hard drive instalation help

barjam_2

one of my boys has a dell inspiron 1545 vista it has a blue screen error re- hard drive i've tried recovering /repairing etc.. i think my son has to resign to the fact he'l have to buy a new hard drive

how simple is it to install a new hd is it a case of he installs the hard drive then install his discs he received with the lap top would that be all he needs to do? you hear so many horror stories about laptop/pc repair shops we'd like to try and rectify it at home rather than in a shop

any help would be really appreciated

JasX

well first step would be to download the diagnostics tools from the hard disk manufacturers website and see what they have to say RE is the disk actually terminally faulty?

barjam_2

thanks i'l go and have a look on dell now

cozza

i had to put a new hard drive in my laptop and that was quite easy to do i found and im a novice but make sure u have the drive disc as you have to up load all the drivers i have saved myself £70 the shop wanted i brought the hard drive off amazon

TheEffect

Have you inserted the Windows Vista DVD and formatted the hard drive/reinstalled Vista?

barjam_2

many thanks for that cozza i know who to come to when i'm stuck :rotfl:hubby has just came in he says 'take it to pc world' :eek:

GunJack

barjam wrote: »

hubby has just came in he says 'take it to pc world' :eek:

NEVER do this just search this forum and others for the horror stories.....

amcluesent

If the CDs are a copy of Windows and the drivers for that model of laptop, then swapping the disk is very simple.

Just check whether the existing drive has a SATA (few pins on connector) or IDE (many pins on connector) and buy a matching drive, or one with higher capacity if wanted. Best to buy a drive with the same rpm (5400 or 7200).

Then just swap the drive and re-install Windows.

If the CDs you have are an 'image' copy of Windows, then you'd best get a drive of exactly the same capacity as the old one, as you'll be restoring the drive contents not installing Windows.

barjam_2

TheEffect wrote: »

Have you inserted the Windows Vista DVD and formatted the hard drive/reinstalled Vista?

no we haven't done any thing like that yet

amcluesent wrote: »

If the CDs are a copy of Windows and the drivers for that model of laptop, then swapping the disk is very simple.

Just check whether the existing drive has a SATA (few pins on connector) or IDE (many pins on connector) and buy a matching drive, or one with higher capacity if wanted. Best to buy a drive with the same rpm (5400 or 7200).

Then just swap the drive and re-install Windows.

If the CDs you have are an 'image' copy of Windows, then you'd best get a drive of exactly the same capacity as the old one, as you'll be restoring the drive contents not installing Windows.

amcluesent i'm not sure regarding the discs if they are 'image' copy etc how will i know i've just done the diagnostic to get the error code it says its 0146 not sure if that helps this any

Donnie

It means that it failed the Drive Self Test. Have you tried running Chkdsk?

cozza

dont take it to pc world as you can do it by ya selfs it id quite easy donnie gives good advice