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    Buying a new HDD, need advice

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by Rad_0909, Feb 18, 2010.

  1. Rad_0909

    Rad_0909 Notebook Geek

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    Hi everyone :)

    I'm running out of free space on my HDD, and Windows 7 RC will expire in two weeks, so I though I might upgrade both of them at the same time.

    I'm looking for 500GB or more, and the usual stuff like speed, reliability and so on. It seems like 7K500 and WD5000BEVT are popular... Which one should I get?

    I'm assuming the installation process will look like this:
    1. install the HDD (unscrew some screws, plug in the connectors, get the screws in place)
    2. install Windows

    There shouldn't be a need for SATA drivers or something like that, right? So all I will need to do is replace the HDD and boot from the DVD?

    Thanks in advance!
     
    Rad_0909, Feb 18, 2010
    #1
  2. crayonyes

    crayonyes Custom Title! WooHoooo !!

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    shouldn't need to ask, 7k500 ftw :D
     
    crayonyes, Feb 18, 2010
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  3. tilleroftheearth

    tilleroftheearth Wisdom listens quietly...

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    Having replaced the 500GB BEVT Scorpio Blue with a Hitachi 7K500, I have to agree with crayonyes - Hitachi all the way! ;)

    On the order of up to 40% faster on certain tasks. Same great capacity. Quieter, equal/better power efficiency and if you time the purchase properly, even cheaper than the Scorpio Blue (I paid 1/2 the price of the 10 month, $160 Scorpio Blue for the Hitachi I picked up just a couple of months ago).
     
    tilleroftheearth, Feb 18, 2010
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  4. frozenpeas

    frozenpeas Notebook Guru

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    frozenpeas, Feb 18, 2010
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  5. Rad_0909

    Rad_0909 Notebook Geek

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    OK then, it looks like I'll be buying Hitachi 7K500.
    Thanks :)

    One more question: Will Windows 7 installer recognize the disk or do I need drivers?
     
    Rad_0909, Feb 18, 2010
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  6. PapaSmurf69

    PapaSmurf69 Notebook Consultant

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    Windows 7 should have all of the necessary disk controller drivers to allow you to install it on that system.
     
    PapaSmurf69, Feb 18, 2010
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  7. sean473

    sean473 Notebook Prophet

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    Get the 500GB Hitachi 7K500... It should be awesome and ur laptop should have no problems reading the drive.
     
    sean473, Feb 18, 2010
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  8. computerstriker

    computerstriker Notebook Evangelist

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    agreed =D 7k500 fast, and runs cool with no vibrations or sound
     
    computerstriker, Feb 18, 2010
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  9. garetjax

    garetjax NBR Freelance Reviewer NBR Reviewer

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    The same could be said of the WD5000BEVT...
     
    garetjax, Feb 18, 2010
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  10. Rad_0909

    Rad_0909 Notebook Geek

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    Thanks everyone, I just bought Hitachi 7K500.

    I haven't thought about this before, but does the way I partition the disk affect performance?

    How did you partition your drives?
     
    Rad_0909, Feb 19, 2010
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  11. crayonyes

    crayonyes Custom Title! WooHoooo !!

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    well about that, every person has his/her own personal preferences.
    As for me, I tend to separate the system and data partition.
    You can try to short-stroke as that will boost the performance by leaving an unpartitioned space behind, and grow the data partition later as you need it.
    Tilleroftheearth is the man and he has data for this, I think :)
     
    crayonyes, Feb 19, 2010
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  12. Rad_0909

    Rad_0909 Notebook Geek

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    Thanks, I didn't think there would be a topic so perfectly suited to my question :eek: ( http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=442289). Time for some reading!


    Quick update: That was soooo easy. BTW, I've partitioned my disk the same way Tilleroftheearth did :)
     
    Rad_0909, Feb 19, 2010
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  13. sean473

    sean473 Notebook Prophet

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    lol partitioning did help too with my old HDD... although read and write speeds didn't improve , brust speed literally went up from 90MB/s to 140MB/s... computer also feels snappier...
     
    sean473, Feb 19, 2010
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  14. Krane

    Krane Notebook Prophet

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    That certainly true by all the exaggeration. There is vibration and sound especially when compared to the seagate I replaced it with. Still, even it wasn't bothersome.
     
    Krane, Feb 19, 2010
    #14