topic Re: Changing the HDD in my PCG-K195HP in PCs & Accessories

Changing the HDD in my PCG-K195HP

milano_chris — Mon, 23 May 2005 13:13:58 GMT

Where is the internal one located? I got a 80 GB Fujitsu MHT2080AH drive to replace it with and want to use the internal 40GB as a portable one.

Re: Changing the HDD in my PCG-K195HP

Stephanius — Mon, 23 May 2005 14:45:17 GMT

The K series has the HDD in a bay on the bottom of the unit, next to the memory modules.

Please be careful with the HDD connector, notebooks use plastic foil cable which you can rip and destroy rather easily, pull on the connector, never the cable.

Please be aware that the new HDD may or may not consume more power than the old one and/or may also give off more heat compared to the old one.

I would put the 80GB drive into the external box, use a partitioning software tool to move both partitions from the original HDD to the new HDD, then build in the 80GB drive to see if it runs smoothly for a week or two. Then you can still delete the old partitions on the original drive and use it as external harddrive.

Re: Changing the HDD in my PCG-K195HP

milano_chris — Mon, 23 May 2005 14:51:36 GMT

I take it it would not work if I was just to create two partitions on the 80GB and copied the files from the 40GB onto the 80Gb and used it that way?

If not what software would you recomend or can XP's Disk managment complete the process?

Re: Changing the HDD in my PCG-K195HP

Stephanius — Mon, 23 May 2005 15:02:58 GMT

Basically there are 3 ways to go:

No risk
just use the 80GB HDD as external HDD =]

Some risk/work

make sure all your documents are on the 😧 partition of your old HDD
remove the original HDD and built in the new one - make sure you remove AC-adapter and battery before you do this
enter the BIOS using the F2 key at startup, press F9, confirm you want to reset defaults, press F10, confirm you want to save and exit.
perform a recovery with the discs you received with your Vaio.
build the original HDD into the external HDD case, copy your data over to the new HDD from the original HDD's 😧 partition.
reinstall your programs from there respective discs

Some HW risk, data at risk, less work.
Use a partitioning program like partition magic - should be approx 100 Euro - and use that to copy the entire partitions from the old HDD to the new one, make sure you activate the first partition and resize the second one to use the remaining space. Do NOT mess with this if you dont know what you are doing.

Re: Changing the HDD in my PCG-K195HP

milano_chris — Mon, 23 May 2005 15:29:12 GMT

It won't let me copy the partitions. Perhaps this is due to it being a dynamic disk?

Re: Changing the HDD in my PCG-K195HP

Stephanius — Mon, 23 May 2005 15:45:43 GMT

uhm, you lost me there.

You can NOT copy whole partitions using XP's build-in disk management.
When using a suitable program, it does not matter if the discs are build-in and connected to the mainboards ATA controller, or if they are in an external case connected by USB or IEEE1394.

Re: Changing the HDD in my PCG-K195HP

milano_chris — Mon, 23 May 2005 16:52:45 GMT

Sorry I didn't explain myself properly.

I have tried to copy the partitions using partition magic. It won't let me do it and it doesn't say why.

Could it be as I have my primare HDD set up as a dynamic disk?

Re: Changing the HDD in my PCG-K195HP

seb21__ — Mon, 23 May 2005 17:01:00 GMT

You can't set a HDD in a laptop as dynamic. It wouldn't make any sense.

Re: Changing the HDD in my PCG-K195HP

milano_chris — Mon, 23 May 2005 17:03:49 GMT

I set it up for other reasons which are beside the point. Could it be the reason why it won't copy the partitions?

Re: Changing the HDD in my PCG-K195HP

seb21__ — Mon, 23 May 2005 17:11:50 GMT

I don't know. But it could be. And you can't return it.

Re: Changing the HDD in my PCG-K195HP

milano_chris — Mon, 23 May 2005 17:36:47 GMT

Ok thanks for the help guys. Will try using my recovery CD for a fresh install, but I can only find the Documents and Programs one!

Re: Changing the HDD in my PCG-K195HP

seb21__ — Mon, 23 May 2005 17:39:12 GMT

You need the CD with the Windows system.:smileywink:

Re: Changing the HDD in my PCG-K195HP

milano_chris — Mon, 23 May 2005 17:42:13 GMT

No idea where it is! I had them both together but the other half has been packing so god knows where its gone!

Re: Changing the HDD in my PCG-K195HP

seb21__ — Mon, 23 May 2005 17:43:43 GMT

Maybe somewhere in your room?:smileywink:

Re: Changing the HDD in my PCG-K195HP

milano_chris — Mon, 23 May 2005 17:53:46 GMT

Room? I have a flat!

Anyways found it now, bloody women. Shall install now.

I'll let you know how I get on in an hour or so.

Re: Changing the HDD in my PCG-K195HP

milano_chris — Mon, 23 May 2005 18:50:54 GMT

Recovered and working like a gem. Transferring all my documents now.

Then I have to reinstall all apps. Oh the joy.

Re: Changing the HDD in my PCG-K195HP

seb21__ — Mon, 23 May 2005 19:09:56 GMT

LOL, I would like to know a way to safe the system settings.:smileybeat_up:

bloody women