How to change hard drive on a U36JC?

Does anybody know how to replace the hard drive for the U36JC (U36JC-A1, U36JC-B1, U36JC-B2B, U36JC-SD, etc.)? I'm going to replace my 500GB with an SSD. Thanks.

 

Youtube. It is similar to the u36sd. Watch the u36sd video.

 

Thanks. I searched the forum only, didn't realize YouTube would have it already.

For those who wish to do the same: U36SD - How to open it up! - YouTube

 

there was a Japnese website with detailed pictures i just copied that..

video is nice though

 

Do you have a copy of the pictures? I am thinking about upgrading to ssd soon but i am not too crazy about openning up the laptop.

 

Here is the link with pictures.

The language is fubar'd, but the pictures are good enough....

http://translate.google.se/translate?hl=sv&langpair=zh-CN|sv&u=http://bbs.benber.com/thread-46012-1-1.html

ENJOY! SSD in the U36 freaking rocks!

 

Thanks great you r the best. What kind of SSD do you have?

 

20sec cold bootup to Windows desktop is so nice.

 

how do you clean install win 7 without a dvd drive? My u36jc never came with a disk?

 

you have to use a usb thumb drive. Basically if you have the iso of the windows disc already saved on your computer its a breeze. You download something called windows 7 USB tool. It is a free utility from microsoft that makes your flash drive a bootable windows 7 image. To boot from usb you would hit alt+f8 and choose your usb device. right after the asus screen

 

This is what I did. I never use pre-installed OS on my system--too much bloatwares. :]

 

if anyone is still looking for a guide to change the hdd. I have posted one here:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/asus/610166-guide-replace-hdd-asus-u36jc-sd-pics.html

 

Can;t locate the ISO files anywhere in the computer. Never got a disc with this pc.

 

First of all an iso is an image. An image is a direct copy of a dvd/cd stored on your computer in a file format. An image contains all the files stored on a dvd in a nice and clean package. This "image" can be burned to a disc using software like nero, powerISO, etc. Or you can also use the said software to "mount" images. Mounting images allows you to use the image like a cd/dvd inserted into the system. The software creates virtual cd/dvd drives which allow you to do this.

If you dont have the iso image saved, then you will have to download it. First find out what version of windows you have (home premium,pro,ultimate) and then download the image for the corresponding version. from here:

Download Windows 7 ISO ? Official Direct Download Links - Direct download, download windows 7, download windows7, win 7, win 7 iso, Windows 7, windows 7 amazon, windows 7 digital river, windows 7 direct download, windows 7 download links, windows 7

These are legal and legit links from microsoft. Download the one you need (I recommend the SP1 versions because then you have to install less updates) and then run the win 7 usb tool and point it to the iso image you just downloaded. Once it verifies the iso it will ask you for either usb or dvd. Click usb and make sure you have your data backed up from the flash drive. (it will format and erase everything on the flash drive). It should now just do its thing and make your flash bootable. You are now ready to install windows.

 

Thank You for all your help.

 

Thanks for all your help. I tried to do a clean install but everytime I boot from the usb flash drive. it gives me a disk error. Please help.

 

does it say something like cd/dvd device driver missing right after you click install?

If it does i had this exact problem. What you have to do is go to the asus support download page for the u36jc/sd (whichever one you have) and download the intel rapid storage driver. Extract the driver and save the folder onto you flash.

Now try booting the flash again and when the message pops up point it to the folder you put on the flash. Also make sure that you ARE NOT using the usb 3.0 port. You will be able to boot from the flash using that port, but the windows installation will not be able to recognize anything connected to that port. Use any of the usb ports on the left side of the laptop. Everything should go smoothly after this.

 

As soon as the laptop boot up in the black screen it said Disk Error

 

would it be possible for you to take a picture of your screen and post it here?

 

A "disk error" can be many possible choices, but from what it seems, it may be looking at your hard drive for an OS. It would be nice if you capture a picture of the error.

 

thanks but i just got the flash drive working. During the install after setting time and date It ask for device driver. I am using the usb flash not cd/dvd how could I get the driver?

 

Could this be the ssd driver? It is a Ocz Vertex Plus 120gb

 

what kind of driver is it looking for? Plz post the exact message you are receiving. Also i dont think it could be a ssd driver because the installation at this point has already formatted and copied a whole bunch of files to the ssd.

 

I've had this happened before, I think. Does it ask you to browse for the driver? Apparently, it was looking for a the cd/dvd drive, in which I was wanting it to look for the USB drive. I had to set the boot to USB in the BIOS. On the "exit save changes" page (clear right) of the BIOS, there is a boot in USB you can select. Sorry I forgot exact wordings, but after doing this, Windows installation went smoothly without asking for the device driver. Good luck!

 

Yes it ask to browse for the driver. I think it is the hdd. I am booting from the usb. what is the setting I need to do in the Bios? I have it set to usb.

 

It is at the "Where do you want to install windows 7" screen. My SSD didn't show up. But in Bios it did.

 

i had this exact problem with my installation. Look at my earlier post about going to find the intel rapid storage driver from the asus website and extract the zip file. Put the folder on the flash drive you are installing from. When it asks you for cd/dvd device driver point it to the driver that you just put on your flash. It should verify the driver and let you install without any further problems.

 

Thanks I will try it.

 

thanks for all your help. But it seems it isn't working installation won't recognized the driver. It keeps loading.

 

what do you mean by it keeps loading? For me it would load to the installation screen where you select the language, country, and keyboard layout. Then you click install now and that is when id get the error message. When do you get the error message and what does it say exactly?

 

after i click install now. Then it ask me where to install and nothing shows up. So I click Load Driver, then window pops up I click the usb flash drive containing the intel rapid storage driver I downloaded from Asus. It will just load and suddenly goes back to where to install at the bottom it said "No Driver was found. Click Load Driver to provide a mass storage driver for installation.
I done this over 3 times now.

 

^^ So it sounds like it is not recognizing the SSD (it does not show up in the installation process). How old is your Windows 7? Sometimes, newer versions have drivers for newer SSD drivers and install them automatically. King_Khan's method should have worked. Hmm...

 

I got this notebook back in June of this month? The SSD is a OCZ vertex plus 120G

 

I have one more suggestion, but its a long shot. Go into your bios (hit f2 when asus splash screen comes up) on the main page, go down to sata configuration. Make sure it is ahci and not ide. if it is already ahci, change it to ide and see if that works (you might get a bsod when booting install). Otherwise leave it at ahci.

 

it might be that the ssd could be bad. Have you tested it in another computer?

 

thank you all for all your help. Finally I got a clean windows 7 install. I needed to use diskpart and clean the ssd. Finally click new in the setup. and it made to partition. Partition 0 for system reserve and partition 1 for system. I hope it is right. I am now installing drivers.

 

good to hear. Glad you got it working =)

 

Does it actually make two partitions?

 

^^It kind of does, but one partition is system space, usually 100MB. However, it will not be visible under "My Computer".

 

James i'm glad to hear you got it working, because for a moment there i was certain , from reading your posts, you were in way over your head lol.

I have a Intel X25m 160gb SSD and didn;t have to deal with diskpart, BUT i did use the drive as an external drive for a little while, so that could be the difference.

on my G73sw i had to use diskpart to get Windows to recognize the SSD.

Yes sub 20 sec boot times are kickass......

 

Thank you all for your help. Now I have a new problem. First I like to say the ssd works great. But Microsoft is now saying that my Windows 7 may not be genuine. I know that my U36JC came with windows 7 but forgot if it was sp1 or not. I installed the sp1 version and enter my license. Could this be my problem? Not installing a windows 7 without sp1? Please help don't want to pay for a windows 7 operating system twice.

 

it should have activated fine. Check that you entered in the key correctly. If it is you might have to activate by phone.

 

Also check that you installed the right version of windows. So if it came with home premium make sure that you installed home premium. Also it doesnt matter that you installed sp1 vs without sp1

 

Ok it was professional and I installed professional. Guess I will have to give them a call.

 

Hi, I've got the same problem, bought new u36jc but without OS. As soon as I tried to boot from usb (tried all of them) it kept telling me "disk error". I tried win7 and winXP, it was the same. Then I took hdd from it, format it in my desktop, put it back and now when I try to boot from usb, It does nothing. Usb stick light flases for a while and on screen is after asus logo just "_" (for like 1sec it's on first line, then skips to second or third one with no text at all). Imposible to write anything.

How did you manage to work this disk error through?
Thx for help

 

I used diskpart from the cmd.

 

I used diskpart from dos and clean the drive

 

Sorry for resurrecting this thread, but I have a u36j and my hd died in it and I had it replaced with an Ssd. Its seen in bios, but the trick with the Intel rapid storage driver isn't working.

It finds one supported driver, but when I click next it says it's not the right one and won't carry on no matter what :-(

Any help would be appreciated.

 

What OS do you have and which driver did you download?