Upgrading hard drive on HP/Compaq ...

Hi

I've bought a new drive to upgrade the 30gb drive on my NC6000 but noticed the original drive which came out of the laptop had a sort of foil (Mylar) shield stuck around it (put on by HP/Compaq and not part of the Toshiba hard drive itself), which obviously the replacement doesn't have. I don't know if it's for electrical interference, sound, heat or whatever but whatever it is, it's stuck onto the old drive and isn't reusable. You'd have to buy your replacement from HP costing hundreds to get another (which surprisingly, I'm reluctant to do - especially as I've already bought the replacement!)

Does anybody know what this shield was actually for, is it necessary, should I attempt to "make" one for the new drive (using something like aluminium foil tape) or can I just forget all about it, it's not important?

I've got this new drive ... and I'm unsure whether to stick it in or not.

 

I've come accross this before in work. What I usually do is cut a peice of an anti-static bag to the same shape and use it instead (don't use any adhesive to stick it though)

I'm not really sure how right or wrong this is but it hasn't caused me any problems b4.

atb
gerryR

 

I have upgraded the HD on one of my older laptops, and it had the original HD with the foil which you speak of. I just installed the new drive without any foil, i think you would be alright that way.

 

I wouldn't use foil which is a conductor. The Mylar is an insulator and is probably just a precaution in case the underside of the drive comes in contact with anything metal underneath. When it is in position in the laptop it is probably pretty close to the case or some metal parts.

I would do what Gerry did.

 

Thanks for suggestions everyone.

I've had a good look at the insides of the NC6000 near the drive and checked the existing "shield". I've concluded that the shield is indeed necessary because the PCB of the drive is in almost direct contact (at least a very close fit to, but with a thin insulator inbetween) with another circuit board on the base of the computer shell i.e. the two pcb's would come face to face without the shield, so the shield is almost certainly necessary. I'm reluctant to even test the new drive without putting a shield on.

Secondly, the outer of the existing shield on the original drive is in fact conductive (surprisingly) which proves it's a shield and not an insulator, but the inside of it, which comes into contact with the drive's pcb is not conductive (so the Mylar film on the existing shield is on the inside, in contact with the drive pcb, but it's metal on the outside, in near contact with the computer base and the nearby pcb I mentioned, with a thin insulator separating them.)

I'm not sure what to do at the moment except I know that a shield is necessary. Obviously, adhesive alu foil can't be used directly stuck to the pcb, but maybe it could with another insulator between it and the drive's pcb. The static bag which the drive came in, is both a shield AND an insulator, so if it could be affixed satisfactorily to the drive, it may do the job, but it's not stable under heat (I've tested all these things - heat resistance, shielding and insulation.) The existing shield is very stable under high temperature, but the static bag curls up severely - otherwise, it would be ideal. It probably would be anyway under the temperatures likely to be found inside the computer, but it's not quite as good as the existing shield, heat wise and for that reason, I'm reluctant to use it (pity.)

There are specialist products out there but you seem to have to buy them in bulk or on rolls massively long. On the other hand, Mylar and aluminised Mylar is not that uncommon and it's not expensive and I'm looking at ways of finding some and using that in combination with aluminium foil. As I've explained, the existing shield is metallised and conductive on the outside, as the foil will be. It's just that the existing shield is insulated on the inside (obviously, as it's in contact with the drive pcb), which ordinary adhesive foil isn't (it's conductive both sides.)

Hope this helps anyone else. Main thing is I really do believe the shield is necessary so the least good of my options is to fit the drive without one and I would advise anyone else to do the same. It might be much ado about nothing, but better to be safe than sorry. Also, HP/Compaq fitted one to the Toshiba drive, which one assumes wasn't done for fun, so take it that the shield is indeed required.

What a pain in the neck. I never imagined all this trouble when I decided to purchase a larger drive!

I love the NC6000 otherwise though. Can't be faulted in any way.