Take along the blue Dell Drivers and Utilities cd and boot to it - Dell Diagnostics will start up - run the hdd tests.  If it fails anything, get a new hdd.  Look here for decent prices and good service.  In any case, get I8kfangui (linked below in my sig) to control the temps so the notebook runs cooler since she leaves it on for so long.

Thanks a lot - yes, the diagnostics from the blue Dell CD showed HDD errors -
so I am going to use the link you provided to buy a new one

I went there, to the site you suggested - but how can I find out which one there fits my Inspiron 8100? Currently I have
IBM /Hitachi  2.5" 30Gb - http://www.spartantech.com/product.asp?PID=IBMIC25N030&m1=sh
For example, my current HDD's interface is ATA-5 -

can I buy same manufacturer's newer drive - 40gb -
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=100516 -

if it has a different interface - ATA-6? I mean, will the connectors fit?

Could you suggest one with the least noise?

Also, will I be able to replace HDD myself?

I am a software engineer and you probably know how many of us
is needed to change a light balb :)

 

 

Message Edited by PaulCalifornia on 08-14-2004 05:58 PM

Any will work -I personally would only get a IBM/Hitachi 5400 or 7200 rpm hdd, or the Seagate drives.  I bought an IBM/Hitachi GNX drive - quiet, cooler.

1) So ATA-5 vs ATA-6 is Ok and connectors will fit, right?

2) 5400, 7200:
40gb one that I saw - http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=100516 -

is 4200 - so you do NOT recommend it, too slow, right?

But is it true that 5400, 7200 are more *noisy* than 4200 because of the higher speed?

Also, my current *fan* system is for 4200 HDD - will it be sufficient for
faster ones such as 5400 or 7200?

3) This my daughter's 8100 is not  a new laptop, so that 40Gb where the site you
suggested has an Ok price of $86, while 5400 or 7200 would be I guess
much more expensive, right?

Thanks again,

Paul

 

Message Edited by PaulCalifornia on 08-14-2004 06:13 PM

Hi,

1)

> I dunno why everybody loves to send folks to zipzoomfly, they're always overpriced by my standards. :)
> If you'll check out http://www.newegg.com you'll find they have a 5400RPM Samsung drive for only
>  $84.00 with free fedex saver shipping.

I went there but found out $53 Samsung :)
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=22-152-008&depa=1 -

but what do they mean under "OEM Drive only"?

Same thing with Hitachi - only one, ~$50 and "OEM Drive only".

 

2)
>  To answer some more questions, though, yes, the 5400 & 7200 drives would be slightly louder.

What about fan power? Will my current fan designed for 4200 speed, cool HDD enough
if it's 5400 speed device?

Thanks,

Paul

 

Message Edited by PaulCalifornia on 08-14-2004 11:02 PM

I dunno why everybody loves to send folks to zipzoomfly, they're always overpriced by my standards. :)

If you'll check out http://www.newegg.com you'll find they have a 5400RPM Samsung drive for only $84.00 with free fedex saver shipping.

To answer some more questions, though, yes, the 5400 & 7200 drives would be slightly louder. I also have an 8100 laptop and have had a 30GB 4200, 40GB 5400, and now an 80GB 4200 drive in it. I have the 40GB in a media bay unused and the 30GB in a USB 2.0 enclosure, also unused. If you don't think your daughter will need "more" space than she was used to, then I'd recommend sticking with the same drive size/speed you had in her laptop before all this started. No need to spend more if you don't have to.

OEM Drives typically come with a smaller warranty period, no box, no manual, no cable. The warranty period will be one year versus three years of a "Retail" drive. If you're worried about that, I'm still running the 40GB OEM drive I bought more than 2 years ago without any problems. Since the manufacturer doesn't have to worry about retail packaging, manuals, cables, and the smaller warranty period, they can often offer them for significantly less than a retail packaged piece of equipment. (ie: this doesn't just occur for hard drives, but nearly every piece of computer hardware available)

As for the 5400 vs. 4200 and the fan..the "fan" in your system isn't designed to cool the hard drive, it's designed to cool the system. The same 40GB drive I listed above (OEM) is a 5400 rpm drive and again...I ran it for over 2 years as the system drive w/o any problems. I've sense moved it to the media bay slot and replaced it with an 80GB 4200 (I am more concerned about cheap storage than speed at this point) OEM drive.

Let me know if you have any more questions and I'll be happy to try to help.

Oh, I just followed the link you posted. That's not a "Laptop" hard drive, that's a desktop drive, BIG difference in size requirements.

You should start your notebook harddrive search here: http://www.newegg.com/app/manufactory.asp?catalog=380&DEPA=1

I'd hate for you to buy a 3.5" drive when you needed a 2.5" drive. :(

Thanks, I've got a clear picture now!

The last question - both of you guys mentioned putting second HD to the bay -

so if I understand correctly it could solve my big problem of how to move
say my daughter's music files from the defective HD, right?

That is, I can place old HD to the bay and will have access to both, right?

 

Paul

 

 

 

8100 laptop hard drive died for the second time.  "Blue screen of dealth" - Unmountable boot volume"

Purchased laptop 6/02       First Hard drive died 1/03..............second 8/04

No problem with deal sending me a new one - but the unit is used by son in college and I am very concerned that the new HD is a time bomb......I would hate to give him a unit in his Junior year that could dump at any minute.  (He will learn how to backup)  

Hard drives were from different manufacturers. (do not have notes in front of me)  Any ideas what could cause the problem.  Is there anything a room mate could do to mess the HD up and not be obvious?

Also any particular wisdom to install software - never done it before......eeeeck!

PS - is there any way of recovering data from HD is I can not get it boot to safe mode or dos?

 

Thanks

 

Message Edited by olegirl1 on 08-26-2004 09:01 PM