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Main => Everything Else => Topic started by: RTSDaddy2 on January 26, 2011, 08:43:34 pm

Title: Dead HD in laptop - can I run windows to it from an external drive?
Post by: RTSDaddy2 on January 26, 2011, 08:43:34 pm
Wasn't quite sure where this goes, so I put it under 'everything else.' 

A parent at our school wishes to buy a laptop from us, but the hard drive appears kaputski.  I explained this and she asked me if I could install a new drive; I think I can but I suggested she might want to try an external, portable drive.

HOWEVER, on the way home a question ran through my head (I think too much while I'm driving - or is that not enough? Anyway....) as to how in the hell I thought I would get the laptop to recognize windows on an external drive when I cannot get it to load anything onto itself now.

SO, my question, Mighty Heroes, is would something like that work, or do I just need to get an internal drive replacement. I do not know the model number, but it is a Sony Viao (sp?)
Title: Re: Dead HD in laptop - can I run windows to it from an external drive?
Post by: DaOld Man on January 26, 2011, 09:21:12 pm
Internal drive with a fresh install of windows. But make sure it is the drive, I worked on a laptop a while back that wouldnt see the new drive, turns out it was a bad motherboard.
Title: Re: Dead HD in laptop - can I run windows to it from an external drive?
Post by: newmanfamilyvlogs on January 26, 2011, 09:46:07 pm
You'll need to know if its sata or ide. A cheap drive can be found new on newegg or such for like 4
$40. More for a bigger/nicer drive.
Title: Re: Dead HD in laptop - can I run windows to it from an external drive?
Post by: lilshawn on January 27, 2011, 12:23:35 am
any particular reason you wouldn't just put a new Hd in? most laptops now have a door on the bottom... open it up pull out the old drive...put in a new one. takes 45 seconds.

(http://www.insidemylaptop.com/images/pavilion-dv9000-laptop/02-remove-covers.jpg)(http://www.insidemylaptop.com/images/pavilion-dv9000-laptop/06-second-hard-drive-cover.jpg)

bada boom  :cheers: you're up and runnin'
Title: Re: Dead HD in laptop - can I run windows to it from an external drive?
Post by: NiN^_^NiN on January 27, 2011, 04:41:49 am
I like lenovo laptops small screw on the side of the laptop then the drive just slides out quick and easy.

But your best to replace the drive
Title: Re: Dead HD in laptop - can I run windows to it from an external drive?
Post by: WhereEaglesDare on January 27, 2011, 07:42:46 am

HOWEVER, on the way home a question ran through my head (I think too much while I'm driving - or is that not enough? Anyway....) as to how in the hell I thought I would get the laptop to recognize windows on an external drive when I cannot get it to load anything onto itself now.


It depends on your BIOS, most newer BIOS versions will allow you to boot from a USB drive while the older one just will not all it.  The answer is yes, there is a good chance that it will work, but you may need to flash your BIOS first.

Also not all laptop have an easy to access HDD, my ASUS 1201N has mine under the keyboard, you have to take the entire thing apart to get to the HDD, and void your warranty.
Title: Re: Dead HD in laptop - can I run windows to it from an external drive?
Post by: newmanfamilyvlogs on January 27, 2011, 08:40:30 am
Just because you CAN do something doesn't necessarily mean you SHOULD do something... :P

(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xyVxXgjibE0/SuIL30Jp8RI/AAAAAAAAA4g/9yMTECmBd5M/s640/P1070555.JPG)
Title: Re: Dead HD in laptop - can I run windows to it from an external drive?
Post by: Funnel on January 27, 2011, 11:07:26 am
Just because you CAN do something doesn't necessarily mean you SHOULD do something... :P

(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xyVxXgjibE0/SuIL30Jp8RI/AAAAAAAAA4g/9yMTECmBd5M/s640/P1070555.JPG)
 
What the hell? LOL!
Title: Re: Dead HD in laptop - can I run windows to it from an external drive?
Post by: newmanfamilyvlogs on January 27, 2011, 11:40:15 am
What the hell? LOL!
Pentium II, sans fan. Boot from CD, run linux from thumbdrive.
Pointless, and mildly entertaining.
Title: Re: Dead HD in laptop - can I run windows to it from an external drive?
Post by: WhereEaglesDare on January 27, 2011, 12:01:00 pm
Is he hanging that by a ThumbTack?

I dont know if this guy needs a raise or if he needs a helmet...
Title: Re: Dead HD in laptop - can I run windows to it from an external drive?
Post by: Funnel on January 27, 2011, 12:19:44 pm
What the hell? LOL!
Pentium II, sans fan. Boot from CD, run linux from thumbdrive.
Pointless, and mildly entertaining.
 
Yeah I can see that hahahaha! I think he needs the helmet.
Title: Re: Dead HD in laptop - can I run windows to it from an external drive?
Post by: CCM on January 27, 2011, 01:02:02 pm
As others have already said, it's not very difficult to put a new drive in the laptop.   Who would want to carry an external drive around to boot their laptop? 

Just google around for your model of laptop, there's bound to be some walkthru's on HD upgrade/replacement.
Title: Re: Dead HD in laptop - can I run windows to it from an external drive?
Post by: newmanfamilyvlogs on January 27, 2011, 01:26:15 pm
Is he hanging that by a ThumbTack?

I dont know if this guy needs a raise or if he needs a helmet...

I used thumbtacks, paper clips, and rubber bands:

(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xyVxXgjibE0/SuIL3GlQ88I/AAAAAAAAA5Q/obObEhm-0hk/s400/P1070552.JPG)

(http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xyVxXgjibE0/SuIL1x01odI/AAAAAAAAA4I/xYOClkXa4X4/s640/P1070545.JPG)

Unfortunately the PII just wasn't quite fast enough to run YouTube.. Sadly the Walltop V2.0 wasn't as thrilling to look at:
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_xyVxXgjibE0/SuinrPN9FgI/AAAAAAAAA5c/FaCLfOvYKBQ/s640/P1070560.JPG)
It also made more noise since you can't run a P4 on a stock cooler without a fan on it.
Title: Re: Dead HD in laptop - can I run windows to it from an external drive?
Post by: Funnel on January 27, 2011, 04:17:58 pm
Dude... why did you do that??? :dunno
Title: Re: Dead HD in laptop - can I run windows to it from an external drive?
Post by: newmanfamilyvlogs on January 27, 2011, 04:32:28 pm
The guy in the red shirt needed a computer to use, and that's what I had on hand (:

As I said.. just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you should.
Title: Re: Dead HD in laptop - can I run windows to it from an external drive?
Post by: Funnel on January 27, 2011, 05:17:20 pm
The guy in the red shirt needed a computer to use, and that's what I had on hand (:

As I said.. just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you should.
   
Fair enough.