RESOLVED Help with upgrading hard drive

pelling · 01-13-2007, 09:31 AM

Hey guys,

I've recently decided to upgrade my laptop's hard drive to a bigger one, and would like some guidance. I have an IBM ThinkPad R50e, currently with a 33GB hard drive.

I have just purchased a new 120GB hard drive, and need to check it will work with my laptop. It says it is a Samsung HDD for a 2.5" notebook, with 'Ultra ATA 100/PATA' and an '8MB Cache'.

I would also like to restore my existing hard drive to it's factory settings and use it as an external hard drive, and I understand I will need to buy an enclosure for it. Do i need anything specific or can I get one just by searching on google?

Any help will be greatly appreciated, thanks.

James

dai · 01-13-2007, 10:25 AM

did you receive a retail windows disk with the computer,usually they come with a restore disk or a restore partition
the hard drive will work no problem but the hard part could be getting windows onto it without the retail disk

pelling · 01-13-2007, 10:31 AM

Thanks for the quick reply.

I didn't get a windows disk, as it came preloaded on the machine. I don't have a restore disk either as i can restore without one. Would it be possible to do the following:

-Transfer files i want to keep to another computer
-Restore laptop hard drive to factory settings
-get an enclosure, put new hard drive in
-clone current hard drive using software
-swap hard drives

dai · 01-13-2007, 10:42 AM

oem software that comes preinstalled is usually locked to that hard drive
i have asked someone to have a look at the thread as laptops are not my area of knowledge

pelling · 01-13-2007, 10:47 AM

ok thanks for your help so far

**speedster123** · 01-13-2007, 10:56 AM

Dai, maybe this would help him-
http://www.easydesksoftware.com/recovery.htm

**hwm54112** · 01-13-2007, 11:13 AM

The last time I did this, I put both notebook drives in a desktop using Notebook drive adapter then used xxclone to clone the old drive to the new. (manufacturer’s utility will work as well, I’ved found xxclone a bit more reliable). You probably won’t even have to activate the cloned install. If you do, you will probably have to do it by phone – just tell them it’s a drive replacement only and use the product ID that’s on the laptop.

pelling · 01-13-2007, 11:19 AM

Right, so does that mean the preinstalled software is not locked to the hard drive?

If it's not I am tempted to get this: http://www.expansys.com/p.aspx?i=124793

What do you think?

pelling · 01-13-2007, 11:34 AM

And I don't know if this is a stupid question, but does the hard drive itself need windows installed then? I can't just swap over the hard drives?

Sorry for all the questions

**hwm54112** · 01-13-2007, 01:35 PM

Hard drive's are blank when you buy them - you either have to install windows fresh or clone the old drive to the new.

I'm not sure that the software is locked to the drive, rather it is locked to the computer, that's an issue with toshiba laptops - the recovery cds are locked to the model of the laptop. with a thinkpad I beleive the drive is locked to the computer in that you can't move it to another computer even with a password. if you go to the IBM/lenovo site, you can enter the product number of the computer and get the specific instructions on hard drive removal. if you have the passwords or did not implement passwords (one for bios and one for the hdd) you should be ok, but again check your model with IBM

pelling · 01-13-2007, 02:24 PM

Is there a way I can check if my bios/hdd have passwords?

**Terrister** · 01-15-2007, 10:50 AM

I would think cloning the old hard drive to the new one is way to go.
At some point, it would be a good idea to have a Windows CD.
Contact the manufacturer to see if will give or sell you an OS CD.

pelling · 01-23-2007, 05:32 PM

OK chaps, this is the current situation:

I got an EZ Upgrade Kit, which includes cloning software and an enclosure. I cloned my old hard drive to the new, which was apparently successful. But when i installed the new hard drive in my laptop and attempt to boot with it, it just comes up with a blank screen, nothing else. I know that the hard drive was copied because i put back my old hard drive, put the new one in the enclosure, and i can access all my files from it.

Any suggestions as to why i can't get it to boot? Cheers

dai · 01-23-2007, 05:45 PM

you need to get into the recovery console and run
fixboot
i recall i think that one company you had to get a file to load from them not sure if it was ibm or hp it was in a thread in laptops

pelling · 01-23-2007, 05:54 PM

is it possible to do this without a windows xp cd, because i don't have one

pelling · 01-28-2007, 04:57 PM

Just to let you know, I've got it installed and working perfectly, and I'm now using my old hard drive as an external backup. Thanks you all for your help!

01-13-2007, 09:31 AM	#1 (permalink)
pelling Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Brighton, UK Posts: 53 OS: WinXP	RESOLVED Help with upgrading hard drive Hey guys, I've recently decided to upgrade my laptop's hard drive to a bigger one, and would like some guidance. I have an IBM ThinkPad R50e, currently with a 33GB hard drive. I have just purchased a new 120GB hard drive, and need to check it will work with my laptop. It says it is a Samsung HDD for a 2.5" notebook, with 'Ultra ATA 100/PATA' and an '8MB Cache'. I would also like to restore my existing hard drive to it's factory settings and use it as an external hard drive, and I understand I will need to buy an enclosure for it. Do i need anything specific or can I get one just by searching on google? Any help will be greatly appreciated, thanks. James

01-13-2007, 10:25 AM	#2 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,287 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	did you receive a retail windows disk with the computer,usually they come with a restore disk or a restore partition the hard drive will work no problem but the hard part could be getting windows onto it without the retail disk __________________

01-13-2007, 10:42 AM	#4 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,287 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	oem software that comes preinstalled is usually locked to that hard drive i have asked someone to have a look at the thread as laptops are not my area of knowledge __________________

01-13-2007, 10:56 AM	#6 (permalink)
speedster123 Mentor Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: United States-New York-Long Island Posts: 5,142 OS: xp pro SP3 My System	Dai, maybe this would help him- http://www.easydesksoftware.com/recovery.htm __________________

01-15-2007, 10:50 AM	#12 (permalink)
Terrister Moderator Hardware Forum Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: West Georgia, USA Posts: 7,098 OS: Xp	I would think cloning the old hard drive to the new one is way to go. At some point, it would be a good idea to have a Windows CD. Contact the manufacturer to see if will give or sell you an OS CD. __________________

01-13-2007, 10:31 AM	#3 (permalink)
pelling Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Brighton, UK Posts: 53 OS: WinXP	Thanks for the quick reply. I didn't get a windows disk, as it came preloaded on the machine. I don't have a restore disk either as i can restore without one. Would it be possible to do the following: -Transfer files i want to keep to another computer -Restore laptop hard drive to factory settings -get an enclosure, put new hard drive in -clone current hard drive using software -swap hard drives

01-13-2007, 10:47 AM	#5 (permalink)
pelling Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Brighton, UK Posts: 53 OS: WinXP	ok thanks for your help so far

01-13-2007, 11:13 AM	#7 (permalink)
hwm54112 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 2,233 OS: WINXP	The last time I did this, I put both notebook drives in a desktop using Notebook drive adapter then used xxclone to clone the old drive to the new. (manufacturer’s utility will work as well, I’ved found xxclone a bit more reliable). You probably won’t even have to activate the cloned install. If you do, you will probably have to do it by phone – just tell them it’s a drive replacement only and use the product ID that’s on the laptop.

01-13-2007, 11:19 AM	#8 (permalink)
pelling Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Brighton, UK Posts: 53 OS: WinXP	Right, so does that mean the preinstalled software is not locked to the hard drive? If it's not I am tempted to get this: http://www.expansys.com/p.aspx?i=124793 What do you think?

01-13-2007, 11:34 AM	#9 (permalink)
pelling Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Brighton, UK Posts: 53 OS: WinXP	And I don't know if this is a stupid question, but does the hard drive itself need windows installed then? I can't just swap over the hard drives? Sorry for all the questions

01-13-2007, 01:35 PM	#10 (permalink)
hwm54112 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 2,233 OS: WINXP	Hard drive's are blank when you buy them - you either have to install windows fresh or clone the old drive to the new. I'm not sure that the software is locked to the drive, rather it is locked to the computer, that's an issue with toshiba laptops - the recovery cds are locked to the model of the laptop. with a thinkpad I beleive the drive is locked to the computer in that you can't move it to another computer even with a password. if you go to the IBM/lenovo site, you can enter the product number of the computer and get the specific instructions on hard drive removal. if you have the passwords or did not implement passwords (one for bios and one for the hdd) you should be ok, but again check your model with IBM

01-13-2007, 02:24 PM	#11 (permalink)
pelling Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Brighton, UK Posts: 53 OS: WinXP	Is there a way I can check if my bios/hdd have passwords?

01-23-2007, 05:32 PM	#13 (permalink)
pelling Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Brighton, UK Posts: 53 OS: WinXP	OK chaps, this is the current situation: I got an EZ Upgrade Kit, which includes cloning software and an enclosure. I cloned my old hard drive to the new, which was apparently successful. But when i installed the new hard drive in my laptop and attempt to boot with it, it just comes up with a blank screen, nothing else. I know that the hard drive was copied because i put back my old hard drive, put the new one in the enclosure, and i can access all my files from it. Any suggestions as to why i can't get it to boot? Cheers

01-23-2007, 05:45 PM	#14 (permalink)
dai Manager, Hardware Forums Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: west australia Posts: 56,287 OS: win 7 32x 64x rtm	you need to get into the recovery console and run fixboot i recall i think that one company you had to get a file to load from them not sure if it was ibm or hp it was in a thread in laptops __________________ Last edited by dai; 01-23-2007 at 05:50 PM.

01-23-2007, 05:54 PM	#15 (permalink)
pelling Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Brighton, UK Posts: 53 OS: WinXP	is it possible to do this without a windows xp cd, because i don't have one

01-28-2007, 04:57 PM	#16 (permalink)
pelling Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Brighton, UK Posts: 53 OS: WinXP	Just to let you know, I've got it installed and working perfectly, and I'm now using my old hard drive as an external backup. Thanks you all for your help!