Setting up new Hard Drive question

[ShirleyM]

As a follow-up to my other thread below about problems...

If I buy a new larger hard drive (160 gig) and install a Win XP copy that I've already installed, isn't there something now about XP where it can't be installed once already installed on one system? How do I get around that? Or do I have to have yet another unopened copy of Win XP? (my kids can get this cheap at IU if necessary, but I'd have to wait a bit...)

Also, Is it better to just not use my current HD and only use a new one since supposedly the new one would be a lot faster than my current one? In other words, have one in the system, not two?

Can I install all the system s/w that came with my Sony Vaio on the new HD if I want? That would put XP on it by default... plus all the proper stuff for all the h/w on the computer... modem, graphics card, DVD-R, CD-ROM, etc, so would that be the best way to go?

Thanks!
Shirley

[Tim224DT]

As for the XP you can install it on the new HD that you put in your computer. If it installs with no problems then your good to go. But if it says you cant register it call up Microcoft and tell them hey i bought a new HD and so on then they will let it go. You can hook your old one up and use it if you like. But personaly i would only hook it up after i got XP installed and all my software on the new HD. Then i would only hook the old one up to transfer my files over.

And if you want to use the recovery disks that came with your Sony computer you can do that also. I know with my HP laptop when i got it i formated it and installed only Win XP i didnt want all that HP stuff they had on my comp. Then on HP's website you can download the drivers for your different devices such as wireless card and so on.

Hope this helps....
Tim

[ShirleyM]

Thanks! Very helpful.

Now, are the Western Digital HD's for sale cheap on eBay the same as the ones for sale for a lot more in Best Buy?

For example:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ory=64462&rd=1

8MB cache, 160 Gig

I'm finding them in the stores for $130-140

Also... how hard is it to set the thing up and get it "seen" by my computer? Jumpers and all... easy?

Thanks!

[Tim224DT]

Setting the jumpers to the right settings(most likely Master) isnt hard at all. They have a little diagram on the Hard Drive itself to tell you were to put the jumpers the only hard part is getting the jumpers out to move them but if you have fingernails its not all that bad. I believe that is the same HD that you will find in stores i didnt see anything different about it. Check out www.newegg.com great place for computer parts i order from them all the time. I can only see you having one problem is that your BIOS(Basic Input Output System) will not read all 160 gigs of your harddrive. It depends when the last time it was updated

Tim

[ShirleyM]

I've ordered from newegg too. Well, I've never updated my bios. don't know how.

I could just pay this guy $75 to install it, but then he wants to sell me the same drive for $140... which I'm not going to pay that much for... he's $75/hr... but he supposedly sets it up so it runs efficiently and doesn't run all the junk... which I sort of try to do by myself anyway...

[smeesus]

Newegg, the greatest place ever... that the only place I buy stuff from.....

Tim knows his stuff.... everything Tim said is what I was going to say, but now I don't need to.

[ShirleyM]

What's the difference or preference between IDE Ultra ATA100 and Serial ATA II?
(at http://www.newegg.com/ProductSort/Ca...sp?Category=15 )

[Tim224DT]

Serial ATA is faster but chances are that your motherboard cant handle it doesnt have the right hookup for it. You would wnat to look for IDEultra ATA 100 or IDEultra ATA 133. What you could do is if you hook it up and it doesnt read all 160 gigs then take it to him, I personaly dont like to flash the BIOS if you screw something up your motherboard is a nice paper weight.

Tim

[Tim224DT]

Originally Posted by smeesus

Newegg, the greatest place ever... that the only place I buy stuff from.....

Tim knows his stuff.... everything Tim said is what I was going to say, but now I don't need to.

I may not know that much about Fish Tanks, but i know alot about comptuers and networking.

Tim

[ShirleyM]

The Sony Knowledge Base says this about my particular computer, which is not that old: Specifications and information for upgrading to a larger hard drive is not supported by Sony and is not provided. Larger hard drives may or may not be supported. Additional support and information may be provided by the hard drive manufacturer. Sony will only support the original hard drive included with the computer.

I got on live chat, and they were no help at all. They said the same thing.

Now, I tend not to believe that. What do you think?

The computer is about 3 or 4 yrs old, no older.

~ Shirley

[ShirleyM]

Originally Posted by Tim224DT

Serial ATA is faster but chances are that your motherboard cant handle it doesnt have the right hookup for it. You would wnat to look for IDEultra ATA 100 or IDEultra ATA 133. What you could do is if you hook it up and it doesnt read all 160 gigs then take it to him, I personaly dont like to flash the BIOS if you screw something up your motherboard is a nice paper weight.

Tim

I'd rather pay him for what he does while I do what I do, in that case...

[Tim224DT]

It is possble to upgarde. Just have to look at the specs see who makes the motherboard and goto that site to look for the BIOS update. I had to do that with my parents HP computer that they bought.

But if it makes you feel safer to let him do it then by all means let him do it. But i would try to hook it up first and see if it reads it before i take it to him.

Tim

[ShirleyM]

What does it do with a HD that has no OS on it? How does it read it? How would I know if it could read how big it was?

[Tim224DT]

Originally Posted by ShirleyM

What does it do with a HD that has no OS on it? How does it read it? How would I know if it could read how big it was?

If you were to take a new HD and put it in your computer 99% it will read it right away and you can install windows. The other one percent is in your case were your BIOS might not allow you to read all 160gigs. How can you tell, Well put the HD in the computer and turn it on. If it reads the HD thats a start and a good thing. One most motherboards to get into BIOS you have to hit del key to access BIOS. You would hit this key right when you turn on your computer. Some computers use F1, F2 and so on. It your not sure what key it is the most simple way to get into BIOS is when the computer turns on hold down as many keys as you can on your keyboard to cause an error and it will ask you do you want to enter setup then hit yes. Once in BIOS you will see Primary and Secondary IDE listings. Your new HD should show in the Primary part of the listing there it will tell you how many gigs it is reading if its reading all 160 gigs your good to go(taco bell hehe) and if thats the case restart then put your XP cd in the computer and follow the onscreen instructions.

If its not reading all 160gigs then you will have to have someone update(flash) your BIOS which that one guy could do.

Did i get all your questions ?
Tim

[ShirleyM]

Yes, you got all the questions... and delete takes me to my BIOS the knowledge base said earlier, but did not tell me how to update my BIOS.

So... all I need to do now is get the new HD... and more ram (512 to 1 gig I figure.) I have 3 slots supposedly, and it currently has 512 DDR PC2100 64-bit DIMMS.

Max memory this computer can handle is 1536MB. I can add either 2 256 or 1 512MB.

Thanks,
Shirley