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Please Need Advice on HDD Upgrade for Samsung NP-R580 [Want To Ghost Drive]

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Berty

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Hi All

Many thanks for your advice when I was building my system before Christmas, it runs like a dream.

I might need to Ghost my drive but would rather not have to...

I need some help with my Laptop. I wanted to upgrade my internal 2.5" hdd to a SSD but my laptop model is SATA 2 (I presume 2 as in any info/desription I have found for it just says SATA but I bought it in 2010 so I guess it is SATA 2) and the cost to performance increase really isn't worth it. It seems that my best option is to buy a SATA 2 7200rpm drive like a 750GB Western Digital WD7500BPKT Scorpio Black, 2.5", 9.5 mm, SATA 3Gb/s, 7200rpm, 16MB Cache, 4ms (copied info from scan). The price is just over £80 so it is an amazing increase for my system for the price. There may be a better drive (reliability pips speed, but only just, as this is for my portable music recording studio setup).

I am hoping that as my model of laptop is not too old to accept this drive (or one better although it does seem like the best choice) without a problem. The next issue is WINDOWS GRRRRRRRR!! As Windows was pre-loaded when I bought my laptop (Win 7 Home Premium 64bit) I don't have an install disk. I do have the license key as it is on the sticker on the back of the laptop. Could I simply use my desktop copy of Windows, it is the exact same version and I purchased it legally, and just use the key that is on my Laptop? It seems so obvious to me that this is what any sane person would do. Or do I need to ghost the image of my current hdd on to the new one when it arrives? I would rather do a clean install on the new drive and not need to Ghost though so that it is nice and fresh. Everything I need to keep is already backed up and I am ready to go.

Any pointers greatly appreciated and please flame my hide if I clearly know that yes, just do what my gut is telling me here. Also can anyone forsee a problem with me installing this model of drive or are there others that are better (meaning more reliable-would still need to be 7200rpm and I can't afford a 1tb so 750 gb is the max).

I live in the UK so can't use newegg or any other supurb US store, will likely end up using Amazon as Scan seem to take ages getting stock. If someone knows a better store for my needs here that would be great also.

Again thanks for your help last time I needed you guys and I hope you can help me here. Oh and wey-hey to all you guys who waited for the new tech that's hitting soon......oh sooooo envious haha!!

:)

Berty.
 
I would just ghost your current drive on your desktop with this utility:
http://www.todo-backup.com/products/home/free-backup-software.htm

Upon having using it regularly it is a simple click-n-run, backing up your current disk and then restoring it. After restore You can either resize to full capacity on your desktop with your current windows 7 or partition/format the rest of the space as a seperate volume.

Also you will be absolutely fine with the scorpio black. Enjoy the upgrade! :)
 
Hi, many thanks for a quick reply. If I ghost it I will still want to format it so I can do a complete fresh install of everything....which is where why my puzzle is with the fresh windows install. Can I install from my full legal legit disk I used for my desktop but use the key on the back of my laptop. It may say that Microsoft has noticed that my hardware has changed but I have read that as it will only be the hdd it shouldn't be a problem, like with me having to phone them and all that. I can't afford to buy an extra copy of windows when I already paid for one when I bought the laptop - I'm sure the company I bought it from would want to charge me a second time.
 
What version of 7 on your desktop?
 
Yea, I bought the exact same version for my desktop that my laptop came with so that I wouldn't have any problems moving my music files between versions. Both are Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit and have their unique codes, just that I don't have an install disk for my laptop as the shops never let you have them - just the install key on the sticker on the back.
 
Yup, you will be fine going that route, if you wish a clean install. ^^ Like I said above a ghost with ToDo backup will get you back up within an hour or 2 without having to reinstall anything, along with drivers.
 
Ah great, I thought that it should be ok but just wanted to make sure, I clearly got ripped in a shop by the guy once then as he told me I couldn't do it this way. Many thanks for your help :)
 
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