need VAIO PCGFRV37 upgrading harddrive advice

I just chatted with a Sony analyst and was told that the new harddrive I bought "may or may not be compatible" with my laptop.

Has anyone upgraded their VAIO 60GB to 250GB? I bought Western Digital Scorpio Blue and would like to know if anyone else has done this upgrade before I do it. Luckily it's an easy installation, as the harddrive is from the bottom rather than under the keyboard....yay!

thanks for any advice

 

What western digital drive did you buy?

I hope you bought a PATA harddrive.
The only 250gb western digital which will work in your system is the WD2500BEVE

A 250gb drive may not work in your system because your system may have a 48 Bit LBA limitation, meaning it can only see a harddrive up to 137GB. However you can get around this by making multiple partitions on the drive. You could make two 125gb partitions in order to use the entire harddrive.

You can check to see if your system has an LBA limitation, by downloading HDTUNE.
Go into the info tab, if the "48 bit Address" box is checked, your system can see the entire 250gb. If the box is not checked, than your system can only see 137 gb


If you bought a drive which uses the SATA interface, return it because it is not going to work

K-TRON

 

I bought model WD2500BEVERTL...it's EIDE. I bought my laptop is a 2003 model.

I just got HD Tune and the 48 bit box is checked...

Is there anything else I should know before I do this?
Thanks

 

FYI....

HD Tune: IC25N060ATMR04-0 Information

Firmware version : MO3OAD1A
Serial number : MRG309K3GJBWMK
Capacity : 55.9 GB (~60.0 GB)
Buffer size : 7884 KB
Standard : ATA/ATAPI-0
Supported mode : UDMA Mode 5 (Ultra ATA/100)
Current mode : UDMA Mode 5 (Ultra ATA/100)

S.M.A.R.T : yes
48-bit Address : yes
Read Look-Ahead : yes
Write Cache : yes
Host Protected Area : yes
Device Configuration Overlay : yes
Automatic Acoustic Management: yes
Power Management : yes
Advanced Power Management : yes
Power-up in Standby : yes
Security Mode : yes
Firmware Upgradable : no

Partition : 1
Drive letter :
Label :
Capacity : 5130 MB
Usage : 0.00%
Type : unknown (12h)
Bootable : No

Partition : 2
Drive letter : C:\
Label :
Capacity : 14307 MB
Usage : 92.92%
Type : NTFS
Bootable : Yes

Partition : 3
Drive letter : D:\
Label :
Capacity : 37785 MB
Usage : 24.21%
Type : NTFS
Bootable : No

 

The drive should work without any problems. You should be able to make a single 250GB partition on your drive
If you do have problems, post here and we will help you out.

K-TRON

 

How do I make a partition? Will that be an option when I run my recovery disk?

 

you can make a partition when you are going to reformat your laptop.. i think that's the only way to do it..

 

I've never replaced a harddrive before.

do I...
1. replace the drive (battery out and power off)
2. turn on the computer (but do I power off with the recovery disk in the drive? If not, how do I open the drive?

I guess I need some more info...
thanks

 

Shut the laptop down, and unplug it
remove the old harddrive
install the new harddrive
plug the power back in
You will need the Windows installation discs to install the operating system.
You simply put the disc in the drive, and boot to the optical drive.
Windows will install, and than you can install the operating system
It is very straight forward

K-TRON

 

can I use my recovery disks?

 

Actually...the directions from Sony says to use the recovery disks. Thanks for all your help.

 

You can use your recovery discs, if it has windows included in it.
If it does not have the windows installation files on the discs.
Download the trial of Acronis Trueimage and create an image of your current setup. Than clone that copy of windows onto the new harddrive

K-TRON

 

Hi again...I put in the new harddrive and my VAIO recovery disk is in the drive, but the screen can't find the operating system.

need help...
thanks

 

I didn't see your response about an image before I posted. if there is no way to use the disk that I have, then I will put the old harddrive back and do the clone, but let me know if there is a trick to get it to boot from the CD.
thanks

 

I have created a System State backup with Acronis. Will that be a bootable disk?

 

I am now creating the Acronis Bootdisk. I'm thinking that I boot with this, then put in the image disk?

 

After you create the image disc, shut the system off, and plug in the new harddrive. Boot to the cd and it goes from there

K-TRON

 

ok...update for you....my recovery disks are missing. When I attempt to recreate my recovery disks, it errors out after the few couple of disk changes. I contacted Sony...then the Geek Squad to order new recovery disks, but they are discontinued. I'm told it would cost around $150 for them to re-image my laptop. I would like to attempt to create recovery disks onto one DVD, but I'm not sure what capacity to buy.

Any help appreciated...
thanks,

 

...also...has anyone used the data transfer option rather than recovery disks?
CMS Data Transfer Kit?
thanks