Some Ultrabay questions for my R61

[JimP77]

I am thinking about swapping out my optical drive and putting a HDD in the Ultrabay slot because I am running out of HDD capacity. I have a 160GB 7200 RPM drive in the main drive bay now and only have about 15 GB left on it.

First question, according to thinkwiki I need a "Ultrabay Enhanced" caddy for the hard drive and it will accommadate drives up to 12.7mm high. The web site I quote from is here http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Ultrabay

Can you confirm this? Where do I get one?

Next, I read at the same thinkwiki site that this is "hot swappable". Not sure what this means. Does it mean that I can swap out the HDD and put the optical drive back in quickly (i.e. while the computer is powered on and running) ?

Any recommendations on hard drives? I don't think I want to go SDD at this time on this computer

Finally, I have Windows XP Pro....should I upgrade now and would you go to Win 7 Pro with XP Mode or Win 8 Pro?

Thanks, Jim

[RealBlackStuff]

You could go the Ultrabay route, but it would make more sense to by a 500GB, 750GB, or even 1TB 2.5" drive.
Around $100.- at Newegg.
Then download the trial version of Acronis True Image and transfer your current HD over.
Put old HD in a USB enclosure, new HD in the main bay and off you go.
For an Ultrabay adapter, contact forum member TuuS.

[JimP77]

Good ideas...I would get a 500GB drive so which drive would you recommend?

Thanks,
Jim

[RealBlackStuff]

My personal choice would be: Samsung, WD, Seagate, in this order, but YMMV.
A good 5400rpm HD is almost as fast as a 7200rpm nowadays.
5400rpm should produce less heat.