Is it easy to install hard drive from one laptop to another? Cracked screen on laptop!

DE_612183

sunni said:

DE_612183 said:

sunni said:

DE_612183 said:

Why not just transfer the files to the new laptop?

Can't do anything with current laptop as screen damaged. How do I transfer files?

ok, so what you can do is get a hard drive caddy with a usb - couple of quid from ebay - then you remove the hard drive insert it into the caddy - connect the caddy to the new laptop - navigate to the folders / files and copy them across.

Something like this - just need to get the right one for your HD - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256613325387?chn=ps&_ul=GB&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-166974-033325-9&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=256613325387&targetid=2274564709393&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9190595&poi=&campaignid=21038833353&mkgroupid=159725140512&rlsatarget=pla-2274564709393&abcId=9384419&merchantid=113590136&geoid=9190595&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21038833353&gbraid=0AAAAAD_Lr1ffzg7SVPJvLyvna2FyMBTWb&gclid=CjwKCAjw3_PCBhA2EiwAkH_j4seVDVkIZOleXdISnOS3xbpaJpUGEqU_6PDAA-XG3mAGyClEam8rUhoCUDMQAvD_BwE

Not sure how to remove the hard drive?

what make / model is your laptop - usually it's a few screw to remove the bottom, then you'll see the HD - it may be screwed in - may just be plugged in - just unscrew or unplug.

But as other have said easies option is connect old laptop to another screen and use that as the screen - unless the laptop won't start - then you'll need to do this.

DullGreyGuy

sunni said:

DullGreyGuy said:

sunni said:

Is it easy to install hard drive from one laptop to another? Not that techie minded but will try to do it myself as have personal work info on it.

Cracked the screen on my laptop which is 10 years old & just going to buy another laptop.

Hopefully can install the hard drive myself, any tips?

Depends on the laptops, you say the old one has a HD, its fairly likely the new one will have a SSD instead and so wouldnt have space for HD and fairly likely has a different connection type. 

You're better off following the suggestion of using an external caddy, get the hd out first to confirm the connection type and then just put it in an appropriate caddy.

Outside of the physical considerations you also need to consider encryption, some forms are device specific so only your current laptop can decrypt the contents so even if you could get it to fit in a new device then it may not be readable anyway. That won't be fixed with using a caddy. 

sunni said:

DE_612183 said:

Why not just transfer the files to the new laptop?

Can't do anything with current laptop as screen damaged. How do I transfer files?

The laptop doesnt have a HDMI port? You dont own a TV with a HDMI input? 

Yes laptop has usb/hdmi port & I've a TV with hdmi?

so you could plug the laptop into the TV and use it as the screen, just need to be sure after plugging it in that the laptop is set to mirror the screen, rather than expand. 

sunni said:

DE_612183 said:

sunni said:

DE_612183 said:

Why not just transfer the files to the new laptop?

Can't do anything with current laptop as screen damaged. How do I transfer files?

ok, so what you can do is get a hard drive caddy with a usb - couple of quid from ebay - then you remove the hard drive insert it into the caddy - connect the caddy to the new laptop - navigate to the folders / files and copy them across.

Something like this - just need to get the right one for your HD - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256613325387?chn=ps&_ul=GB&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-166974-033325-9&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=256613325387&targetid=2274564709393&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9190595&poi=&campaignid=21038833353&mkgroupid=159725140512&rlsatarget=pla-2274564709393&abcId=9384419&merchantid=113590136&geoid=9190595&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21038833353&gbraid=0AAAAAD_Lr1ffzg7SVPJvLyvna2FyMBTWb&gclid=CjwKCAjw3_PCBhA2EiwAkH_j4seVDVkIZOleXdISnOS3xbpaJpUGEqU_6PDAA-XG3mAGyClEam8rUhoCUDMQAvD_BwE

Not sure how to remove the hard drive?

Then how were you going to put it into the new laptop?

It depends on the laptop, some will have a door under the laptop you can unscrew and it gives direct access to the RAM and HD if these were intended to be user modified. Others you need to take the whole bottom of the laptop off. 

Ergates

With a lot of laptops these days, it's not possible to remove/change the HD at all - it's built into the motherboard.

born_again

sunni said:

Not sure how to remove the hard drive?

TBH, if you not sure, then take it to a local computer shop & tell them what you want doing & leave it to them.

Vitor

If OP can connect laptop to TV using HDMI, then transferring personal files to new laptop via a USB stick or using cloud store is likely to be simplest rather than trying to crack open laptop case.

sunni

Vitor said:

If OP can connect laptop to TV using HDMI, then transferring personal files to new laptop via a USB stick or using cloud store is likely to be simplest rather than trying to crack open laptop case.

Think this might be easier 

Grey_Critic

I have Four hard drives removed from defunct laptops - I have extracted files from them but they still have data that I need to access from time.

jshm2

No. Some have an HDD, some have an NVME. Some will only work with certain brands of either, etc etc. 

Regardless. In your case, best to go with the simplest solution first. Plug in your TV to the HDMI port on the laptop on the cracked screen and switch on. Ensure everything is working, and back it all up to the Cloud. Will take a few hours depending on internet speed and amount of data. 

When you get your new laptop, you will get the Microsoft install screen, I think it's three screens in where it asks you if you want to to "restore". That's the option to select... and then wait a few more hours to restore.  

sunni

So I connected the laptop (with cracked screen) to the TV via HDMI lead and transferred all my personal stuff to a USB stick. 

Do I need to back anything up to Cloud as well?

Under devices/drives there's Windows (C) and Recovery (D) do these need to be copied as well unto USB stick? 

PHK

Ideally you would always have a backup of your data so that you can restore it when you get a new computer and to keep it safe should the laptop storage becomes faulty. 

The Windows folder is where windows is installed so you won't need it for a new computer. The recovery drive contains the software to put the laptop back into the state it was when you bought it , so you won't need that either.