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    Replacing hard drive on a Vaio FW.

    Discussion in 'VAIO / Sony' started by McBrainless, Jan 30, 2009.

  1. McBrainless

    McBrainless Notebook Consultant

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    Hi.
    I'm about to pull the trigger on a FW, but it has a 320GB 4200rpm. HD.
    I've planned on buying a WD Scorpio Black later and the replacing it.
    How complicated would that be? What I mean is, that I can do the hardware replacing and all that, but is it enough that I would do a recovery disc with the original HD inside and then replace the HD's and then just boot from the disc. Or do I need to fiddle around with the SATA drivers, that I've been reading about somewhere...

    Thanks in advance!
     
    McBrainless, Jan 30, 2009
    #1
  2. hendra

    hendra Notebook Virtuoso

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    SATA driver only needed if you install XP.
     
    hendra, Jan 30, 2009
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  3. ZaZ

    ZaZ Super Model Super Moderator

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    According to this pic, it looks like you just have to pop off a cover and a few screws.
     
    ZaZ, Jan 30, 2009
    #3
  4. Earl H

    Earl H Notebook Enthusiast

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    Buy 2.5" enclosure. Put you new drive in the enclosure and use the cloning software of your choice to clone your drive. Remove your original drive (R&R-10 min exercise). Boot normally and you are done...and you have a spare portable usb drive to boot.
     
    Earl H, Jan 30, 2009
    #4
  5. McBrainless

    McBrainless Notebook Consultant

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    Wow.
    Thanks for all the good replies.
    Cheers!
     
    McBrainless, Jan 30, 2009
    #5
  6. McBrainless

    McBrainless Notebook Consultant

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    Hey. Just got my FW today, but.....
    Just one more question - the FW has SATA HDD.
    But some internet sites say that WD Scorpio Black 320GB has SATA2 - could that be a complication?
     
    McBrainless, Feb 3, 2009
    #6
  7. panzer06

    panzer06 His Imperial Majesty

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    No, the physical interface is the same. You'll be fine.

    Cheers,
     
    panzer06, Feb 3, 2009
    #7
  8. McBrainless

    McBrainless Notebook Consultant

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    Thanks man!
     
    McBrainless, Feb 3, 2009
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  9. Mandrake

    Mandrake Notebook Nobel Laureate NBR Reviewer

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    If it helps I tested the WD you are talking about in a FW and used the restore disks to re-image the drive and there were zero issues.
     
    Mandrake, Feb 3, 2009
    #9