Laptop harddrive Expansion plans

[Abaddon]

Ok, my piddly 60GB HD is getting my goat.

I have a larger external, but I want to get something wopping...500GB seems the largest I can buy.. perhaps somewhere in the 300GB range would be suitable.


Now, my laptop is one of those annoying ones that comes will a lot of stuff preinstalled, and also NON of the support/software discs made it my way.

Can i just buy a big HD, take it to a compy shop and get them to swap them over (can they swap everything, or will a lot of stuff be "lost" due to being unable to reinstall without discs?)

Or is it going to be a major headache without the drivers an stuff?

 

[Zelig]

If the computer shop knows what they're doing, it should be pretty trivial.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Indeed. In fact, if you even have an inkling of what you're doing, you should be able to do it yourself ( except the warranty breaking, but if its a 60gb laptop, its probly close to the end of that by now) Your laptop manufacturer should have all the necessary drivers for your laptop on their site.

Still, if you are not comfortable with the thought and the computer shop service isnt too expensive, go ahead and take it there. A laptop is a bit more difficult on the 'messing around with' scale.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I'm pretty sure they can do a disk image/drive clone to transfer over. This would, I believe also get any recovery partitions on your machine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disk_image

Basically what they do is copy all the stuff from your old HDD onto your new one. If done right, this may also get the recovery partition.

 

[Abaddon]

I don't have a windows disc either.. is that going to become a problem?

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

In the long run, it may.

I'd recommend creating a boot disc.
http://www.computerhope.com/boot.htm
http://www.brighthub.com/computing/windows-platform/articles/7050.aspx
(depending on which OS you use)

 

[Abaddon]

But I mean in the shop, will they just install a copy for me, or get a bit tetchy?

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Depends on the shop.

 

[Zelig]

But I mean in the shop, will they just install a copy for me, or get a bit tetchy?

If you just want to transfer your stuff to a new drive, they don't need to install a copy.

Your laptop should have the license key for windows stuck to the bottom, that's what you're paying for, if the shop installs a copy of Windows using that, it's legit.

Chances of any reputable shop installing a non-legit copy of Windows are low, MS tends to crack down on shops that do that.

 

[Abaddon]

Its got the sticker

If I decide to take this with me to NZ in oct