Most people know they can upgrade the hard drive on their desktop computers, but many people fail to realize that the same is possible for their laptop hard drive as well. If your laptop is losing ground, it might be time for an upgrade. Below are some tips to get you started.
Prior to beginning your data transfer, you should clean your old hard drive. Do so by deleting any unwanted files and take the time to uninstall programs that you don’t use. If you fail to do this, you will waste time transferring unnecessary data. It’s also wise to defrag (degragment) your hard disk as well.
Basic instructions for transferring data is outlined below, however, you should remember that laptops very from model to model, so you might have to alter your technique a little. First, remove the new drive and mount it carefully into the drive case. Take great care with the hard drives, they are incredibly delicate and any bump or squeeze can ruin them.
Ensure your laptop is turned off and then attach your USB cable and drive. If you have cloning software (which is advisable) put it into the disk drive and boot it directly from the CD. After it boots up, select ‘automatic’ so that the software will automatically organize the data to be copied. You will likely be asked to specify which of your drives is new and which is old. Be sure you make the correct selection and then instruct the process to begin.
After the process begins, you’ll be able to take a break the process could take a while, in some cases, up to an hour. It all depends on the amount of data you’ll be transferring.
After the data transfer process is complete, you will then begin the process of swapping out the hard drives. You will start by turning the laptop off and removing the battery. It’s also a good idea to unplug the unit as well. This will ensure that you don’t fry any of your internal components. Consult your user’s manual to learn how to remove your hard drive. There is no protocol here because each laptop is different. Once you’ve hatched it out, open the laptop and gently remove your old hard drive.
After you’ve removed the old hard drive, be sure to inspect your machine and find the hard drive cradle (if there is one) and remove it. After you’ve completed this step, it’s time to install your new hard drive.
If you found a cradle, attach it to your new drive and then insert the entire unit into your laptop. After that, replace your battery, plug back in and boot up. If all goes well, you have just doubled or tripled your hard drive space and given your laptop a whole new life!
