New hard drive help needed

[click]

I have a Dell Inspiron 5100 that I've been getting the unmountable boot volume error a lot. Chkdsk restores everything fine. Can this be harmful?
I googled all the error codes and other problems. It seems the 5100 has many problems. Is there a painless way to replace the hd without losing everything.

[Sinn Fein]

Smoke is right. Get a new drive, and Ghost the contents of the old to the new.

[jpc165]

Acronis True Image is my choice for cloning a drive. Then I use partition magic if the drive sizes aren't an exact match.

[Mindriot]

I would do a Clean install on the new drive and make the existing drive a Slave and just pull whatever fliiles are needed from the existing drive over to the Fresh install.

Unless this installation is pretty recent. I would do a fresh installation. A fresh installation of windows is always a good thing.

but if your not that savvy then just do the ghosting.

[Tickle The Bag]

speaking of a fresh install of windows, if one was to go about doing that would you just install windows over and let it replace the "old" stuff or is there another way to go about it?

[jpc165]

you could reformat the whole drive and chose the file format from the windows install cd before installing windows.

[Tickle The Bag]

I just want to refresh windows without touching any other files if this is possible and if it is an effective way to go.

[click]

I know dell blows but I'd figured I'd get it from them just to be safe. Of course the p/n the indian dude gave me doesn't exist. From checking the
net this model has lots of problems. What's a good site for instructions on
how to copy the old on to the new? If I can find one. Thanks for the suggestions btw.

[jpc165]

I just want to refresh windows without touching any other files if this is possible and if it is an effective way to go.

I think you get the most out of a clean install of windows. Backup all important files to another pc/drive/etc. Make a list of all installed software. Backup your drivers (i use the driverguide tool) or just have the driver reinstall disk that came with your pc.

Then reformat the drive and reinstall windows. This will wipe out everything. If your hardrive is still in good condition, it should feel like a new machine again. Then start reinstalling your software and any drivers needed.

[jpc165]

What's a good site for instructions on
how to copy the old on to the new? If I can find one. Thanks for the suggestions btw.

http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=418

[stevethrower]

I would also suggest buying an external HD to back stuff up on to... just in case the computer craps out on you sir.

[Tickle The Bag]

I think you get the most out of a clean install of windows. Backup all important files to another pc/drive/etc. Make a list of all installed software. Backup your drivers (i use the driverguide tool) or just have the driver reinstall disk that came with your pc.

Then reformat the drive and reinstall windows. This will wipe out everything. If your hardrive is still in good condition, it should feel like a new machine again. Then start reinstalling your software and any drivers needed.

Ok, that sounds good. Thanks

[Mongrel Class]

www.techbargains.com and www.slickdeals.net have really good rebate posting on hard drives almost every week. You' can get a good size drive for under 50 cents a gig

[mascan42]

$0.32 a gig . . .

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1265028

[jpc165]

$0.32 a gig . . .

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1265028

Damn. You can't beat that.

I was about to pick up a 400GB drive until I saw the 500GB drives are out..

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=100600

[click]

Damn. You can't beat that.

I was about to pick up a 400GB drive until I saw the 500GB drives are out..

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=100600
The only one I can find for my laptop is 40GB. There are a 60 and 80
but they want $200 and $300 for them. Not much out there for this thing.
I got the ez install kit, which I think connects the old drive to the new
one for transferring files. It comes with cloning software. I hope Dell gets my shit to me before I leave for the shore or I'll get WBL on their ass. :icon_mrgr

[Tickle The Bag]

............. or I'll get WBL on their ass. :icon_mrgr

And it never turns out pretty when Ant gets on the case. That fucker knows how to Pat Battle.

[click]

But why do you want to "refresh windows" sir?

Your hard disk uses industry standard connections. Hell, even Macs use the same connections. Just check your Dell invoice for either IDE or SATA hard disk and get a replacement from NewEgg or somewhere.

People tend to apply the car parts mentality to computers. "I need $BRAND_NAME parts for my $BRAND_NAME computer" when that's not the case at all. Industry standards are wonderful things.
Thanks smoke, I know what you're saying. I've been checking around and found 1 site that says their HDD's are compatible with all inspiron models.
The same 4 and they're a little pricey. I didn't know they were all standard actually. Mine drive is not IDE or SATA. I'll check

[nannerphone]

I would get rid of that drive asap and ghost to a new one. Also a good investment to buy an external drive as well for when you finally decide to through out that pos dell and get something more reliable. I try to keep all my photos videos and music on the external drive incase my computer takes a shit...

[click]

I would get rid of that drive asap and ghost to a new one. Also a good investment to buy an external drive as well for when you finally decide to through out that pos dell and get something more reliable. I try to keep all my photos videos and music on the external drive incase my computer takes a shit...
I don't have much on this hard drive. I don't want to reinstall all the installation disks

[Sinn Fein]

The only thing that really sucks when you reinstall WinXP is that you'll spend the next 3 days of your life downloading all the Windows Update files.

[Hummercash]

The only thing that really sucks when you reinstall WinXP is that you'll spend the next 3 days of your life downloading all the Windows Update files.
3 days?!?! time for you to get a better internet connection... on cable it takes me 1 hour, tops.


.//chris

[click]

I got my new HD and this ez-upgrade kit, it's cloning software and a case for the new hd. After installing the software and connecting it to the usb port
it doesn't see the new hd. It's installed as new hardware and win says it's working. I tried searching the net for similar probs and nuttin. Their tech support sends me to someones voicemail. I guess I'll try again tomorrow.