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aucklander

477 posts

Ultimate Geek


#95817 13-Jan-2012 22:06
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Hi all,
I have a laptop Fujitsu Lifebook C1320.
The hard drive has some strange noises from time to time (totally random), like a small steel ball rolling through a maze... I do not know how else to describe it, because this is very close to what I hear... I was told this is a clear sign the HDD is about to die and it is very important to replace it while I can still get the data off it.

It made that noise for years now, as it is not a new laptop (anymore) and it never gave reading errors or HDD access errors or to miss a boot... absolutely no problems. But let's say I go for a new HDD, mainly because the one installed I believe is only 40GB? not sure, but I know it is VERY small.

Question: this was a new laptop, with XP pre-installed. I did not get an actual installation disc, but some "recovery discs" and the store guy (PB Technologies - Penrose) told me that I will need the discs if I will ever have to re-install Windows. Replacing the HDD would definitely require that, and I wonder if I can "reuse" the windows licence I have or I need to install a new copy of Windows? Is the HDD replacement something within reach for a DIY? I built my both desktops from components, I would know how to open it and put it back if this is all, but maybe there are tricks?...

I also came accross an idea which apparently allows to replace the HDD without re-installing the OS, it actually clones the old HDD onto the new one (bit-by-bit starting from "zero"), and when the process is completed you get an identical state of the OS plus more space. Is this for real? Is this a freeware application?


Any reply will be much appreciated.




mobo Intel DH55PJ, RAM: 4GB RAM, Nova-T 500 HD + Avermedia Trinity tuner card, Geforce 520 video, 120GB SSD Sandisk + 640 WD + 1000SG, Win7 Home Prem 64-bit, Media Portal 1.15.0; BTC 9019URF Cordless Keyboard, Panasonic 55" (HDMI cable), HTPC Case Silverstone Grandia GD05B.


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mmlakeman
106 posts

Master Geek


  #568664 14-Jan-2012 00:05
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hi - if you buy a seagate or a western digital replacement hard disk it will come with a copy of acronris True image (or you can download it from their website) which will allow you to image the laptop onto the new one and externd it out to fill the new disk. You may need to get a USB external enclosure to be able to connect both disks at the same time. Also if its very old and is an EIDE disk (rather than SATA) you will be limited as there are not so many EIDE disks around now...

You can find out what type of disk you have by going into device manager  - I'm assuming windows xp - and looking at disk drives and it will have the model number which you can google to find out what type it is eg. mine says ST9750420AS

cheers

martin



aucklander

477 posts

Ultimate Geek


  #568938 14-Jan-2012 22:24
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Hi Martin,
Many thanks for the reply.
Should I understand that using the True Image software eliminates the need to do an actual re-install of the OS (and of all the software already installed?).




mobo Intel DH55PJ, RAM: 4GB RAM, Nova-T 500 HD + Avermedia Trinity tuner card, Geforce 520 video, 120GB SSD Sandisk + 640 WD + 1000SG, Win7 Home Prem 64-bit, Media Portal 1.15.0; BTC 9019URF Cordless Keyboard, Panasonic 55" (HDMI cable), HTPC Case Silverstone Grandia GD05B.


aucklander

477 posts

Ultimate Geek


  #568953 14-Jan-2012 23:12
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Hi Martin,
just checked the HDD in the laptop, the model number shown in Device manager proved to be a SATA drive, so it should be easy to find a replacement.

A quick question about the cloning software: the laptop HDD is partitioned in two partitions (C: and D:) of equal size (roughly 30GB). Can the software re-create the partitioning as well or a trick has to be done?

Many thanks.




mobo Intel DH55PJ, RAM: 4GB RAM, Nova-T 500 HD + Avermedia Trinity tuner card, Geforce 520 video, 120GB SSD Sandisk + 640 WD + 1000SG, Win7 Home Prem 64-bit, Media Portal 1.15.0; BTC 9019URF Cordless Keyboard, Panasonic 55" (HDMI cable), HTPC Case Silverstone Grandia GD05B.


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