I don't know which hard drive to buy for my pc, or how to install it....I thought you just took the little cables in the back and hooked it up like your old one, but, my friend is saying you have to install your motherboard sound cards graphics card etc everything onto your new hard drive. Is this true? I don't want to ruin a perfectly fine PC if it involves installing your bios and everything.

I know it would involve installing a new OP system, but I didn't think I'd have to install my MB on to it...is this true?

If my Hard Drive is acting up, and is slow and things like that, getting a new one will help the performance of my pc, right?

An example of "slow" would be, just reinstalling windows xp, and having my pc run super slow, when I right click the menu doesn't appear fast at all. But on my brothers old pc it comes up right away.

I have a HP Pavilion 2.53Ghz PC with 512MB RAM 256MB GeFoce FX 550 gfx card, and an 80Gig hard drive.

I don't see why it would be slow, unless it's my hard drive, right? Like maybe I downloaded something from the evil pron sites, and now it needs to be replaced....maybe?

Any help is appreciated....

I did run a full scan on my pc btw.

First of all, welcome to GeeksToGo, 99zg!

Now, there's a lot of good HDD's out there. It just depends on what type of them are you looking for. 3.5" or 2"? For an external HDD or a main HDD (one fixed inside the computer)? You'll have to answer these before I can give you a specific recommendation (yes, there's a lot to answer sometimes).

If you're making it your main HDD, you'll have to open the CPU, pull out the old HDD and put in the new HDD. Note: You'll need to install XP on your PC again because it's a new HDD. Drivers are also needed to be installed if you have a lot of hardware. Usually you can find these drivers online but to ease your search, you might choose to install from the driver CD (usually provided along with your hardware).

If your HDD is acting up, it may mean that your fragmentation rate is very low, causing programs to load very slowly. Or, it might be malware. Try running a Defragment first.

1.) Select Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter.
2.)Select the partition that you want to defragment (usually the one where you install programs in with your Windows folder in it) or your main drive (usually C:\).

Note: If it's the first time you are doing this, it will take a long time, so be patient.

If your conditions don't improve, then tell me.

There are a few reasons why PCs run slow.

1.) Low defragmentation rate.
2.) Low RAM.
3.) Low processor speed.
4.) Medium/Heavy malware infection

There are more reasons why. These are the most common ones.

~Kelvin

And what were the results?

Soorena

No you won't need to "open" the CPU, but you will need to open the case to get to these components. Changing hard drives does not involve the CPU, RAM, GPU etc... Unless you were intentionally doing something (upgrading) with those components as well.

I don't know how you would "OPEN" a CPU maybe with a hammer, lol. Again you don't need to take anything out or change the Mobo just take the old HD and put the new one. Also you don't need to install the OS again if its installed on a separate hard drive, Please don't give advice if you don't know what your talking about because for all we know it might already be too late and he has literally "OPENED" the CPU.

Soorena

This post has been edited by SOORENA: Dec 10 2007, 06:10 PM

A new hard drive usually would not have XP pre-installed.

Also, apologies for the typo. Wasn't meaning CPU. LOL.

~Kelvin

Lol, anyways I was referring to him adding this new HD to the old one. Either way I think he should format it and reinstall windows.

Soorena

Been busy trying to find my new HD online and arguing about RPM*?XD* It turns out, my PC is only compatable with "EIDA", the western digital thing. It's the internal HD.

See, this pc costed me 200 bucks only because I bought it from a pawnshop, and just upgraded the ram and gfx card. Also came with a nice flat screen monitor kb/mouse. Good deal, eh? I've had it for like, 2 years now...nearly three.

It's been fine until it started making a loud noise, like a jet taking off. Literally>.> *SHHH- ERRRR-putputput- then like a click sound* - Rofl, my impression of a messed up HD.

Well, my mom says, when I buy my new External HD tomorrow *today*, really, that I should just have to install windows XP home edition the, disc we have, put in my computers uh...reg number, then use the stack of restore cd's to install everything. Sounds simple, right?

Not really. My theory is, how am I going to see anything if the gfx card isnt installed?<.<...>.>.......won't I need to install my ether net ports, USB ports, and EVERYTHING? Don't get me wrong, I don't mind trying this, but...my point is I'm surely not a professional PC Technician, so, should I just call somebody out to install it for me? Or do it myself, if I can that is.

No offense, but I know of some PC technicians who say they mess around for an hour or two, and just rack up more that way. Lie and say it needs this and that, but it'll cost extra etc. It's like, taking your car into a mechanic shop...you know you should, but you also know what's going to happen. lol....

Like I have said, if you are only replacing the hard drive, then you won't need to touch the other internal components - CPU (processor), RAM (memory), GPU (graphics), etc... So when you install your new IDE hard drive, the graphics card never was disconnected, so then you will be able to see what the go is. Also, every thing else you have mentioned (ethernet port, USB ports) should not be touched.

An external hard drive will not help in this case, unless you wish to purchase one for backups and data storage also...

I guess that would make sense. Thanks guys/girls.

If I have any roblems, I'll come back here on another pc and post. I'll let ya'll know by this evening, thanks again.

Good luck! Feel free to ask, we'll try our best to help you out

We're all guys. I think I should put it in my sig, but I don't know what to write, .

Soorena