Calling all computer experts!

[blackpony04]

A few years ago I replaced my defective Dell 5100 laptop but I kept it in hopes eventually I could have it fixed. Well, I've gotten so tired of sharing my current laptop with my daughter that I think I'm finally ready to get the 5100 working again. Plus I'm a little more computer savvy than I was and think I can take it apart and put it back together without drawing blood.

Basically, I get the blue screen of death (in actuality it cycles from the WindowsXP screen to the blue screen and back again). I had a friend mess with it before I replaced it and at that time we got it running long enough for me to back up my files before the BSOD came back. I ran the diagnostics and it keeps giving my errors on the IDE Disk which I take to mean the hard drive. The computer makes a horrible screeching sound on start up and even a bit when I move the laptop but the fans tested fine. Am I safe to assume I need a new hard drive? And if so, what should I look for? I found a 40g Hitachi harddrive brand new for 40 bucks but is there something else I should get while I'm at it? I've never upgraded a computer before but I suppose upgrading the memory while I'm at it probably isn't a bad idea. I'm pretty sure it's 512DDR but I don't know how to tell for sure. It is a strictly internet computer that will never have more than Microsoft Office on it.

Thoughts, advice, prayers?

[SonicGT]

The BSOD is usually bad hardware, or corrupt windows files, which can easily be caused by a bad hard drive.
If the dell diagnostics is telling you the IDE drive is bad yes thats the hard drive. Just get one that is what you need so IDE not SATA. And if your just using it for a basic internet computer and it worked fine for you before I wouldn't waste the money on RAM, if its a few years old its near the end of its usefull life as far as anything more then a basica office/internet computer. Laptops are the most non-upgradable when it comes to computers, HD and RAM are about all you can do to them easily.
Get the $40 drive if its large enough for what you want and go from there.

[blackpony04]

Cool! Thanks for the help. I'm a computer-idjit but swapping a drive in one of thes things is a snap. I just can't believe I waited this long to ask about it.... :wall:

[SonicGT]

Cool! Thanks for the help. I'm a computer-idjit but swapping a drive in one of thes things is a snap. I just can't believe I waited this long to ask about it.... :wall:
Yea laptop drives are used in the PS3 also, so if you have one of those and want a bigger drive just buy a SATA laptop hard drive :) I changed mine the first week I had it.

[blackpony04]

Yea laptop drives are used in the PS3 also, so if you have one of those and want a bigger drive just buy a SATA laptop hard drive :) I changed mine the first week I had it.

You're gonna ****. Yesterday I was surfing the net for replacement PS3 drives after discovering I only have 10gig left on mine. That's what inspired me to dick with the laptop again!

BTW, what'd you end up getting for the PS3? I saw 300giggers for about $100.

[SonicGT]

You're gonna ****. Yesterday I was surfing the net for replacement PS3 drives after discovering I only have 10gig left on mine. That's what inspired me to dick with the laptop again!

BTW, what'd you end up getting for the PS3? I saw 300giggers for about $100.

Well I have an original ps3 that only had a 20gb drive, I got a 130 at the time for 80 bucks.
Just an FYI if you update your ps3 drive, you will lose all downloads and have to redownload, also backup your saves etc to a thumb or usb drive first so you can restore them to the new drive.
Im actually thinking of wiping mine out so I may have to do this. I have 10gb set aside and have linux installed on my ps3 also, which I never use since now the ps3 can play divx movies just fine, which is why I put linux on it

[blackpony04]

Yeah, I read about backing everything up. I don't have any downloads except for a couple of themes so I'll just need to make sure to save my well, saves. I read on the Playstation forum that changing the hard drive won't void the warranty so I'm gonna take the plunge once I fill the rest of the pig up.