Dell Xps desktop hard drive replacement

The "special coating" on this model of drive is why I don't want to use this specific drive - always read seagate was very reliable just not this drive :emotion-2:

my hd (seagate st3750630as) took a [ADMIN NOTE: Profanity removed as per TOU] on me.  Computer seemed slow for about a week then turned it off to install new wireless router and turned back on and wouldn't boot -ran the dell test disc and it showed a lot of unreadable sectors so I want to replace it And reload factory vista with disc from dell.  Do I have to use this exact drive or can I go with a better or bigger drive and if anyone wants to suggest a specific drive I would appreciate it    Thanks

If you want performance a 128 GB or superior SamSung Evo 840 or Crucial M500 Solid State Drive are recommended with a 2.5" to 3.5" inch convertor.

If you want storage a Seagate drive or WD drive is recommended. I prefer Seagate or WD as I use the Seagate DiscWizard or WD Acronis Edition which are free Acronis variants that work only if a Seagate or WD drive are detected respectively.

For a desktop its recommended to get a Solid State Drive to install Windows Vista (or 7 on) and also get a large capacity 3.5" Seagate or WD 1-2 TB drive for data storage this way you get the best of both worlds (storage capacity and performance). I would also get a Seagate or WD external hard drive for backup purposes and carry out Data Recovery using Fedora as soon as possible on the failed drive: http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/data-recovery-using-fedora/

Follow my Windows Reinstallation Guide/A Clean Install of Windows Vista:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/

Use a Digital River .iso and the Activation Recovery using Dell files:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/download-microsoft-windows-and-office/download-microsoft-windows/download-vista-sp1-iso/

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/a-clean-install-of-windows-7/microsoft-product-activation/the-activation-backup-and-recovery-program-windows-7-version/

If you are running the system with the preinstalled OEM license.

For the SSD:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=evo+840&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aevo+840

or

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=m500&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Am500

This Seagate drive should do:

http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Barracuda-3-5-Inch-Internal-ST2000DM001/dp/B005T3GRN2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1392627262&sr=8-2&keywords=seagate+2+tb

This one is good for backup purposes:

http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Expansion-Desktop-External-STBV2000100/dp/B00834SJS0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1392627262&sr=8-3&keywords=seagate+2+tb

Thanks so much for all the info.  Should I install the hdd later after getting the os going or should I put both in at one time and start up?   I'm putting vista back on it as factory   Thanks

I plan to put a ssd drive in for the os and a larger hdd in for storage.  My question is where to connect the drives.  The hdd thats in now is connected to the blue slot and a DVD drive is connected to a black slot.  My choices are two black slots and a white slot and a blue slot.  When I get the ssd drive and the hdd where should I connect the two?  And i have the extra cable needed for the ssd drive.  Going this morning to get the drives. Thanks 

You need to install the OS on the hard drive so install the hard drive first.

Never simple for some reason     I pick up ssd drive and 2 tb hdd and install the ssd only and turn it on with dell vista install disc in DVD drive and this message comes up ---  no diagnostic utility partition identified    Press any key to reboot  ---  I set it to boot from DVD and tried too. Same message    I am stuck 

I have the drive and os going and all up to date including sp2.   Now my next question is    I want to connect the 2nod large hdd but don't know what questions it will ask or what choices I need to make - I just know I want nothing but the os on the ssd and everything else on the hdd   Can this be done 

:emotion-21: Nice, just insert the hard drive, you will need to initialise it in disc management which will format the drive into a format Windows can read and give it a drive letter.

Start > Control Panel > System and Security > Administrative Tools > Compputer Management > Disc Management

When you want to install a program it will default to the c: drive where the OS is installed. I recommend installing programs such as Microsoft Office on the ssd so they start up faster providing you have the space.

For documents, music, video and music you will need to move the location to the hard drive.

I have just done this on my Desktop computer as I am rebuilding the Windows 8.1 OS on it:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/solid-state-drive-and-hard-drive-configuration/

Instructions will e slightly different for Vista but it should give you a good idea.