How to Replace Laptop Hard Drive and Reinstall Operating System?
If you think your laptop is showing the signs of a hard drive failure, then it is the time to replace it. Any later and you will lose all your data saved in your laptop and it includes your operating system.
Even though it sounds scary replacing your hard drive all by yourself and you may think it’s not possible unless you are a computer engineer. But it’s not true.
In this article, our editors have explained the entire process of replacing laptop hard drive and reinstalling operating system in a step-by-step manner. You can not only replace your hard drive but can also install your operating system by following the given steps. And, it will save you a visit to repair shop and a lot of repairment money.
Actually, it is not complicated, as much as it sounds. You should try it once and I bet next time you will help your friend.
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How to Replace Laptop Hard Drive and Reinstall Operating System?
So, moving on to the topic, on how to replace the hard drive of your laptop and reinstall the operating system. First, you should now that you can replace the hard drive of your laptop in both cases.
When the hard drive is showing the signs of failure and in other cases, when you want to replace it to a better one, with more speed and space, you know.
Here, I will explain in a step-by-step manner to replace your old laptop hard drive with a new one. You must back up your data before starting the process of replacing your laptop hard drive.
How to Replace Laptop Hard Drive?
Before you start opening your laptop, do the most important thing and that is to Back Up the Data of your laptop.
And that is the most essential step because if you won’t do it now, then there is no next step in which you will be able to save it. You will end up losing all your important files, documents, videos, photos, games or anything you have downloaded in your laptop.
Back up your laptop data
So, to save all this data, you have to back up everything. And, you can do that by making the use of an external storage device or you can use iCloud, in case of MacBook.
Make sure that you have included all the data, in the backup, that you wish to keep safe. As I have said earlier (or wrote earlier) that in the next step all the data will be lost if you haven’t back up.
Also, create a recovery disk, in case. And, to do that, you have to reinstall the Windows OS to your new laptop and create a recovery disk. This recovery disk can be used later, to boot up the new drive, which will be blank after the installation. And, to create a recovery disk, simply go to the official website of Windows for your operating system version.
And, then you can download it to CD-ROM or to the flash drive. But, keep in mind that your storage drive must have enough space and it is formatted, as per the Windows website instructions. Then, finally, moving on to the main course. Now, it is the time to remove the old hard disk from your laptop.
Disconnect laptop battery when removing hard drive
Make sure that you have turned off your laptop and there isn’t any wire connected to it. And, it is not something which is a must, but I strongly recommend it to my customers to use the anti-static mat and the wristband.
Both of these tools make sure to ground you and your laptop, so there isn’t any chance that the built static electricity transfer to the internal delicate parts of your laptop.
As this static electricity is enough to damage those parts and zap you too, in most cases. Keep in mind that safety is the number one priority. As for the anti-static mat and the wristband, you can order them online, I usually get them from Amazon, as it has more options and variety. So, moving on to the next step, open the case of your laptop.
Open laptop case
It varies according to the various models of laptops. In some cases, the case has small screws or the sliding mechanism, in other cases. So, open it, according to the mechanism your laptop has. After making sure that you and your laptop, both are safely grounded, find the hard drive and remove all the power cables and connections from the hard drive.
Keep in mind the process for installation of hard drive, and just work backward the installation process for removing the power cables and connections. And, in case of uncertainty, just go to the official website of your laptop’ brand and follow the instructions given there. As the process may vary, according to the brand.
In most of the cases, it is through the screws that the hard drive is installed. So, remove all of them and take the hard drive out of the laptop. Though it is not a must to physically remove the hard drive from your laptop.
But many people prefer it that way. So, it doesn’t get in the way later. So, it’s actually up to you, do it as per your convenience.
I prefer to remove it completely from the laptop as it actually gives a lot of space in the laptop case for other components like the new hard drive. Also, it makes the possibility for more air movement for the new hard drive.
So, if you don’t want to leave the old hard drive in your laptop’ case, then make sure again and again till you are hundred percent sure that all connections are disconnected.
Attach new hard drive in your laptop
Now, to put in the new hard drive for your laptop, you simply have to reverse all the steps you have performed before. Now, read the instructions, given with the new hard drive and follow them. And, plug in all the power connectors and then follow it by connecting all the data connection cords. In case of any ambiguity, read the instructions again or go to the website.
It depends upon how short are the connectors, you will have to slide the drive in the bay first. You can use the small flashlight for looking into the small space of bay while working.
Then, replace the screws that are holding the case of the laptop, then replace the case’ door and you will be ready to set up the new hard drive for your laptop.
Now, coming to today; question, How to Replace Laptop Hard Drive and Reinstall Operating System? we have replaced the laptop hard drive and now let us reinstall the operating system.
How to Reinstall Operating System after Replacing Hard Drive?
Now, all the manual work is done, so you can move on to the next step. In this step, before using your new hard drive, make sure to partition and format your hard drive.
It is actually quite a simple process but make sure that you do it before using the new hard drive. And, do not fret, while you are reinstalling the operating system, these two processes will be automatically done. How?
The answer is simple. Follow the next steps for the reinstallation of the operating system. Though the exact steps actually depend upon the Windows OS. But in case of Windows 10 or Windows 10 Pro, which are most commonly being used these days in most of the laptops and HP computers.
Coming to question for today, How to Replace Laptop Hard Drive and Reinstall Operating System? Let us now reinstall the operating system for laptop.
The installation of the operating system includes the following steps.
First of all, turn on your laptop. In case of HP computer, repeatedly press the Escape key after the startup. The startup menu will appear, so go to the option of Boot menu. And, use this boot menu to inform your laptop to where to start.
Whether it should begin with the flash drive or the installation disk which you have created and also inserted earlier.
Click here to read about Best Operating System for a laptop.
Next, follow the prompts which are appearing to complete the steps of partition, then format and finally, for the installation of the Windows on your hard drive.
It is up to you, whether you want to use the default settings, which is the option most of the users use at the time or you want to customize the options or settings of your laptop.
Install an operating system in laptop
You may need to restart your laptop, or it can happen that your laptop will be automatically restarted by itself many times before the process is completed.
Many people get worried that there is something wrong as their previous laptop wasn’t restarting on its own or their friends’ laptop, as they have seen. But as I have said before it depends upon the model and the brand of your laptop.
So, it’s perfectly okay, if it happens, just wait till the process is finished. It takes a few hours until the whole process is completed. It will depend upon the hard drive and the OS you are using. Once the laptop has restarted for the final time, Window log in option will appear on to the screen of your laptop. And, you will be ready to use new hard drive of your laptop.
Restore your data in hard drive
Now, that you have a new hard drive and Window installed in it, it is the time to put your data back into your laptop. It is best to do all of this in one sitting because if you leave it to tomorrow, you won’t be completing the whole process for weeks and you will mix up many steps. And can end up instead of destroying your new hard drive too.
So, back up your data, using the iCloud or the external storage device you used before. You can back up your data by using the recommended software for the retrieval of the files. Just pick up all the files you want to restore or just restore the important files for now (if you are really tired), as other files you can restore them later when you have time.
Actually, there is another option for putting your data into the new hard drive and that is cloning your data from an old hard drive. If your hard drive has failed due to any of the physical default instead of a software problem or the corrupted file (as this option will be useless in that case, just go for backup then), then physical connect the old hard drive to the new one.
And, then, use the cloning software to transfer the exact copy of all the files and data, even the operating system to the new hard drive. But the drawback of this procedure is it will even transfer all the unnecessary files, which have been accumulated into your laptop over time. Plus, remember that it is only possible to use this system if the hard drive failure is due to a physical reason.
Be careful and attentive while following all the steps. The process is quite easy but takes time. And if you do it two to three times, then you wouldn’t even need to follow the instructions. Plus, doing these things by yourself gives you the skill and confidence to move on to the bigger projects. And, trust me, you don’t need to be a computer student, to do these things.
You just need time, effort and right guidance and you will be ready to be a computer genius. Good luck! If you have any questions, just mention them in the comment section box.
Team – Whatlaptops.com
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