Toshiba Satellite HDD replacement

[savage1987]

I have a Satellite C650D here, model no: PSC16A-02U011, it belongs to someone else and came to me with a problem - it wouldn't boot. I agreed to have a look at it.

After a straight swap of HDDs with a working HP Pavilion DV4, the DV4 gave a 'no bootable device' error on startup so I concluded a faulty HDD.

I am wondering now what HDD options are available for the replacement drive - genuine Toshiba only, or any manufacturer's 2.5in drive such as this one with similar specs 5400rpm/320GB - and are there any tricks I need to be aware of when switching in a brand new unit? Google seems to tell me a lot of people have problems with doing this.

Any information appreciated - I don't want to vegetable somebody else's laptop .... mind you, can't get much worse than refusing to boot really can it

Thanks,
Sam

[wraith]

A hard drive is a hard drive doesn't matter which brand. I wouldn't give much hope getting the persons data off the old hard drive though.

[savage1987]

No, she said I was all clear to wipe it anyway if need be - doesn't need any of it.

[wraith]

Well that's good. Wack a new hard drive in reinstall windows + drivers and away you go.

[savage1987]

Just to be sure, I set up the suspect HDD as a master in a PC I know works fine, and BIOS doesn't even see it.

Pretty happy it's screwed.

Just want to test a spare good drive in the problem laptop to be 100% sure it'll fix it, have one here somewhere.

[Astranomical]

For what its worth, I'd make sure that the replacement drive isn't another Toshiba. In my experience, while Toshiba laptops are very good, the hard drives are the biggest heaps of shit you can buy. I usually buy either Seagate or WD.

[savage1987]

Will take that on board, thanks.

Probably going with this one for ease of ordering and value for moneys

[Astranomical]

Yeah, the Scorpio Blue is a good drive...though I'd probably go for a 7200rpm unit rather than a 5400

[uniacidz]

I usually do go seagate relentlessly, but lately have issues.

Main desktop drive died after 6months, External Freeagent drive stuffed and also Western Digital/Maxtor external drive is stuffed

Friend uses Samsung and for both external and desktop/lappy drive. Not one issue.

I was a fan of seagate, cautious on them now

[savage1987]

Yeah, the Scorpio Blue is a good drive...though I'd probably go for a 7200rpm unit rather than a 5400

I thought about it but the one that came out is a 5400rpm 320 so it won't be any worse... and they want it fixed on somewhat of a budget so the Blue fits the bill there