Using IBM Restore disks with new hard drive Thinkpad R51

[jerry12]

I would like to install a new hard disk drive 120 GB in my IBM ThinkPad R51 1831au2... I would like to replace the original Toshiba IDE 40GB Laptop Hard Drive MK4025GASL

This is the new drive I would like to use:

Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD1200BEVE 120GB 5400 RPM 8MB Cache 2.5" PATA Internal Notebook Hard Drive -Bare Drive

or this drive:

Western Digital Scorpio Blue WD800BEVE 80GB 5400 RPM 8MB Cache 2.5" PATA Notebook Hard Drive -Bare Drive

Will the IBM Restore CD set of 7 CDs, (I have Win XP Pro) work to reinstall on the new Hard Disk, once I replace the old Hard Disk Drive?

NOTE: I would prefer to not to image the old hard drive onto the new one, and rather prefer to install Windows XP through the Restore CD set of 7 CDs.

Will I have trouble reinstalling Windows through the IBM Restore CDs because I have a new Hard Disk that is different than the original drive. NOTE: I had this problem on an old Packard Bell PC when I changed the hard disk to a different model of Hard Disk Drive, it needed a retail version of a Windows Install CD in order to reinstall Windows on the new drive. Will this happen with the IBM Thinkpad R51?

All in all, the reason I want to change the Hard Disk Drive is because I want to escape the chance of a Hard Disk Drive crash on the old drive as it is already quite old, and I don't have any idea how much longer it will still be functioning (I bought this laptop second hand). I figure that by changing and upgrading to a new drive I can avoid this calamity from happening in the near future. And I can save my old hard drive for an emergency in case I ever have trouble with the new one in future.

Thank you for any advice... sincerely jerry

[rkawakami]

Welcome to thinkpads.com!

The restore disks will work on any new drive you install in the R51.