing you'll need is an extra bay for the hard drive, or if you're willing to take the chance just take the computer case off and just let the hard drive hang loose. Next you'll also need another IDE cable to plug into the drive and another power connection. Plugging these two in are pretty self-explanatory - they only fit one way. After you get those hooked up you might need to move the jumper(the little black thing that goes over the pins) to the slave position. Some other tips: if you don't have an extra IDE cable in your computer just take the one of the DVD or CD drive and attach to the hard drive, if the hard drive is formatted with FAT, FAT32, or NTFS you should be OK if you're running Windows 2000 or XP, for the jumper usually the hard drive sticker on it will show the different jumper connections. If not it usually doesn't matter but make sure that is your last resort, and finally if you have a SATA connection that should be OK too(the SATA cable is the orange or res small cable and the IDE cable is the big, fat, grey one). Once you get all of these things done your BIOS might say 'found new hard drive press Enter to continue', after that when you're logged into Windows just transfer all the files you need off of that hard drive to the one you want to move them to.
1154009
This makes no sense.  There are no keys that control the hard drive.  The programs and data on the PC control it.\n\nWhat are you trying to do.
779159
In my laptop absolutely nothing. I just remove the old one and install the new one and it  auto detects the new drive.
811296
It's possible, and a good idea- but there are some hoops to jump- when you plug it in, the computer will see 2 hard drives, each with an operating system.  You will have the option of booting either one.  Boot into the new, and open the old to move your files from the old into the new.  When all you want from the old is on the new, Right-click the old and choose format to wipe it clean.  Format using NTFS- that's the Windows XP format- do not quick format either, because quick skips the error checking and repair stage.  When that is done, you have a empty hard drive to fill as you please.\n\nIf it does not work when you first boot up, the jumper settings are wrong- next to the cables, there are 3 pairs of pins, with a little plastic jumper block connecting one pair- probably the pair on the right.  Move the  jumper over one (with the power OFF), then try again.  Repeat as needed.
171076
Here is the solution:\n\n1.Open My Computer.\n2.Right-click on the HDD and select properties.
707255
You'll have to remove the old hard drive, but it's really not that hard... on the back of your laptop should be a bunch of panels that come off... under one of them is the harddrive. Unscrew and VIOLA, you've got all your data... Now go buy a $3.00   adapter from ebay and you're set... When you buy, you're looking for a 2.5" USB HD enclosure... what'll pretty much happen is you're gonna turn your old HD into an external HD, kinda like athumb drive. I suck at giveing explanations.... send me an email at mdd345@hotmail.com if you need any help or have any other questions...