Hard drive switching question

[psych89]

this isnt a problem, but more of a general question. I'm currently using a 160GB hard drive that's dying, and have a newer 100GB hard drive on my desk across the room, in an enclosure (bare, just got enclosure yesterday).

I received (or hassled my best friend into giving me) one of The Sims games for PC. I installed and tried to play it, but it kept freezing on me. I;m wondering if i can switch hard drives (as i was planning), play the game from the external hard drive to-be, and if i can do that? I might need more RAM, that's no problem, but will i need to reinstall The Sims, or just let it collect dust until i can get a better laptop?

(by the way, yes i do realize that if playing from external hard drive, i could lose information if the hard drive goes awry. I think i can handle saying goodbye to The Smiths better than "Psychology Term Paper", if you know what i mean).

 

[Leeky]

this isnt a problem, but more of a general question. I'm currently using a 160GB hard drive that's dying, and have a newer 100GB hard drive on my desk across the room, in an enclosure (bare, just got enclosure yesterday).

I received (or hassled my best friend into giving me) one of The Sims games for PC. I installed and tried to play it, but it kept freezing on me. I;m wondering if i can switch hard drives (as i was planning), play the game from the external hard drive to-be, and if i can do that? I might need more RAM, that's no problem, but will i need to reinstall The Sims, or just let it collect dust until i can get a better laptop?

(by the way, yes i do realize that if playing from external hard drive, i could lose information if the hard drive goes awry. I think i can handle saying goodbye to The Smiths better than "Psychology Term Paper", if you know what i mean).

Wouldn't you be better replacing your dying 160GB with the 100GB drive in your laptop? Or is this what your trying to suggest you want to do?!?

If its 'dying', putting data onto another drive so your not effecting the capacity of the internal drive isn't going to help your problem.

I'd just use the 100GB drive, a fresh install of whatever OS, and then install Sims, but go lightly on other software and just keep essential stuff on it. I'm assuming your reason for asking is that your concerned with filling the drive up to capacity quickly?

There is no reason why study work, and games cant be mixed on the same drive, but make sure you keep regular backups. Memory sticks are cheap these days, even a 1GB would be more than enough to do a back up of your data after every study period.

I kept two 1GB memory sticks soley for backing up all my degree study work and materials, research, and well everything for my B.Eng Metallurgy degree. They were both identical, in case one failed. I didn't care for any other data on the laptop, just this stuff which is a nightmare to replace. Be wise though, I've had friends in there 3rd year lose all there data, including project work and with no backups your screwed!!

 

[mailpup]

...but will i need to reinstall The Sims...

Yes, you will most likely have to reinstall the game if you move the old hard drive into an external enclosure.

 

[psych89]

yes, my plan was to put the 100GB as a replacement for the 160GB (but i have an enclosure so i can clone my 160 to the 100. i am NOT going to pay another $500 for both Windows Vista and Microsoft Office.

i have a memory stick, but you can only trust them so much. Here at college, i have heard many horror stories of lost mem sticks. my own is quite tiny, and i've had 3x where i thought it was lost.

i'm cloning 160 to 100, then putting 100 inside, and using 160 as extra, but despensible memory. what i mean by dying, is sometimes it skips. last september i hit my laptop and i had to restart from factory settings, as it was skipping. i was able to revive it, but lately it has started skipping again. i have put all sensitive info on MediaFire for now, as i didn't want to lose the info.

 

[raybay]

You should not have any trouble re-using your VISTA and Office disks to reinstall... assuming you are on the same computer, or from the same location, or same name as owner... Microsoft never gives you a hard time on such issues, because they happen millions of times a year.

 

[mailpup]

You should always backup your important data, not just when you think the hard drive is failing (end of sermon). What is skipping?

I'm not sure why you would have to pay for Windows and MS Office again. Are you saying you didn't get the backup media with your laptop? If so, have you tried getting it from the laptop manufacturer?

 

[Leeky]

Will the filesystem ghost OK though if your hard drive is experiencing problems?

 

[psych89]

@ Raybay- Well, i never received a Vista disk. the only thing that came with my laptop was: Laptop, cord, and manual. Vista was already installed (i got it from Walmart).

@mailpup- I have backed up data before the computer went kaplooey, the only thing i didn't have was a list of all desktop programs, bookmarks and addons. and no, about the media backup (read above paragraph to Raybay). I don't think i can get anything from the manufacturer, the warranty is gone (i purchased Aug 2008)

@Leeky- the hard drive is just 'broken'. I used to get angry and hit my laptop (right where the hard drive is, under the right wrist). one time, though i hit it just right. so, the registry and stuff is fine, it's the physical components that are sensitive.

 

[mailpup]

I don't think i can get anything from the manufacturer, the warranty is gone...

It's not a warranty issue. Typically for a nominal charge of a few dollars you may be able to purchase the media from the laptop manufacturer. Anyway, it's worth checking into.

 

[raybay]

Toshiba will supply you a new Vista setup set of 1 to 3 disks depending on whether it was created on DVD or CD's. You have to call their technical support and order it. You will need your numbers from the bottom of the machine.
Depending on the country in which you live and the number of discs, it will only cost from
$23 to $37... and most of that is for Federal Express shipping.
Be sure you update your registration, or if never registered, you will sometimes need to do that a business day or two before you place the order with your credit card. If you don't have a credit card, use the help of a friend.
The provess is relatively trouble free although Toshiba is a bit more difficult than some others because they use different support services depending on the contry in which you reside.

 

[psych89]

@mailpup- i may consider it.

@Raybay- I have an Acer, unfortunately...i should have mentioned it earlier

 

[psych89]

online, Acer has a download for the BIOS, some drivers.