I'm installing a new hard drive in my laptop, what do I need?

Question

I have a HP Pavilion zd8120cl laptop. I bought new hard drive because I needed a faster, larger capacity drive. I don't want to clone, I'd like to reinstall everything for a fresh start. I was hoping you guys could give me some ideas of what to expect and answer some questions.

What I have:
*two discs (came with notebook)
-Operating System CD (it's xp home, servpack 2)
-Application and Driver Recovery DVD
*new hard drive
*I also bought an enclosure for the hard drive I'm taking out so I can use it as an external hd. I won't erase anything on it until I've got the new one up and running.

Questions:
1. After inserting new hard drive, I just need to boot from OS cd, right? I don't need to do anything else?
2. Every windows setup guide online recommends creating a partition for the os, how does that work? Will OS cd do it for me or do I do it myself? If so, how much space should I partition?
3. If something goes wrong, I can always put back in my old hd, right?
4. Any other tips?

Also, the driver CD should have all the drivers I need, right? ....At least all the ones that my notebook had installed the day I got it? (I know I'll have to update some of them)

And, if you guys could direct me towards a website with really good step by step directions I could print out, that'd be great.

Sorry guys, one more question, will I have to do anything to the BIOS?

Answer 1

you are on the right track. just put in the new hard drive, insert the os cd, boot from the cd, and install windows. it will do it pretty much by itself, with a question or two to answer along the way. it will most likely ask you for your COA number,which you'll find on a decal on the bottom of your laptop.

putting the old drive back in will put everything back the way it was.
partitioning splits your drive up into seperate drives. each partition will have it's own drive letter. if you want to do that, there is some software out there that can do that for you, such as partition magic, otherwise just let windows install itself on one big partition, that will work fine too.

the driver cd has all your drivers. install that after windows.
no you shouldn't have to worry about the bios. just about any computer made after 1992 will autodetect and automatically setup a new hard drive.

Answer 2

You pretty much have your act together and seem to have things ready.

The data on the existing disc can be transferred over after you are up and running.

After inserting new hard drive, you boot from the cd and follow the install prompts and off you go.

Check the HP site for any directions they may have on a new hard drive install - as you may need that.

After the OS is installed and all drivers installed, go to the Microsoft site, download, and install all Microsoft updates. Then to to the HP site for an update of all the drivers to the latest.

I suggest you take the time to do it properly and don't try rushing through things. Steady progress, although perhaps slower than a veteran would produce, is what you want.

Again, you have your act together - and you should be successful in this. Best of luck

Answer 3

i;m not 100% sure on this but i think you might have to deactivate your old windows or the new install won't work. unless the Xp is a new version. the os will give you the option to creat partitions. half for c: and half for d: is my usual preference. i would actually make a third copy of your files incase you need to deactivate and something goes wrong there.

i don;t think you need to do anything with the bios...i would just check to make sure it recgonize the drive and that it;s booting from the cd drive...other than that...you should be fine.

good luck

Answer 4

First make sure that your computer can boot from your cd rom drive in your bios, then make sure that the disk is in the cd rom drive when it boot follow instructions.-Good Luck

Answer 5

Just take out the old one and put in the new one. Its like Wifeswap without wives or swaps.

Wasn't that easy?