My Dell Laptop hard-drive has died. Can anyone suggest a replacement hard-drive?

[Paddy_g46]

My computer isnt working properly, all my documents, programs etc have "dissapeared". I rang dell who got to me to do a diagnostics on the hardrive and they reckon its shagged. So they said they want nearly £160 for a new part just to be sent out to me and then i have to get it fitted myself!

Im not happy considering the computer is 13 months old! 1 month out of warranty!

Anyway im guessing that they are alternative hard drives out there that will be just as cheap, so was wondering if anyone in the know coudl point me in the right direction?

I know its a 160gb hard drive as i upgraded to the best 1 availabel when i bought it. If anyone can help and needs to know more specific details then let me know and ill try to tell you what you need to know.

Thanks in advance!

Patrick.

edit: Im currently using the computer to write this message, the computer works fine apart from the fact that it wont load my "user profile" and all my files etc have gone walkies! Does this sound right for a knackered hard drive?

 

[Mike_182]

No, that's not typical of a knackered hard drive, that's usually a knackered OS. However, without the model of laptop I've got no hope of choosing you a hard disk...

 

[Paddy_g46]

No, that's not typical of a knackered hard drive, that's usually a knackered OS. However, without the model of laptop I've got no hope of choosing you a hard disk...

Oh right! do you think i should get it checked out by a local computer shop then and let them diagnose it?

Its an inspiron 6400. I can get you a list of its spec if u want?

edit: what is an OS? Operating system?

 

[Mike_182]

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-015-FJ&groupid=701&catid=14&subcat=896&name=Fujitsu%20250GB%205400RPM%20SATA%208MB%20Cache%20-%20OEM%20(MHY2250BH)

One of those, and three/four screws to remove it and reinstall it.

And yes, OS = Operating System. I'd suggest it was that as you'd get all sorts of problems before complete data loss like that... Sounds more malware/malicious user to me.

 

[Paddy_g46]

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-015-FJ&groupid=701&catid=14&subcat=896&name=Fujitsu%20250GB%205400RPM%20SATA%208MB%20Cache%20-%20OEM%20(MHY2250BH)

One of those, and three/four screws to remove it and reinstall it.

And yes, OS = Operating System. I'd suggest it was that as you'd get all sorts of problems before complete data loss like that... Sounds more malware/malicious user to me.

It did give me slight problems before like very sluggish etc, but i put that down to age, and memory. Also when i turn computer on now it says, "unable to load user profile, you have been logged onto a temporary profile...blah blah" so there is defo a fault somewhere rather then malicious user.

The guy in dell told me a computer shop will still be able to retrieve all my info/files off the old hard drive?

If you dont mind me asking, how do you know that hard drive on overclockers is compatable? Do you not need to know the rest of my laptop spec to see if it is compatable?

Thanks for your help!

edit: what about this 160gb one? Im sure my current 1 is 160gb http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showp...su160GB 5400RPM SATA 8MBCache-OEM (MHY2160BH)

 

[ivegota16v]

splash the cash and get a new intel SSD drive, get over 250mb sec and will increase battery life by stupid amounts!!

quite expensive mind!

 

[Mike_182]

It did give me slight problems before like very sluggish etc, but i put that down to age, and memory. Also when i turn computer on now it says, "unable to load user profile, you have been logged onto a temporary profile...blah blah" so there is defo a fault somewhere rather then malicious user.

The guy in dell told me a computer shop will still be able to retrieve all my info/files off the old hard drive?

If you dont mind me asking, how do you know that hard drive on overclockers is compatable? Do you not need to know the rest of my laptop spec to see if it is compatable?

Thanks for your help!

edit: what about this 160gb one? Im sure my current 1 is 160gb http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showp...su160GB 5400RPM SATA 8MBCache-OEM (MHY2160BH)

250GB one will work, and I know that it'll work because the 6400 uses a 2.5" SATA drive...

I chose that one as it's a tenner more for 100GB near as, but the 160GB one will work.

If you want, I can sort it for you - whereabouts you based?

 

[Paddy_g46]

250GB one will work, and I know that it'll work because the 6400 uses a 2.5" SATA drive...

I chose that one as it's a tenner more for 100GB near as, but the 160GB one will work.

If you want, I can sort it for you - whereabouts you based?

Oh right awesome. Yeh i suppose your right that for a tenner extra im better off with the 250gb.

Im in north london/hatfield?

Do you think it will be possible to save any of the data from the old hard drive mate?


Patrick

 

[Paddy_g46]

iv just been scouting about on my laptop around all the system information and managed to work out that im currently running a samsung hard drive: http://www.samsung.com/global/business/hdd/productmodel.do?type=62&subtype=67&model_cd=298

Dont know if this makes any difference, just thought it post it anyway! I cant believe dell want me to pay £160 to them for a new 1 of these when i have seen it for sale on some sites for about £30! joke!

 

[thecremeegg]

Doesnt sound like a knackered drive to me, merely a software corruption. Annoying that you cant get into you user account. What you need to do is get something like this http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-006-AK&groupid=701&catid=14&subcat=72&name=Akasa%20Integral%20P2%20eSATA/USB%202.0%202.5"%20Hard%20Drive%20Enclosure%20-%20Blue
and find a mate with a desktop pc. You'll then need to plug that in, copy across any files you need and reformat windows. Its quite a lot to explain just here so can give further details if required

 

[Mike_182]

Oh right awesome. Yeh i suppose your right that for a tenner extra im better off with the 250gb.

Im in north london/hatfield?

Do you think it will be possible to save any of the data from the old hard drive mate?


Patrick

Yeah, no problem at all matey - it's easy enough to do, although if it's been 'deleted' or removed from the disk it's best to stop using it and get it to somewhere who does data recovery. I could have a go for you - you going on Sunday?

 

[Paddy_g46]

iv just dropped it into the pc shop around the corner form me and I spoke to the guy who seems pretty genuine and wont rip me off. He is going to charge me £40 and try and fix it or find out exactly whats wrong, but he seems to think he will be able to sort it. He will know by tomorow whats going on with it.