Laptop harddrive upgrade

MuddyDog

See attached pic of the current HDD in my laptop which is quite old at this stage (Gateway NV55C). I want to buy an SSD for it. Can anyone recommend one for me that would fit given the pics? Anything around 120-240 GB is plenty for me.

MuddyDog

Would these work on my laptop?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/DREVO-X1-120GB-2-5-inch-Version/dp/B071YSP7JQ/?tag=ho01f-21

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0742BC3DQ?tag=hotukdeals062-21

FanadMan

MuddyDog wrote: »

Would these work on my laptop?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/DREVO-X1-120GB-2-5-inch-Version/dp/B071YSP7JQ/?tag=ho01f-21

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0742BC3DQ?tag=hotukdeals062-21

Either of those would work fine. Your machine is SATA II. The drives you pointed are SATA III, they won't work at their maximum speed but still a lot faster than the old drive.

Even the Crucial site suggested the BX300 - http://eu.crucial.com/eur/en/compatible-upgrade-for/Gateway/nv55c-series

MuddyDog

Thanks. So I don't need to buy any adapters or anything? They should just fit in nicely...?

FanadMan

MuddyDog wrote: »

Thanks. So I don't need to buy any adapters or anything? They should just fit in nicely...?

If you want to transfer the OS or data from the old drive, you'll need a caddy or external case and the supplied cables.

http://www.pcworld.ie/Product/dynamode-25-usb-30-sata-hard-drive-enclosure/331997/402.2.3

or remove the dvd drive and use something like this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=dvd+to+hdd+laptop+

With these, you could have the SSD as boot drive and the old drive as a secondary.
Edit - you'll need the 12.7mm dvd drive case, if you want to go that way

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=dvd+to+hdd+laptop+12.7&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Advd+to+hdd+laptop+12.7

MuddyDog

Thanks! If I just directly swap it though, can I just use my Windows original install discs and install windows on the SSD?

FanadMan

MuddyDog wrote: »

Thanks! If I just directly swap it though, can I just use my Windows original install discs and install windows on the SSD?

Yeah - will be just a normal Windows install on a new drive. Nothing like a clean install to speed up things.

MuddyDog

Last question....I need to plug that old HDD in the pics into a USB 2.0 port. Can someone link me to the correct adapter I need as there seems to be tonnes out there all slightly different!

Wetbench4

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tool-free-Inateck-External-Enclosure-FE2004-Black/dp/B00IJNDBM4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512052729&sr=8-1&keywords=2.5+inch+caddy

This should do the trick..

Also, you'll have to take off the two metal brackets on the sides of the old drive and put them on the new one before installation..

MuddyDog

Wetbench4 wrote: »

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tool-free-Inateck-External-Enclosure-FE2004-Black/dp/B00IJNDBM4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512052729&sr=8-1&keywords=2.5+inch+caddy

This should do the trick..

Also, you'll have to take off the two metal brackets on the sides of the old drive and put them on the new one before installation..

Thanks, judging by the item you sent would the below also work?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/QUMOX-External-Drive-Adapter-Converter/dp/B071Z1W894/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1512052989&sr=1-2&keywords=2.5+inch+sata+to+usb+2.0

Wetbench4

MuddyDog wrote: »

Thanks, judging by the item you sent would the below also work?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/QUMOX-External-Drive-Adapter-Converter/dp/B071Z1W894/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1512052989&sr=1-2&keywords=2.5+inch+sata+to+usb+2.0

Ya that would be slower but would still work fine..

MuddyDog

Thanks. How slow are we talking? I'm going to be plugging the HDD into a PVR so it'll be reading/writing constantly.

Wetbench4

MuddyDog wrote: »

Thanks. How slow are we talking? I'm going to be plugging the HDD into a PVR so it'll be reading/writing constantly.

Just that one is usb 2 and the other is usb 3.

USB 2.0 offers transfer rates of 480 Mbps, and USB 3.0 offers transfer rates of 4.8 Gbps

Id say you'll be grand, usb 3 speeds only works when its plugged into a usb3 socket anyway and majority of devices are still usb 2..

MuddyDog

Thanks. I can use a USB 3.0 in a USB 2.0 port though right? I just won't be getting 3.0 speeds.

Wetbench4

MuddyDog wrote: »

Thanks. I can use a USB 3.0 in a USB 2.0 port though right? I just won't be getting 3.0 speeds.

Ya exactly, backwards compatible.