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 (http://www.overclock.net/t/1117919/getting-pxe-e61-tes-failure-on-startup). 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 (http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=210_267&products_id=14878) 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 :p

Thanks,
Sam

[Brute]

Had the same problem with my Toshiba, they replaced it with a Samsung one.

[savage1987]

Thanks.

Seems a fairly common problem with them. Hopefully BIOS plays the game when I throw a new HDD in it.

[dmwill]

Yeah, any typical 2.5" HDD will suit - Samsung, WD, Seagate etc.

Depending on the budget and use - a SSD may be more reliable assuming that the existing HDD died due to a result of a hard life being thrown around etc. Capacity is limited however.

[savage1987]

Don't think it'll be within budget, will keep SSD technologies for my next desktop PC build! *rubs hands together*



Cheers for the info mate appreciate it

[masTers]

On this topic, are there many options to recover data from the faulty HDD?

[dmwill]

Depends what you mean by faulty - it it works for a while then shits it's self, throw it in a snap lock bag and keep in the the freezer for a few hours.

Failing that: http://www.elcotronics.com.au/

Looking at $1500-3000 however.

[savage1987]

How does that freezer trick work dmwill? Just a temporary solution, or induce some sort of hardware change? Is it like the putting circuit boards in the oven trick? :)

[dmwill]

I've never really known why to be honest, they just work better when cold. We have done it on a few client's HDDs that have failed, mixed success - some might last just that little bit longer so you have enough time to pull required data off, some not so.

[Lonewolf]

temporary solution, only gets a few minutes of use (if it works at all) until it heats back up.