Upgrading Computer

CobraKill · June 16, 2013, 04:43:21 PM

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. I'm looking to purchase an SSD for my laptop. It's hard because there's just so much to take into account.

My first thing up is size. Do you think 120Gb is enough? I have a 150Gb drive now and have 77Gb of free Space, so I think 120 is enough.

Second Issue is copying. I want to copy my entire HDD to the SDD and make it the main drive in my laptop. Do I need the SSD to be the same size as the HDD?

Finally, I'm looking for something to max out SATA II. So having Read and Write greater than 300 Mbs/s would be ideal. Would IOPS be limited by SATA II though?

I'm trying to stay as cheap as I can and I definitely need to be under $200.

EDIT: I'm looking at this one: http://www.microcenter.com/product/390989/HyperX_3K_SH103S3-120G_120GB_SATA_6Gb-s_25_Internal_Solid_State_Drive_(SSD)_with_SandForce_SF-2281_Controller

asmussen · June 16, 2013, 05:59:39 PM

You do not need to get an SSD of the exact same size as your current hard drive. There are methods of copying that don't involve a straight one for one byte copy from the old device to the new device. One of the easiest ways to do the transfer is to use a kit like this one:

http://www.crucial.com/store/partspecs.aspx?IMODULE=CTLAPINSTALLAC

That's the kit I used when I converted my gaming rig from a regular hard drive to an ssd, although there may be others. It comes with an adapter that you use on the ssd drive (Only works for ssd's, since usb wouldn't provide enough power to power the drive motor on a regular hard drive), converting it temporarily into a usb attached disk. Then, you run the software on the CD that comes with the kit, and it automatically copies all of the data off of your hard drive onto the ssd, and it handles details like the drives being of different sizes automatically. The only catch is that your ssd has to be larger than the amount of USED disk space on the hard drive you are copying from. This of course, is only a potential issue when copying to an ssd that is smaller than your hard drive. If you're going bigger, it's not something you have to take into account. Once it finishes its work, you just shut down the computer, remove the hard drive, replace it with the ssd, and when you turn it back on it'll boot the same OS that was on the hard drive, just as if it had always been installed on the ssd. Worked like a charm for me, with no hiccups.

mpete · June 16, 2013, 07:48:29 PM

If you want even more stuff to consider, i think form factor needs to be the same for changeing parts inside a laptop. not sure about the rest so thats all I have to say.

asmussen · June 16, 2013, 09:00:05 PM

Quote from: mpete on June 16, 2013, 07:48:29 PM
If you want even more stuff to consider, i think form factor needs to be the same for changeing parts inside a laptop. not sure about the rest so thats all I have to say.

This is true, but virtually all current SSDs and laptop hard drives are in the 2.5" form factor, so although it's something to keep in mind, it's also not likely to be much of an issue, so long as the laptop uses a SATA interface for its hard drive.

Grauniad · June 21, 2013, 11:19:41 AM

@Blaze: Here's a HD 7770 for $85 after $20 rebate. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121633&cm_sp=DailyDeal-_-14-121-633-_-Product

Daily deal. Today, or you'll have to wait for the next one to roll around. Asus is one of the best brands around.

Blaze · June 21, 2013, 12:45:09 PM

Quote from: Grauniad on June 21, 2013, 11:19:41 AM
@Blaze: Here's a HD 7770 for $85 after $20 rebate. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121633&cm_sp=DailyDeal-_-14-121-633-_-Product

Daily deal. Today, or you'll have to wait for the next one to roll around. Asus is one of the best brands around.

That's the 7750. :D

Grauniad · June 21, 2013, 02:07:15 PM

Ah - my bad. Sorry.

I've noticed that the 7770 seems to be a very popular card. That makes discounts and special deals a bit more scarce. It outperforms the 7750 by a lot.

Blaze · June 21, 2013, 02:38:58 PM

Quote from: Grauniad on June 21, 2013, 02:07:15 PM
Ah - my bad. Sorry.

I've noticed that the 7770 seems to be a very popular card. That makes discounts and special deals a bit more scarce. It outperforms the 7750 by a lot.

I understand why, it's not too expensive and is quite powerful for the price.

Hoping I can score a good deal on the fourth of July.
My dad would actually buy everything now, I'm the reason I don't have it yet, trying to save him money. :D

Grauniad · June 25, 2013, 03:24:59 PM

Blaze: Go for it: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131477

$80 after the rebate. Power Color is a reasonable brand. Not top tier, but not shoddy.

And more: If you are new to Newegg, then here is a $10 off coupon for a first order over $50. :)

http://www.priceblink.com/webcpns/couponslist.php?r=1&c=8225&s=U&utm_source=tb&uid=8203e11e-cd18-ad83-d2ff-9f16c2f3fcfc&ver=3.6.2

Blaze · June 25, 2013, 04:13:12 PM

Quote from: Grauniad on June 25, 2013, 03:24:59 PM
Blaze: Go for it: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131477

$80 after the rebate. Power Color is a reasonable brand. Not top tier, but not shoddy.

And more: If you are new to Newegg, then here is a $10 off coupon for a first order over $50. :)

http://www.priceblink.com/webcpns/couponslist.php?r=1&c=8225&s=U&utm_source=tb&uid=8203e11e-cd18-ad83-d2ff-9f16c2f3fcfc&ver=3.6.2

Thank you!
I've got everything pulled up and will let my dad know once he is home from work.
Working a double shift tonight, so it'll be late.

Total of $199.07 before the rebates, right under my target cost. ;D

Ooh, we lost power, good thing I have my backup battery.
Dang storm...

Update: Just got everything ordered, starting tomorrow I'm going to practice dismantling those old computers while I wait for everything to arrive.
I won't even touch mine until I can take it all apart and put it back together without issue, I can't afford to screw this up...

Blaze · June 26, 2013, 10:50:09 PM

Making this a new post because I need to attach files and it'll bump the thread back up which would be more noticable.
Got in practice dismantling and reassembling a computer, took a few pictures because why not. :D

First picture is everything taken out.

Second picture is the empty case, minus the disk drive, couldn't get it out, unimportant seeing as I've replaced it before.

Third is it reassembled.

Tomorrow I work on a computer I've never seen the inside of, should I take more pictures? :D

Edit: Decided I should give a bit of background on this computer.
It's so old it had a whopping 512 MB of DDR Ram through two 256 MB sticks.

And I was stuck with that thing for two years, and it barely ran YouTube.
I have no idea how I lived, but I supposed Creeper World helped since it could run that most times. :D

Grauniad · June 27, 2013, 02:51:41 PM

Blaze, it it still boots, try downloading a Live CD of Linux Mint and see if you can boot Linux on it. :)

Oh, and as for pictures, get an account at an image hosting site(IMGUR, Flicker, TinyPic, ...) and upload higher-res pictures to there. I can barely make out the details of your stuff.

One more, don't update, posts, it never shows up on the Unread list.

Blaze · June 27, 2013, 04:09:36 PM

Quote from: Grauniad on June 27, 2013, 02:51:41 PM
Blaze, it it still boots, try downloading a Live CD of Linux Mint and see if you can boot Linux on it. :)

Oh, and as for pictures, get an account at an image hosting site(IMGUR, Flicker, TinyPic, ...) and upload higher-res pictures to there. I can barely make out the details of your stuff.

One more, don't update, posts, it never shows up on the Unread list.

Dang, I figured it does show up on the unread.
That's what I get for assuming...

And those should be the high res, just click on them and zoom, works for me at least.
If not then I'll re-up them to my Imgur account and embed the images.

The camera I use isn't the best, but it's the best we have.

Going to work on a second computer I've never seen the inside of in a few hours here.
After a bit, going to try and swap the internal parts into a different case, first I need more practice.

And saying that computer still works, which it should unless I broke something, I can try that.
However may I ask why I would do that? What's the advantage?
It's crazy slow. :D

Grauniad · June 27, 2013, 04:11:07 PM

it's a cheap and cheerful way to validate your work. It can be used as a firewall, a file server or something else linuxy...

Blaze · June 27, 2013, 04:14:31 PM

Quote from: Grauniad on June 27, 2013, 04:11:07 PM
it's a cheap and cheerful way to validate your work. It can be used as a firewall, a file server or something else linuxy...

File server, huh?
I'll have to dig back up that guide I found on how to do that...

And it has XP on it, just need to hook it up and boot it to find out if it works.
Of course, if I put it into service I'll have to wipe the drive.
I used it for awhile, then my mother used it, and she seems to break every computer she touches, or loads all kinds of viruses onto it.