aftermarket HDD for T61P Help

I have a few questions concerning purchasing and installation of a bigger HDD for my T61P (currently equipped with a 100gig HDD@7200rpm).

1. Is it better to get an internal HDD, or an external? My needs basically would be for storage of all my multimedia files, as they take up a lot of space. I also would like to retrieve and utilize those files at my disposal when needed (for example when I want to listen to music/or look at photos).

2. If external is the better option for my needs...what is the connection of choice, and generally speaking what are some quality models I can look into?

3. If internal HDD happens to be the way to go, would it be easy/painless to swap HDDs in my T61p? Furthermore, how would I be able to translate the information off my current HDD onto my new one (OS, files, etc) or would I have to start from scratch re-installing windows, etc? I am concerned just how the process is done and if it is as complicated as I think. I know with an external, its basically just plug and use?

Any help on the matter would be greatly appreciated
thanks

 

External and internal comes down to if you want to carry an external hard drive around. On the go this can be cumbersome. External HDD's will be cheaper because mose at a 3.5" form factor and will allow more space per dollar. Internal would be more expensive but maintains the protability that you enjoy now. The choice really comes down to mobility.

 

I have had good luck with a 320GB Samsung M6 drive in my T61p. Install, fdisk, format and load.

Your experience may differ.

 

StealthTH is right, it really depends on your usage pattern. If you primarily use your laptop as a desktop computer and never move it, opt for an external for instant capacity...most are connected by USB 2.0, which should suit you fine, but some will include both USB and Firewire interfaces, which may help if you're going to watch video off the external (but practical purposes, USB 2.0 will be fine)...firewire provides a more stable bandwidth/transfer for video but you may or may not need an adapter for your laptop, depends if it's included with the external hdd.

If you'd prefer to replace the hdd in your T61p, you'll basically need to purchase:

1) Laptop HDD of your choice
2) External HDD enclosure
3) Use hdd cloning software trial


Since your T61p only has space for one hdd, the enclosure (assuming SATA interface) allows you to connect a new hdd through USB. The Acronis trial software allows you to transfer the entire contents of your old hdd to the new one, creating an exact copy so you can swap harddrives and boot up without having to reinstall software from the old hdd. Either Acronis TrueImage or MigrateEasy should do the job, plus both trial products are fully functional. After cloning and swapping drives, you can put your old drive into the external enclosure and treat it as a portable external usb drive.

Here'a an article that explains the process in greater detail:
Upgrade your laptop harddrive