Laptop HD crashed.. questions

Have a 3 year old Inspiron 13 (7348)
For some strange reason I'm pretty sure the SSHD drive (500gb) has crashed on it.. No real idea why because it wasn't dropped/no power surge..

Anyways, BIOS will not recognize it. If you try to run diagnostics, every last single thing works, except.. no HD recognized. (i.e. everything else passes diagnostics)

Since it was older, I opened it up just to check it out anyways - cables look fine and were attached, so don't think it was that either..

Questions
1) I'm gonna assume I may be able to go get (almost any) new 2.5' size SSHD and maybe pop it in there, hopefully it will work? But no way to know otherwise until I pop it in I assume..
2) All data on the old SSHD i'm sure is gone.. So, how after I get the new SSHD, how do I even make it bootable/install windows on it? I don't have a backup to restore from... i tried to make a bootable USB but i don't think I did it right cause it wouldn't boot to it either.
3) Although the cable looks good, theoretically it could be the motherboard to SSHD connector? No way to tell if it's that unless the new HD hooked up doesn't work either huh?

I don't think I mind spending the ~80-100 to get a new SSHD to try to put in there but wondering if it's really worth the time/effort or time to just get a new laptop

Thanks in advance

 

Yes, You can get a new one and put in there no problem. I have a 2tb Seagate firecuda and it's very very good. Not SSD speeds, but it's much faster than a normal HDD. While you are in there, throw some more ram in it.

As for your data, all is not lost yet. If you bring it to a good computer repair center, they MAY be able to get the data off for you. I have my goto place when I am changing out Drives that are crapped out on other's computers that have great success in pulling data off drives.

 

I agree with what Kojack said, just be sure that there isn't a height limitation for the new drive. In regards to if it's worth it or not, that's up to you. If the laptop does everything you need it to do then I say replace the drive.

 

Yep. Computers these days are like everything else in technology. They sort have plateau'ed. Just like television. There is a huge jump from regular tv to HD tv. However, the jump from hd to 4k is not nearly as dramatic. So is for speeds of computers. The jump is not nearly is great as going from a 486 to say a Pentium II back in the day. That was just mind blowing the difference in speeds. Now, sometimes it's only measured on synthetic bench marks. pop a new drive, and like I said, maybe some more ram in it and continue on!