Will HDD upgrade work?

[Wess Uddiin]

My computer is gradually getting slower and slower, and at the moment, unless and until I overclock it using ThrottleStop, it doesn't run with acceptable speed, but then it has heat issues and I have to run a juggling act.

A few months ago I ran a few hard drive tests and ran into missing allocation sectors or something of the sort. My Chkdsk is corrupted or smth and doesn't work.

My main question is, would buying a new harddrive (7200 Rpm , upgrading from 5400 rpm) help the issue and if so what's the easiest way to back all my data up into the new one before I install including windows (I do not have a windows disk )


Toshiba Satellite L755
4.0 GB RAM (2.7 usable is sometimes written when I check up)
1.5 GB/s Intel i5 processor that I overclock to 2.4 ish when I can without overheating
5400 Rpm 500 GB HDD (SATA I'd guess)
Intel HD Graphics 3000

 

[Tradesman1]

If drive is going bad can slow things up, if you try a new HD, look for 7200 RPM instead of the current 5400 RPM

 

[cuecuemore]

You'll see a speed increase if you get a 7200 RPM drive, but most of it will be from a new install of Windows, the faster drive will just be a bonus. Computers don't slow down or degrade, they either work or they don't (for the most part). What changes is all of the bloatware and how things are arranged on the drive.

 

[Tom Tancredi]

Okay bad news: Yes your HDD is failing, so you need to replace it. Did you check with Toshiba to make sure it is out of warranty? Sometimes they do replace them because HDDs are supposed to be 24-36months before earliest failures.

Good news: Yeah upgrading to a 7200RPM is great way to improve responsiveness in a system, so if you can replace it with one, yes. Problem is one of the main manufacturers stopped making 7200RPMs and instead makes 5400RPMS with SSD front end now (called a SSHDD) so don't think your getting a SSD when you aren't.

More Bad News: Do not have a Window Disk: Then you need to either get Toshiba (for a fee) to send you one, since it was an authorized sale through them, or you need to buy a New Windows DVD from Microsoft (only version 8 - YUCK is authorized to be sold). Don't trust Ebay or such, it be better if you could find a local computer store that may have Windows 7 still sellable.

And now for more Bad / Complicated news: Your best solution to recover any data (very highly doubtful it looks like you lost (corrupted) all or most of it anyway) from the 'old' drive would be setup the new drive first, get that all nice and setup with all your apps and so on. Get a USB/SATA connector (or external case) and connect the old drive. Now you can get to your My Documents, My Pics, etc. BUT YOU CAN'T DRAG OVER PROGRAMS. They have too many parts in too many directories that you can't find, you have to reinstall them from scratch (have all those license keys around I hope).

 

[Wess Uddiin]

alright.

Well the HDD isn't dead, I'm working from it now and it does run somewhat OK, but it's getting a bit slow despite being hyper optimized (the only reason it's actually snappy atm is that).

I already have a few 7200s from trusted dealers for cheap on amazon singled out, looking at particular at a Hitachi 7200 RPM 500 GB.

The Windows issue seems to be big though, going to have to call Toshiba or grab a Windows 7 (8 and Vista definitely not my cup of tea)

 

[Tradesman1]

Do you have access to an external drive? If so can clone your HD (OS and all to a partition on the external, the when you get the new drive move the cloned copy to your new hard drive, run a registry cleaner, reinstall your mobo drivers and be back up and running without buying a new copy of Win

 

[cuecuemore]

You don't necessarily have to buy a disc or clone, you can download a Windows 7 disc image that corresponds to the version you're using and reinstall using the key that came with the laptop. This is PERFECTLY LEGAL, and the easiest thing to do, in my estimation.