VGN-Z850G --- replacing HDD w/SSD

First post - so bear with me!

I started getting pop-ups last night (S.M.A.R.T.) indicating that my HDD was about to fail (nice to have a warning).

Some questions:

> Is it a relatively simple procedure to physically swap out the HDD for a SSD?

> As far as compatibility, will most any 2.5" drive do the trick?

> Are there any modifications necessary (settings wise) which I need to be concerned with?

> Should I copy (clone?) the old drive to the new one? I see that Crucial offers some type of cable in their "kit" for that purpose.

> I have the separately purchased DVD's from Sony to restore my system. Would I be better off just installing the new SSD and running those discs - or will something in that software be "expecting" the stock drive (or does it matter)?

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On another matter ---- In the last couple of months I have started having periodic issues with the touch pad - where it becomes unresponsive.. either not working for multiple seconds or lagging/jumpy. It may occur for minutes at a time, and then not again for hours or days. When it does happen, it's a royal pain. I tried reinstalling the ALPS pointing device driver, but no improvement. This is not an old machine, but I was starting to lose confidence in it. I went ahead and purchased (from Sony direct) a new S series laptop a couple of weeks ago. It was working well, and I really liked the backlit keyboard - but missed the fingerprint reader. Upon updating the WiDi software through the Intel webpage, I immediately started experiencing the SAME issues with the touchpad in the new computer! I uninstalled the WiDi software but no improvement. I restored back to the time prior to the update of the software, and no improvement. I restarted a few times - no improvement. The next day (and for the last few days) I have NOT had a recurrence of this problem (not sure why it "fixed itself")! Nonetheless, that did not sit well with me - as that was one of the main reasons I purchased the new computer! So, still within my 30-day return period, back to Sony it went!

SO - obviously I have concerns about investing in an SSD for this Z series computer, knowing what problems I have had...

Any suggestions??

THANKS!

 

Your pointing device problems could be related to the hard disk problem - if there are bad sectors on the HDD the recovery attempts can cause the system to become momentarily unresponsive (momentary is not quite the right word - several seconds is more like it). When the same thing happened to me (HP laptop running Vista) the system would become unresponsive, but if I left it alone, it would recover in a minute or two.

 

That is encouraging... fingers crossed that I could be so "lucky"!

Tom

 

A standard 2.5" SSD will be a "straightforward" swap for the HDD in your VAIO Z850 notebook. Do check out the following assembly/disassembly thread & download the guide that relates to your model:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/sony/114814-sony-models-specs-support-dissassembly-links.html

Good luck.

 

Great - thanks - I'll have a look at that!

As far as to clone/transfer or start fresh with my factory restore discs - any thought with that? (For example if I am using the transfer cable before the switch and my HDD dies in the process)...

Again - thanks!

 

I would suggest to backup all your data & then do a "clean" install of the Windows OS on your newly-installed SSD. This will ensure that you get the fastest possible speed/performance out of it.

Good luck.

 

I suppose I would still have the original HDD (and data on it) - to where if I hit snags using the factory restore discs that I could then always go back, reinstall the HDD, do the transfer, and then reinstall the SDD.

Thanks

 

Yesterday I replaced my HDD with a Crucial 256GB C300. I went ahead and opted for a clean install rather than use the transfer cable that came with it. After a couple of hours of running the factory recovery discs I was about 90% complete and (without thinking) closed the lid to my laptop to make a call ... unfortunately that put it to sleep, and then it said I did not have access (administrator locked). SO.... I started all over again! In the end it all worked out - even managing not to break any tabs or lose screws... LOL


I ran the following report and really have NO IDEA how these numbers stack up (to what I should expect)..





Any thoughts?

THANKS!

 

Congrats! I don't have an SSD so can't comment on the numbers, but they are way better than my HDD, at any rate.

What about your pointing device issues?

 

Thanks for asking.

That is still up in the air. The problem has been spotty - and I think I detected a few seconds of it last night. Time will tell!

Tom