I'm sorry if what I wrote wasn't all that clear to everyone. I don't think it's all that complicated. This is a travel board, but I'll try to explain again...

Your laptop has a hard drive - that much you know, OK. I'm guessing you know what it means to "clone" it? It's like making an exact copy of it, to another hard drive. It copies Windows, all your programs, everything, to the new hard drive. People often clone an old hard drive to a new one when they are upgrading to a larger hard drive, when the old one is getting full.

Most laptops have one hard drive, inside. You can connect another hard drive to your computer using its USB port. You just plug a USB cable into your laptop and plug the other end into the second hard drive. To make this connection you need to get something called an "enclosure," which is a little box with wires and a plug into the wall. (If you have ever heard of an "external hard drive" this is the same idea.)

You need a program for Windows to do the cloning. One program to clone an old hard drive to a new one is called Ghost. I use a similar program called True Image (from a company called Acronis) to do the same thing. You install Ghost (or True Image) on your computer, start it up, and select "clone my drive." Cloning takes a while while your old drive's contents are copied to the new one. Then you have to turn off your computer, yank out your old hard drive from inside the laptop, and replace it with the new one. Then you can turn your computer back on and it should just work.

It's usually pretty easy with these newer laptops to get at the hard drive inside. Mine has a panel on the bottom of the laptop held on by a single screw. I unscrew that and I can see a little metal thing around the drive. I remove another screw or two to get that thing out. The hard drive has a cable plugged into it with a lot of wires - you just need to unplug that carefully and plug it into the new drive you are putting back in there.

Is that any easier to understand? Not that I expect all of you to do this yourselves, but you should try to understand what CompUSA is charging you big money and taking three weeks to do! I could do it in probably two hours or less, depending on how big your old hard drive is.

Andrew

Wow Andrew, it is midnight, I am tired and yet...I truly do understand what you just explained on your post. That is almost scary, LOL. I always get so frustrated because most computer knowledable people talk in a way that I truly do not understand anything. You explained all of this in clear English. My gosh, thank you!!!! The only thing that "scares" me is the cable with the wires, removing the old hard drive and replacing it with the new one. But my SIL could do that with no problem.

Andrew, what is your occupation? Are you a teacher, a computer tech person or what? Whatever you are your ability to talk and explain computer repairs to novices like me is astonishing!!!

Crefloors, I heard about Ghost because my stepdaughter (who is in S CA) has told me more than once that I need this so I won't lose everything if my computer crashes. But unlike Andrew she doesn't have the ability to explain "how" to do it..she works in a highly computer oriented field. It is all obviously so simply to her..but not to people like you and I. Crefloors, I suggest you save this thread, Andrews instructions are fantastic.

Again Andrew, thank you so much. I truly appreciate your taking the time and making the effort to educate me, and hopefully others, about replacing hard drives and back ups.

Hey, you're very welcome, LoveItaly! I'm glad what I wrote is a little clearer this time. No, I'm not a teacher - I'm a former electrical engineer and now a photographer, but I still tinker with computers quite a lot. I can explain computer stuff to non-geeks but it is not easy! I have to think carefully not to use the jargon I'm used to and am still not always successful.

It is a good idea to use Ghost or something like that to backup your hard drive every once in a while. If anyone is still reading this, just another reminder that computer hard drives are HIGHLY unreliable and could die on you at any time, without warning! Take it from someone who has had at least three computer hard drives just die in the last couple of years (my laptop drive died last summer but I had backups). You will likely lose EVERYTHING if you don't have another copy or backup somewhere. Care about those digital photos on your computer? Then BACK THEM UP - ASAP! Don't get complacent.

Easiest thing to do is invest in an external hard drive, which you can plug into your computer with a USB cable or Firewire cable (USB for most people). It's easy to setup: just plug it in, turn it on, and insert the CD that came with the external drive. It probably has backup software included, so you should just be able to follow the instructions.

Or, if you don't want to get an external drive, make copies of your precious files/photographs/whatever to CDs or DVDs once in a while.

Andrew

LoveItaly,

I feel your pain, my laptop 'whirrs' a lot! Luckily DH is a computer techie so he figures it out for me and I needed a fan to cool it down.

Me, spend a lot of time on my laptop? OK I'm guilty! It's on most of the day. Not Fodors, Well not all the time, I use it to listen to music

Luckily we have a computer network at home so all my stuff is saved - just don't ask me how it works, I don't need to 'do' computers since I have my own personal 'IT' guy.

I do know I'm lucky :-)

Hi alya, this was a grinding noise, and the computer froze up..nothing would work. But this morning it is just fine, thank goodness. But I will know what to do thanks to Andrew's good advice, and my own computer guy..my SIL ;;)

BTW, received an email from a friend this morning that had the same exact problem and actually ordered a new hard drive. The next morning his laptop was "just fine" as has been every since so the new hard drive wasn't needed. Maybe my laptop was just furious over dear Patrick being banned - you think?

Hi Love--I'm no techie, but a friend who is an author lost 6 chapters of her new book when her hard drive crashed--it was partially retrieved in some manner that I don't understand. So I finally succumbed to buying a LaCie external hard drive on the advice of a tech savy friend, and now with the help of softwear that came with it that was compatible with my Apple G4, I backup once a week. I never thought I had anything really worth backing up, until this same friend pointed out to me that I had hundreds of songs purchased via iTunes and many photos that would be lost. I'm now a believer!!

Hi SAB, that is exactly what Andrew told me also. My stepdaughter in S CA has told me the same thing..but I didn't understand how to do it etc and so haven't. And one thing that paniced me last night was the fact I hadn't put various contact info (email address, phone #'s etc) in my address book, always "I will do it tomorrow". Well I certainly did that last night.
Aren't computers fun, LOL. Take care, and thanks for your information.

LOL LoveItaly

What did we do before computers??

Now all DH has to do is persuade me to take my 'cell' phone with me.

I used to take my 'mobile'phone with me everywhere in the UK and was a serious 'text'er. Now I don't need it so much, my US friends don't use the text message function of their phones and we use email or IM instead.

Actually, I have to admit that I don't miss it!

Hi alya, not the last time, but the time before I had a cell phone in Italy. I thought I was going to go out of mind with all the text messages I received from friends in Italy, LOL. Last trip to Italy I didn't even have a cell phone, it was heaven to tell you the truth.

My SIL is going to come over and do the backup thing for me. That is great. Right now my laptop is working fine...maybe it just got into a snit last night?? Anyway, I emailed this thread to my SIL that of course had Andrew's post. As so I will have a backup..or whatever the proper term is. My dear SIL is fantastic. I am probably one of the few mother-in-laws in the US that adores her SIL. And thank you again Andrew!

Former Comp USA laptop user/ too many crashes/ too many "whirring noises"/ too many problems. My computer guy from our office was making "house calls" to my residence, it seemed, every time I turned around - I haven't had to have him for anything since I changed to a mac. My kids who loved their mac powerbooks talked me into an iBookG4 and I was instantly hoooked. Easy to use, easy to figure out, absolutely zero problems and it's been two years. I do back up weekly on a Lacie external hard drive just as insurance. never a virus, never a problem. And I love the Itunes, can't say enough about what I can do with photos/photo books/ I never thought I'd be as capable on a computer as I am now - I am a true mac believer. If you ever decide to replace your laptop, I recommend visiting a mac store.

Hi escargot, I have heard the same comments from others about Mac's. In fact a cousin of mine has had one for ages and has not had one moment of problems. Good reminder! My laptop is just over two years old, I purchased the three year warranty (problably a stupid decision looking back on it). Imagine my daughter would love a Mac also, she is really into photos. Thanks again for your information. Take care!

I used to love escargot...but now I only eat fast foods.

Kal: I needed that laugh.

Yes, be sure you backup your hard drive even if you have a Mac. A friend of mine had his ibook hard drive crash this summer and he lost absolutely everything on it. Mac hard drives are no more reliable than PC hard drives. You should always assume your hard drive will die tomorrow.

Andrew

Hi Andrew, don't know if you saw my post, but my SIL is coming over here just as soon as he can and will do a backup for me. Today my laptop is working just fine including no grinding noises. But after the experience last night plus your very informative posts I really do understand how important a backup is. I hope my problem and the information here has helped others. Thank you sincerely for all your help. Best wishes to you.

LoveItaly, if I were you I would try to burn any crucial photos or documents to a CD immediately, without waiting for your SIL to come over. You can always re-install Windows but some pictures and documents are impossible to replace. At worst, print out text documents that are crucial, for example contacts for a business or something.

There's a chance your hard drive is just fine and it will keep working for a long time, but it's not worth taking any chances if you are hearing noises. Do you know how to burn a CD? If not, cross your fingers until you get the backup. Probably it will all be fine.

Andrew

Haven't seen this thread for over a day. Thought of something for people who are using WINDOWS XP: If you need to re-install XP, or if a technician does this for you after swapping out the Hard Drive, XP may "phone home" and necessitate that you re-register the software. You'll know by the constant reminder messages from Windows. Had to actually call MicroSquash and have a Rep change my 60-digit alphanumeric key code --- what a bother, but mindless and takes only 5 minutes.

TIP: I took a digital photo of the S/N of my notebook computer and stored it in the computer after the HD was replaced and XP was re-installed. Then, when the Rep at MS asked for my s/n I didn't have to turn the computer over and Lucille Ball my way through the readback - I simply opened that photo file.

Good Luck

You are talking about something called Activation, something Microsoft used for the first time with Windows XP, to cut down on giving free copies of your Windows CD to your neighbor. Activation requires you to contact Microsoft - usually with a few mouse clicks when you first boot Windows - to confirm that your copy is legal and not being used anywhere else.

If you go to a computer store and buy Windows XP and install it on an older computer, you definitely have to deal with Activation. However, if you bought a computer that already had Windows XP on it, you most likely have what is called an OEM version of Windows, meaning it does not need to be Activated. It will only work on your brand and model of computer. For example, you couldn't take the Windows XP CD that came with your Toshiba laptop and install it on your friend's Dell laptop, it will refuse. But it should not need to be Activated. If you restore Windows when installing a brand new hard drive (required if you did NOT clone the old one as described above), and you have one of these OEM CDs (XP came pre-installed with your computer), you most likely WILL NOT have to worry about Activation.

Andrew

Hi Andrew and fehgedabouit, my Presario X1000 laptop came with XPHomeEdition.

If my laptop does crash before my SIL does the backup (and he will just asap, he is great taking care of things quickly) I have always done this. Any documents I have on my computer have always been printed out, so I have a paper copy also. Don't have photos on my computer (don't have a digatal camera) so no problem there. And did put all the email addressed in my regular address book..finally. But sure hope my laptop does not crash. So far today it is still working perfect. So keeping my fingers crossed. Thanks again! Happy weekend to both of you.

Agreed, Andrew, restoring is the way to go. However, sometimes a newer technician is allowed to "learn" on your computer without you being aware of this. In the instance I was describing above, a trainee did not restore XP, he installed it again and... my story above becomes relevant.

Cheers,