How to get new IDE (PATA) HDD for my T40?

[John H]

The ancient OS's on my venerable T40 need to be upgraded, and that means a new PATA or IDE HDD for it.

I ASSUME I can't use a SATA drive.

But I can't find 120-160gb PATA drives anymore! What should I do?

[underclocker]

Start here --> http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/powerSear ... &display=N

SATA, no, but there are PATA drives available up to 320GB! And the 320GB drive is only $93 delivered.

[sjthinkpader]

...
But I can't find 120-160gb PATA drives anymore! What should I do?

What do you mean? They are available at Fry's, Western Digital, both 160GB and 250GB.

[freerange]

Here are 7 (6 with free s/h). If you read through the reviews, several even mention that they were swapped into T4x series.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLi ... rchInDesc=

[thinkpad1]

Sorry to interrupt. Just noticed this thread and a few other similar threads regarding buying a new (IDE) HDD for T4x series.

I have a T41 with the stock 40 GB HDD. I was curious about the WD Scorpio 160 GB drive but now I've read that you can get a 320 GB drive?

Anyway, if I was interested in the 160 GB IDE HDD (I can buy it locally), what do you do about the OS?

I suppose you can clone the one from the current drive and 'copy' it over to your new drive?

Sounds like a lot of work but if you customize your own Windows install, what can you do? If anything? There can only be one Windows install (license is on the bottom of the Thinkpad, right?) so you could re-install and use the license/registration info on the bottom for the install? You might have to call Microsoft but you have all the info you need on the Thinkpad? That would mean you couldn't use the 40 GB drive again with Windows (well, you know what I mean?) but at least you have a larger HDD with a new Windows install?

I was just curious about it. I like the installation on the current HDD but I would be interested in a larger capacity drive but I'm not sure I want to fool around with these image/ACRONIS type of cloning/copying your OS install to another drive. I guess I could try it but it's probably easier to re-install?

Anyway, this is interesting stuff and I am just wondering about the options if I upgrade to a new HDD for my T41. I also wonder whether you need to do anything in the BIOS or whether it will just 'accept' the new drive? Something tells me that the capacity is larger than the largest stock drive (I think I read it's 80 GB) so what needs to be done? I know I should google or search the forums but thought I'd ask anyway. Perhaps, there are various opinions on this that are more up to date (more time to have many experiences and experiments?)?

[sjthinkpader]

Cloning is actually easiest since it will give you exact same image as before, drivers, utilities, SW, data and all. Installing OS from the ground up typically takes many more hours even with an experienced technician.

Not quite sure about the 320GB version, 160GB and 250GB PATA WD drives are readily available in retail.

[thinkpad1]

Cloning is actually easiest since it will give you exact same image as before, drivers, utilities, SW, data and all. Installing OS from the ground up typically takes many more hours even with an experienced technician.

Not quite sure about the 320GB version, 160GB and 250GB PATA WD drives are readily available in retail.

Good points! So, use something like this?:

http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/pr ... trueimage/

I don't know what other options there are as I haven't read up on this yet.

I'm not too keen on trying the 'free trial' since the cloning is pretty hard core although I don't really have a lot of data on my laptop yet.

[schen]

Not quite sure about the 320GB version, 160GB and 250GB PATA WD drives are readily available in retail.

Good points! So, use something like this?:

http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/pr ... trueimage/

I don't know what other options there are as I haven't read up on this yet.

I'm not too keen on trying the 'free trial' since the cloning is pretty hard core although I don't really have a lot of data on my laptop yet.[/quote]

I've used a few cloning products over the years and the Acronis has been a no-brainer. I've used the "Free Trail" version (as I'm sure other on this forum has) with good results. Enough so that I bought a full version. I'd definitely recommend their product, either way.

[John H]

I finally found a 160gb IDE ($80) at Frys, installed it, installed a WinXP from the original CD (because the old one was forked), then installed ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid) with separate partition for '/home'. The ubuntu works fine, but the XP is lame: no WiFi and slow generic screen graphics. Oh oh, I forgot that a clean XP requires re-installing the hatfull of DRIVERs from IBM/Lenova, so I've gotta do that, yet. I thought I had all those drivers in a nice folder someplace but now I can't find it.

I cloned an XP system a couple years ago with Acronis and it worked great. But my old XP on the T40 was NG so I started over. I was thinking of cloning the Very Good XP on my T60 (then adjusting as necessary for the T40 differences) but I thought it might be too much hassle. I think I can make the T40 XP as good as the T60 XP by doing what did on the T60: turn off IE, ActiveX and Flash: no more viruses, no more mysterious action.

For cloning I was also thinking of using 'Gparted' to copy the XP partition, which I think I've done before. Easier than Acronis.

I also tried Windows own method for migrating to a new system, a couple years ago, but that was horrible and never did work right.

Actually, I'm using the old T40 at this moment, on the ubuntu partition (which works best) from a coffee shop. I was worried about getting a hernia from carrying the T60 to the coffee shop, thought of getting a netbook, then realized that the T40 is about half the weight and runs like a jack rabbit with a new HDD and cleaner OSes, and it's true.

[fje]

Hi, let me put a drop of experience.

I bought a 250Gb HDD PATA drive for my T42, and it works succesfully. The only thing to be careful is the way you do the cloning. I had many troubles till I got suggestion of using Acronis software and to put the old HDD connected to the USB, the new one as the primary HDD and to boot the system from the Acronis CD.

Look at:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=72891

Be also aware of the possible 2010 error with 320Gb. There are several threads in this forum about it.

Rgds and good luck.

[RealBlackStuff]

Be also aware of the possible 2010 error with 320Gb.

The 2010 error only applies to T43/T43p and R52.