Good hard drive replacement?

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Habylab

Habylab

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Currently I have an 80gb Western Digital Caviar Blue with a 8mb buffer. I have found this on there website, and have decided to opt for the 250gb 16mb buffered one here:
http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=298
It is £40 on here:http://www.amazon.co.uk/WD-Caviar-B...9?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1230399442&sr=1-9

Is this a good hard-drive? Is it a good buffer/cache?

Is it? Sorry If I am impatient...
Anyways, I have found some more info for you guys.

* Product Description: WD Caviar Blue WD2500AAKS - hard drive - 250 GB - SATA-300
* Type: Hard drive - internal
* Form Factor: 3.5" x 1/3H
* Dimensions (WxDxH): 10.2 cm x 14.7 cm x 2.54 cm
* Weight: 0.6 kg
* Capacity: 250 GB
* Interface Type: Serial ATA-300
* Data Transfer Rate: 300 MBps
* Average Seek Time: 8.9 ms
* Spindle Speed: 7200 rpm
* Buffer Size: 16 MB
* Manufacturer Warranty: 3 years warranty

Got a question here regarding replacing the hardrive. If I can buy this hard-drive, and then an external casing, then copy over from my existing hard-drive to the new one, using Norton Ghost. Does this sound like a good plan? I am gonig touse Norton ghost, so what would be the best way.Maybe I should copy thw whole hard-drive to my external, set as OS. Then install the hard-drive to the computer, and then copy from the external to the internal and set that as OS. Is that it, the easiest way, I don't mind...
 
No, it's not a good drive unless you're only using it for very basic computing. The other thing is it has to be very well ventilated.

Two things Caviar SEs hate... Heat and any significant volume of read/write transactions.
 
Well If i told you that I like to play games, not often though, and that the one i am with is fine, if a tad slow. I have 2gb of ram and like music, word and download stuff at the same time... It is better than what I have.

dell_dimension_3100_397x500.jpg

Theres a pic of my computer
 
That design is better than the old Dimension that put the drive in a cage against the front of the case with zippo ventilation. It will get better cooling in that case. I really like those models that you have. However, get a Samsung Spinpoint T or a Seagate SATA2-300 drive.
 
Why? I have researched and researched and I think that Western Digital are the best, they use them to back up at Symantec (Friend does the backing up for them).

Ok, Seagates look pretty good. I want the Barracuda 7200.11 at 320gb. Which would you say is good: 16mb cache or 32mb cache? Also, could you find me a link, I can't find one with a decent price...
Found one:http://www.kikatek.com/product_info.php?products_id=69866#specs
Is this compatible with my computer If this is my current one?
http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.asp?driveid=83

The dimensions and sizes seem all wrong...

I am settled on the Seagate (http://www.kikatek.com/product_info.php?products_id=69866) I just need someone elses opinion.
 
Yeah, that one is fine. It's the 3.5" and will indeed fit in your case. They're nice drives (in fact, those are the ones I sell... lol :D )
 
Good, I will buy that, today probably, maybe tomorrow. Best way to copy files over?

I have just bought it and changing thread title!
 
Put both drives in the computer and then just drag and drop what you want to keep. That's probably the easiest. Leave it in there until you're finished your scavenging.
 
I can't put both of them in there! I have two bays, but not enough room, or a bracket to put it in.

I should be getting it tomorrow. Whats the best way, then?
 
A SATA to USB adapter works. Of course you can always hook it up and leave it hanging. Just make sure no metal touches the circuit board (it's a controller actually) on the hard drive. That works too.
 
Right I have it now, whats the best way, considering I only have room for one. Is it best to install windows and then norton ghost? Should I buy a Sata to Usb adapter and run it from there? I can only think that with the Sata to USb drive that when I put the new hard-drive in and use the cable for my old hard-drive it will start up using the new one, even though I want to use the old one.

Anyway, what is the best way then. Is there other ways?
 
The SATA to USB adapter is the best, easiest way. Ghost will work fine if it's a new version...but there are certainly others out there.
 
Ghost is the new version. So you think that If I get the Sata to USb --> Copy over, and set as boot drive ---> install into my computer --> voila? Wouldn't there be a problem with the boot drive number, because it will change when I take it out surely, or will I leave the boot drive alone, as I am doing a straight swap?

Anyway, you really think the Sata to Usb is worth it, just for one go? Ok.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/1165731/art/vantec/cb-isatau2-sata-ide-usb-2.html?srcid=867 Is that it?
 
Yup, that's it. And yeah, they're invaluable to have around.

Just do a straight clone and drop the new drive in place of the old one (just make sure the partition is marked "active").

I do it all the time, it works like a charm.
 
OK, so you could talk me through it step by step, as if i have all this equipment?
Thanks for all your help so far, I will order this as sson as possible.
 
When you order it, I'll talk you through it. Essentially all you do is hook your old drive up to the USB on your computer. It gives it a drive letter in My Computer and you just drag and drop.
 
I have just bought it, should be here wednesday. I am going to use Norton thing, to copy EVERYTHING OVER.
 
just a couple follow up notes:
1) if you haven't purchased the norton ghost s/w i'd recommend looking at Acronis products for ghosting/backup software stuff

2) I know you just mention USB connection for the migration process.. but, fyi, should decide you want an external USB hard drive (e.g. to do all your day-to-day backups) i would NOT advise Western Digital
 
I have just bought a western digital and all ready have Norton.
I have the cable and the HDD hooked up. The hard-drive is coming up in "Safely remove" but no-where else... Why?!!!!
 
Try Start->Run-> compmgmt.msc

Once Computer Management opens
Click on Disk Management

You should see your new drive, where you can right click on it and format it
 
Ok, I am stuck
I have managed to successfully install my new hard-drive, but when I switch it on, it won't log me on. It comes up with a logon box instead of the full screen one, and has a login text area and a password area. I have checked that it recognises the hard-drive. Also, I copied my entire computer over to the hard-drive, so i don't understand why it won't just start up...
I put in my password and then it says loading settings, and then qucikly followed by logging off!
Hope you can help,
Habylab
 
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