Tech: Laptop Harddrive upgrade ?

Subject: Tech: Laptop Harddrive upgrade ?
From: GUEST,Johnny Dapbag
Date: 12 Mar 12 - 02:47 PM

I've just purchased my first Laptop
My new Fujitsu AH531/gfo Laptop is [hopefully - fingers crossed] potentially capable of quite reasonable performance
as a multi track Digital audio workstation.

eg:
http://www.ebuyer.com/341129-fujitsu-lifebook-ah531-laptop-vfy-ah531mp507gb?utm_source=google&utm_medium=products

Got mine 80 quid cheaper !!!

[Win 7 64-bit / Intel Core i5 2450M 2.5GHz / 8G RAM / 750GB HDD / NVIDIA GeForce GT 525M]

I already own a selection of USB audio interfaces
and am investigating which manufacturer may provide the most reliable 64 bit drivers.

My question concerns the factory installed 750GB Hard Drive [Partition C = 50Gb.]
It's only 5400rpm.
For a while at least I'll use it and see how well it copes.
But am considering replacing it with a faster 7200rpm asap.

1 - Would this definitely provide a significant improvement in performance
and reliability in multitrack recording and playback ?

2 - Would the Fujitsu OEM Win 7 system restore disc, with embedded OEM microsoft license key,
accept the replacement new hard drive and clean install successfully ?

and if so, does it need to be the same 750BG size as the factory installed Hard Drive ?

As an aside, I'm aware of the growing praise for more expensive silent running solid state Hard Drives,
but it seems at present they are definitely not as cost effective and only perform faster at reading than writing data.

===================================================================

Now follows a disgruntled moan not particularly relevant to this threads main question:


Paying the little bit extra for this version of the laptop with included NVIDIA GeForce GT 525M
may prove to be a long term mistake.
The marketing guff for NVIDIA Optimus Technology brags superior video quality in laptops,
but the NVIDIA drivers are fatally flawed shite;
conflicting with IE 9 and Adobe Flash, and installing malware hidden 'Users' which break Win 7 system backup & restore.

I've owned this Laptop for just over a week,
and wasted many hours trying to get get updated IE 9 & Adobe Flashplayer compatible NVIDA drivers
to work with the existing Fujitsu factory install.

Resorting last night to a total clean install from the ground up.
So far, the re-installed system seem to be working ok.
and at least as a benefit, I could discard the factory installed surplus crapware like Norton and Microsift Office.

But, if I need to go to all this effort just to get a working system,
then I might as well be upgrading the Hard Drive at the same time.

Subject: RE: Tech: Laptop Harddrive upgrade ?
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Mar 12 - 02:53 PM

Why don't you post to a tech forum rather than a folk music one?

Subject: RE: Tech: Laptop Harddrive upgrade ?
From: GUEST,Johnny Dapbag
Date: 12 Mar 12 - 03:03 PM

"Why don't you post to a tech forum rather than a folk music one?"

Well GUEST [Clones please don't delete his/her post]

It's because I'm an ageing 'folkie' with a 'new' laptop

and I know for sure that mudcat's in house 'tech heads' will respond with the appropriate level of knowledge and respect.

Tech forums just aint my kinda scene.

Subject: RE: Tech: Laptop Harddrive upgrade ?
From: pavane
Date: 12 Mar 12 - 03:55 PM

I have had no end of problems trying to replace a faulty HDD in an old Vaio laptop. The original drive size was no longer available, but the SONY recovery software only understood the original size, and planted hidden non-DOS partitions in the middle of the new one. I never did manage to use the whole drive, not the OS properly. So be careful

Subject: RE: Tech: Laptop Harddrive upgrade ?
From: olddude
Date: 12 Mar 12 - 04:00 PM

No it will work fine I promise, don't do that. Now get yourself a USB external drive to keep your work on ... they have really come down in price and they work great for what you want it to do.

good job ... You will have lots of fun recording and you can take it with you if you play out and record. Get some decent mikes ok

Subject: RE: Tech: Laptop Harddrive upgrade ?
From: artbrooks
Date: 12 Mar 12 - 04:04 PM

I'd suggest that you work with what you have and hold off on replacing what might be an entirely satisfactory HD. If for no other reason, Thailand is/was a major HD producer and their production is just beginning to recover from last fall's floods. HD prices are currently very high, even if what you want is available.

Subject: RE: Tech: Laptop Harddrive upgrade ?
From: Max
Date: 12 Mar 12 - 04:46 PM

If you can afford a solid state drive, they are a HUGE HUGE benefit to performance in laptops with the 5400rpm drives. I won't own a laptop without one ever again, or a desktop for that matter. If your laptop only has room for one drive, look into an external eSATA drive as a storage solution. Also very fast are the new USB3 drives, though you won't be able to track live to them, they'll still be too slow. GO SSD, man, take it from me, worth every penny.

Subject: RE: Tech: Laptop Harddrive upgrade ?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 12 Mar 12 - 08:42 PM

About the only thing I can add to what's been said is that there is generally a significant difference in the power requirements for higher RPM drives. The difference is sufficient that you can take it as an "explanation" for why most laptops deliver with the slower 5400 RPM HDs installed, since they all want to claim the longest battery lie ... life ... they can think up and are afraid some test lab might catch them if they exagerate by too much.

If you intend to operate frequently off the battery, you'll see somewhat shorter operating durations before the battery starts to fade with a faster HD; but it probably won't make much difference if most of your use is "plugged in." You can use "sleep" and "hibernate" modes to minimize the effect to some extent, but it can be hard to tell just how much difference you get that way.

Power consumption ratings generally are given by HD makers, although you may have to dig a little to find them ... if it matters to you. Whether what's given is accurate enough for you to consider comparisons significant in your choice is up to you to decide.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Laptop Harddrive upgrade ?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Mar 12 - 01:50 AM

I agree with Dan. For the system the way you have it set up, an external hard drive is the way to go. Keep your software programs on C:, data on D:

You do need a firewall and antivirus, but find one that doesn't fuss too much (some are ponderous and interrupt what you're doing.) I'm using one through my workplace now, but have used free versions of Avast and AVG successfully. You might want to download the free copy of Malwarebytes and keep it updated once or twice a week, running a quick scan at the same time. And there are various ways to control what is going on in the start menu. The way I keep track is through a little free program called WinPatrol. It watches the registry and pops up to ask if you want to modify the machine any time something tries to. If you just installed something, say yes. If you didn't, see what is updating or if you have malware. But it also has a feature in the tabs to show you what is in the start menu. If you don't need some software running the moment you turn on the computer, disable it in the start menu and it will start faster and you can start the other programs if you need them when you need them.

SRS