Dell Inspiron 8100 going bad.

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Hello.

I have a lady friend with a Dell Inspiron 8100 that I am 90% sure the
hard drive is starting to fail. And I am pretty dumb when it comes to
notebook technology.

I had her machine over here today to do Windows Updates etc. using my
cable modem (she is on dial up). I decided before returning it to
her, I would do a scan disk and a defrag. So I started with a surface
scan leaving auto correct off. I left for about a hour and returned
to find it had a sector/cluster error. I let it repair it. I then
restarted the scan, and once it got to the first cluster in surface
scan, the drive was making obvious noises like the data could not be
read much like I have heard in desktops over the years

The machine does seem to run ok now, but my friend had some data get
corrupted, and had no idea why. That is one of the reasons she let me
have it. I now wonder if it was written to bad sectors. The machine
is just about a month out of warranty naturally :-(.

I guess my question is, how hard is it for a guy who feels comfortable
working on desktop to replace a hard drive in this notebook. I have
no idea where to even get one or what to ask for. Are they something
you can buy like at Best Buy or similar type store.

Thanks!

You know what to do: shdb at slip dot net

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

See signature below wrote:

> I guess my question is, how hard is it for a guy who feels comfortable
> working on desktop to replace a hard drive in this notebook. I have
> no idea where to even get one or what to ask for. Are they something
> you can buy like at Best Buy or similar type store.

You're looking for a 2.5inch drive, any capacity, any speed. Buy them
on-line for the best prices.

Remove the old hard drive from its caddy, and put the new one in. Put the
Dell Recovery CD in the drive, and switch on.

If you want to recover data from the old drive, you need a 2.5"/3.5" Drive
Converter cable, which you connect to the IDE cable in a desktop PC. The old
drive will then appear in the drive list on the Desktop, and you can copy
any data from it onto a desktop hard disk. Once the new drive is working in
the laptop, you can remove it and put it onto the IDE cable and copy the
data from the Desktop hard disk, then replace the drive in the laptop.

It really is as simple as that. It's easier than changing a disk in a
desktop, because you probably only need to undo one screw to eject the disk
caddy, then four screws to release the disk from the caddy.



> You know what to do:

Yep; Reply to the newsgroup, so other people can see the answer given.

HTH,

Pete.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

When you put the laptop drive on the desktop, it will need to be set up as a
slave drive. Usually this will mean putting a jumper on the proper pins on
the laptop drive for "slave". The IBM drives usually have no jumpers for
them to run as "master" in the laptop so you have to obtain a small jumper
and check the harddrive spec sheet from the manufacturer to see what pins to
jumper so it will be recognized as a slave.


"Peter Connolly" <newsgroupsdemon@removethisbitacutecomputing.co.uk> wrote
in message news:clqld4$dvc$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk...
> See signature below wrote:
>
> > I guess my question is, how hard is it for a guy who feels comfortable
> > working on desktop to replace a hard drive in this notebook. I have
> > no idea where to even get one or what to ask for. Are they something
> > you can buy like at Best Buy or similar type store.
>
> You're looking for a 2.5inch drive, any capacity, any speed. Buy them
> on-line for the best prices.
>
> Remove the old hard drive from its caddy, and put the new one in. Put the
> Dell Recovery CD in the drive, and switch on.
>
> If you want to recover data from the old drive, you need a 2.5"/3.5"
Drive
> Converter cable, which you connect to the IDE cable in a desktop PC. The
old
> drive will then appear in the drive list on the Desktop, and you can copy
> any data from it onto a desktop hard disk. Once the new drive is working
in
> the laptop, you can remove it and put it onto the IDE cable and copy the
> data from the Desktop hard disk, then replace the drive in the laptop.
>
> It really is as simple as that. It's easier than changing a disk in a
> desktop, because you probably only need to undo one screw to eject the
disk
> caddy, then four screws to release the disk from the caddy.
>
>
>
> > You know what to do:
>
> Yep; Reply to the newsgroup, so other people can see the answer given.
>
> HTH,
>
> Pete.
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Or you could try one of these USB external enclosures. Got several for 3.5"
HDDs and they work great.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=17-145-352&depa=0



"Bill Mills" <williem@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:6Aggd.11017$5i5.1931@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...
> When you put the laptop drive on the desktop, it will need to be set up as
a
> slave drive. Usually this will mean putting a jumper on the proper pins
on
> the laptop drive for "slave". The IBM drives usually have no jumpers for
> them to run as "master" in the laptop so you have to obtain a small jumper
> and check the harddrive spec sheet from the manufacturer to see what pins
to
> jumper so it will be recognized as a slave.
>
>
> "Peter Connolly" <newsgroupsdemon@removethisbitacutecomputing.co.uk> wrote
> in message news:clqld4$dvc$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk...
> > See signature below wrote:
> >
> > > I guess my question is, how hard is it for a guy who feels comfortable
> > > working on desktop to replace a hard drive in this notebook. I have
> > > no idea where to even get one or what to ask for. Are they something
> > > you can buy like at Best Buy or similar type store.
> >
> > You're looking for a 2.5inch drive, any capacity, any speed. Buy them
> > on-line for the best prices.
> >
> > Remove the old hard drive from its caddy, and put the new one in. Put
the
> > Dell Recovery CD in the drive, and switch on.
> >
> > If you want to recover data from the old drive, you need a 2.5"/3.5"
> Drive
> > Converter cable, which you connect to the IDE cable in a desktop PC. The
> old
> > drive will then appear in the drive list on the Desktop, and you can
copy
> > any data from it onto a desktop hard disk. Once the new drive is working
> in
> > the laptop, you can remove it and put it onto the IDE cable and copy the
> > data from the Desktop hard disk, then replace the drive in the laptop.
> >
> > It really is as simple as that. It's easier than changing a disk in a
> > desktop, because you probably only need to undo one screw to eject the
> disk
> > caddy, then four screws to release the disk from the caddy.
> >
> >
> >
> > > You know what to do:
> >
> > Yep; Reply to the newsgroup, so other people can see the answer given.
> >
> > HTH,
> >
> > Pete.
> >
> >
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Yes! Cloning the drive onto a new drive attached externally via a USB port is
the easiest way to go. In addition to a USB external enclosure, consider a bare
bones kit consisting of cable and various widgets and adapters to handle all
types of IDE/ATAPI devices. I use one of these whenever someone shows up with a
failing drive.

Either way is much less work than putting both drives into a desktop chassis
which may even have a motherboard BIOS incapable of handling the hard drive
capacities.... Ben Myers

On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 21:52:06 -0400, "schnoopy" <schnoopy@loppy.com> wrote:

>Or you could try one of these USB external enclosures. Got several for 3.5"
>HDDs and they work great.
>
>http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=17-145-352&depa=0
>
>
>
>"Bill Mills" <williem@mindspring.com> wrote in message
>news:6Aggd.11017$5i5.1931@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...
>> When you put the laptop drive on the desktop, it will need to be set up as
>a
>> slave drive. Usually this will mean putting a jumper on the proper pins
>on
>> the laptop drive for "slave". The IBM drives usually have no jumpers for
>> them to run as "master" in the laptop so you have to obtain a small jumper
>> and check the harddrive spec sheet from the manufacturer to see what pins
>to
>> jumper so it will be recognized as a slave.
>>
>>
>> "Peter Connolly" <newsgroupsdemon@removethisbitacutecomputing.co.uk> wrote
>> in message news:clqld4$dvc$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk...
>> > See signature below wrote:
>> >
>> > > I guess my question is, how hard is it for a guy who feels comfortable
>> > > working on desktop to replace a hard drive in this notebook. I have
>> > > no idea where to even get one or what to ask for. Are they something
>> > > you can buy like at Best Buy or similar type store.
>> >
>> > You're looking for a 2.5inch drive, any capacity, any speed. Buy them
>> > on-line for the best prices.
>> >
>> > Remove the old hard drive from its caddy, and put the new one in. Put
>the
>> > Dell Recovery CD in the drive, and switch on.
>> >
>> > If you want to recover data from the old drive, you need a 2.5"/3.5"
>> Drive
>> > Converter cable, which you connect to the IDE cable in a desktop PC. The
>> old
>> > drive will then appear in the drive list on the Desktop, and you can
>copy
>> > any data from it onto a desktop hard disk. Once the new drive is working
>> in
>> > the laptop, you can remove it and put it onto the IDE cable and copy the
>> > data from the Desktop hard disk, then replace the drive in the laptop.
>> >
>> > It really is as simple as that. It's easier than changing a disk in a
>> > desktop, because you probably only need to undo one screw to eject the
>> disk
>> > caddy, then four screws to release the disk from the caddy.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > > You know what to do:
>> >
>> > Yep; Reply to the newsgroup, so other people can see the answer given.
>> >
>> > HTH,
>> >
>> > Pete.
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 12:32:36 +0100, "Peter Connolly"
<newsgroupsdemon@removethisbitacutecomputing.co.uk> wrote:

>> no idea where to even get one or what to ask for. Are they something
>> you can buy like at Best Buy or similar type store.
>
>You're looking for a 2.5inch drive, any capacity, any speed. Buy them
>on-line for the best prices.
>
>Remove the old hard drive from its caddy, and put the new one in. Put the
>Dell Recovery CD in the drive, and switch on.

First off, I want to thank you and the others that responded to my
question.

Best I can tell, there are very few retail outlets for such drives. I
gather none of the major retail stores like Best Buy has them on the
shelf. Not sure if we are going to do the mail-order route, or just
go to Dell as much as I hate too.

Any good mail order sources for such drives???

The recovering data on the drive is not a big issue, because I was
able to burn a CD, with all the data files she had.....I think.

One last question. If I buy a drive, what about the plastic case
piece. Will it easily come off the old drive, and be able to put on a
new drive? The pictures on the Dell HD upgrade site looks like they
all come with the plastic case piece already.

Thanks again all.

You know what to do: shdb at slip dot net

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

newegg.com
zipzoomfly,com

"See signature below" <fake_address@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:b4n5o0l4lufa7m4m9pl7644q209lq3mtds@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 12:32:36 +0100, "Peter Connolly"
> <newsgroupsdemon@removethisbitacutecomputing.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>> no idea where to even get one or what to ask for. Are they something
>>> you can buy like at Best Buy or similar type store.
>>
>>You're looking for a 2.5inch drive, any capacity, any speed. Buy them
>>on-line for the best prices.
>>
>>Remove the old hard drive from its caddy, and put the new one in. Put the
>>Dell Recovery CD in the drive, and switch on.
>
> First off, I want to thank you and the others that responded to my
> question.
>
> Best I can tell, there are very few retail outlets for such drives. I
> gather none of the major retail stores like Best Buy has them on the
> shelf. Not sure if we are going to do the mail-order route, or just
> go to Dell as much as I hate too.
>
> Any good mail order sources for such drives???
>
> The recovering data on the drive is not a big issue, because I was
> able to burn a CD, with all the data files she had.....I think.
>
> One last question. If I buy a drive, what about the plastic case
> piece. Will it easily come off the old drive, and be able to put on a
> new drive? The pictures on the Dell HD upgrade site looks like they
> all come with the plastic case piece already.
>
> Thanks again all.
>
> You know what to do: shdb at slip dot net