Computer Question
 

Anyone know,
If I replace my old hard drive with a new one (laptop). Do i need to somehow back up everything and then move the files on to the new one? anyone know how this works? I can figure out how to take out the old and put in the new but what about my files? thanks

Well your files are stored on the old disk and you will have to move over the ones you want, manually.

I assume your laptop has a 2.5" drive. If so, one of these would be a fairly easy soultion:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...24&name=2.5%22
Make sure the interface is right if you get one, ie: if your hard drive has a large ribbon cable connector on back with like 40 holes, you need IDE, if its a small connector, you need SATA.

With the right sized external enclosure, after you install windows or whatever os on your new drive in the laptop, you can pop the old drive in the enclosure, hook it up via USB, and transfer over the files you want to keep.

There may be some products out there that make things easier, but I don't use them. If you do it manually, be sure you dont copy over any windows directories or program files folders, as none of that will work properly on a new install.

USB externals are handy in this case! I've got 500 external right now.

I just replaced a crashed hard drive on my old iBook G4 laptop. Good times! A friend's trying to recover files, but I don't have much hope.

Get a usb external hard drive.
Use any number or hard drive backup programs to back up to it.
When hard drive crashes, run the restore program.

Its pretty easy to figure out if you read up a little.

$

thanks

Cheaper way would be to get an internal harddrive to USB connector. That way you don't have to deal with enclosures and stuff.

http://www.emtcompany.com/products/a...pter-cable.htm

$14.95

If you have a desktop computer and have a network setup you can move ur files to your desktop computer, then move them back after you have the new hard drive.