Swapping HDD for an SSD in Laptop

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

It's SATA and uses a spindle drive. I am thinking about getting an SSD for it. Will any old SSD fit? If not, which form factors should I look for?

 

[VirtualLarry]

Most SSDs are 2.5", 9.5mm width. Some SSDs, both Intel and Crucial offer these, are 7mm wide, in case your laptop requires a thinner drive.

Other than that, it should fit, unless you have some sort of strange 1.8" microdrive or something in there.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

A virtual "thanks!"

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

What SSD would you recommend? I don't follow reviews as much on SSDs anymore

 

[VirtualLarry]

I've been looking at the 256MB Plextor "M3" model at Newegg recently.

It's a Marvell Sata6G controller, like the Crucial m4, but it has Toshiba Toggle NAND (which is supposed to be the fastest type of NAND, followed by Sync, and then Async), and best of all, it has a FIVE-year warranty, like the Intel drives do.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820249015

$330


Edit: I currently own FOUR of these drives. Mostly purchased just to get my feet wet. I had dreams of running them in RAID-0, on my ICH9R mobo SATA controller, but with two in RAID-0 without TRIM, they degraded to slower than a single drive in less than a week. (It is primarily for that reason, that I do not recommend RAID with SSDs, instead, purchase the largest drive that you think you might need, and can afford.)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227460

So far though, although they're not super-fast like newer SSDs, they are stable. Indilinx Barefoot controllers these days are pretty-well debugged.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

I've been looking at the 256MB Plextor "M3" model at Newegg recently.

It's a Marvell Sata6G controller, like the Crucial m4, but it has Toshiba Toggle NAND (which is supposed to be the fastest type of NAND, followed by Sync, and then Async), and best of all, it has a FIVE-year warranty, like the Intel drives do.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820249015

$330

That's a Bad Dog right there, brother! WOW

Where did you read up on this at?

Are all these features on the smaller M3s?

 

[mfenn]

What SSD would you recommend? I don't follow reviews as much on SSDs anymore

How much are you looking to spend and how much capacity do you need?

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

I don't think i'd ever use more than 128Gb but this would be going in my mothers new laptop.. i don't think she will use the entire 640GB 5400 rpm drive.. her old lappy just died and i kinda wanna make it a super fast laptop per say.. She's getting this one.

 

[mfenn]

I don't think i'd ever use more than 128Gb but this would be going in my mothers new laptop.. i don't think she will use the entire 640GB 5400 rpm drive.. her old lappy just died and i kinda wanna make it a super fast laptop per say.. She's getting this one.

Unless she has a video editing hobby, a 128GB drive would be more than enough. The Crucial M4 128GB at $175 gives terrific performance for the price, but it is also probably overkill for a Mom machine. The Agility 3 120GB has the normal OCZ caveats, but is getting to be pretty reliable with firmware updates and is only $125 AR AP.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

I think the ~ 128Gb models is where she'd fit into. Reliability is most important. Which model around that size is most reliable, do you think?

Thanks so far

 

[mfenn]

I think the ~ 128Gb models is where she'd fit into. Reliability is most important. Which model around that size is most reliable, do you think?

Thanks so far

The M4 is pretty reliable, but you really can't beat the Intel 320 for rock solid stability.

 

[Gillbot]

Unless she has a video editing hobby, a 128GB drive would be more than enough. The Crucial M4 128GB at $175 gives terrific performance for the price, but it is also probably overkill for a Mom machine. The Agility 3 120GB has the normal OCZ caveats, but is getting to be pretty reliable with firmware updates and is only $125 AR AP.

For an everyday machine, my 64GB ssd was plenty. If you need the space, opt for 128gb.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Well, it comes in tomorrow or Tuesday. Whatever drive we end up using, I think wiping the drive and installing a fresh OS from an OEM package is best.

 

[mfenn]

Well, it comes in tomorrow or Tuesday. Whatever drive we end up using, I think wiping the drive and installing a fresh OS from an OEM package is best.

:thumbsup: With Windows 7, you don't even have to use an OEM disc like you did with XP. Any disc will work, just input the serial number that's on the COA.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

:thumbsup: With Windows 7, you don't even have to use an OEM disc like you did with XP. Any disc will work, just input the serial number that's on the COA.

Ran into a ah heck. My W7 Pro disc installed super fast on the SSD in her laptop (took out the HDD) but here are some details.

Her HDD has W7 64bit Home
I have W7 64bit Pro 2xOEM discs
I installed my SSD in her laptop, because i'm a good kid :awe: haha and installed my copy of W7 Pro - It wouldn't activate

Question: would her key work with my W7 Pro and get activated with my SSD in her laptop?

 

[mfenn]

Ran into a ah heck. My W7 Pro disc installed super fast on the SSD in her laptop (took out the HDD) but here are some details.

Her HDD has W7 64bit Home
I have W7 64bit Pro 2xOEM discs
I installed my SSD in her laptop, because i'm a good kid :awe: haha and installed my copy of W7 Pro - It wouldn't activate

Question: would her key work with my W7 Pro and get activated with my SSD in her laptop?

No, you have to match the edition of the key with the Windows edition that you install. There are tools that will convert an ISO of one type to an ISO of another.
http://code.kliu.org/misc/winisoutils/

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

No, you have to match the edition of the key with the Windows edition that you install. There are tools that will convert an ISO of one type to an ISO of another.

I like tools

thanks!

 

[VirtualLarry]

Download the correct version of Windows 7, and put it on a USB stick (4GB or larger), or on a DVD.
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2225273

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Download the correct version of Windows 7, and put it on a USB stick (4GB or larger), or on a DVD.
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2225273

Wow, great post there! Thanks

And bookmarked

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

I am having a few problems not related to on OS install. I nor my mother cannot remember what OS she was using on her last laptop. The problem more is she forgot her password for the local email program she was using. It's either Outlook Express or Windows Live Mail, XP or Win 7 respectively. I was trying to find an .iaf file by slaving the old laptop drive and searching through the folders but I came up short. Did more informational searching about .iaf files and apparently they are not stored unless you export the mail account. I don't think we ever backed up one for her on her machine or mine (lesson learned.)

Going at it again with the drive in slave mode, my first step is to find which OS she was using or search for either .dbx or .eml which will tell me what OS & Mail program she was using.

If I don't find out, then I think I need to boot the drive from her new laptop, which is my last option and my biggest concern. Would it be safe to stick the old drive in the new laptop and boot into safe-mode?

EDIT: is the extension for the Accounts on Outlook Express & Windows Live Mail the same? e.g. WLM = .iaf

Not sure what it is for OE

 

[sm625]

If you're talking about booting off the HDD that came with the notebook, of course that will work. Shouldnt even need safe mode.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

If you're talking about booting off the HDD that came with the notebook, of course that will work. Shouldnt even need safe mode.

No. I'm talking about the drive from her last laptop which still has the OS installed.

What I'm worried about is different LAN drivers, chipset drivers, things like that.

The old laptop is about dead. It won't boot up. I've tried a bunch of dif scenarios to get it to work to retrieve info from the drive but could not... the flip-out screen is just about broke (hinges are broke off) But, the thing will BSOD right after bios. I don't want to get into trying to get it to work.. I've spent enough time on trying that.

EDIT: Well, I booted into safe mode and found it was XP. Bad thing is, it wouldn't boot up in safe mode

EDIT2: well, after more searching, it looks like Outlook Express also backs up the Mail Account as an Internet Account File, also.

EDIT3: And I still cannot retrieve any .dbx or .iaf files, looks like it'll get a clean wipe soon :T

Thanks for the help, All!

Good Linkin-out VL :thumbsup: gonna try that if she wants to use the SSD