The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
First, if you plan to replace the drive, be sure you've got a
backup copy of the firmware from your original drive. this does
assume the drive is still basically alive, but not reading media.
chances are you will need to flash the new drive to the OEM
firmware (mine was "PES2") to get full functionality.
Go to cdfreaks.com and get the LtnFW utility. create a
snapshot/backup of your OEM firmware. use the tool to write
this firmware into your new drive. see that forum for more
info on how LtnFW is used.
to remove the drive:
1) start with the drive open. laptop in normal position, closed.
2) you'll be removing two screws, underneath the front left
portion of the unit. On mine, the screw in the left most
corner was covered by the "warranty/tamper" sticker.
I cut the seal away from the screw hole for better access.
3) note if one is longer than the other, for re-installation.
4) the drive will now slide out. you can pull it out using
the metal tab near the front of the case.
If you plan on replacing the drive, you'll need to transfer the
metal retaining bracket and OEM front face plate to the new
drive. there are three clips holding the face plate on; they're
small and fragile, so be patient and work carefully.
I found a replacement drive (SOSW-852S) at NewEgg.com
for $79.95, and it came in two days.
much better than sending it to California. didn't have to be
without it for a month, back up everything, or worry about
Averatec's reportedly marginal service.
All in all, it was pretty easy, as anything tends to be when
you have the right tools and the knowledge!
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.
