Gateway Parts

How do I install a hard drive in my notebook computer?

My old hard drive is cooked, for the most part. I bought a new Western Digital hard drive from Best Buy. I know how to install it with the screws and stuff, but once it's in there, my computer isn't recognizing it. What do I need to do to finish mounting/installing it so that the computer recognizes it and boots? I'm just trying to save some money without having to take it to professionals. Thanks!

Public Comments

1. is it plugged in propperly? it may be shorting out somehow, check all connections and get back to me. if not, update your bios.
2. Are you sure you bought the right kind of hard drive for your laptop? Did it fit nicely into the hard drive caddy? When you put it back in the computer, did it feel like it connected properly? Remember, your computer won't boot to a new hard drive. You'll need to boot to the windows install CD, which will detect and format your new drive. (Sorry, my initial response didn't notice the "notebook" part of your question).
3. Check in BIOS if the HDD is recognized. If you are sure that you installed the hard drive correctly, install a system on it.
4. rightclick My Computer then click manage. Then click Disk management. Choose the drive with no file system on it..and create a partition. Once done, format it and it should instantly appear in mycomputer as an empty drive.
5. go into the bios, and change the settings for boot from drive to ide cd rom. then install os cd, then reboot and press enter when asked to boot from cd/dvd. install will format and partition drive for you...
6. open behind, or under the lap top. and hook up the cable to the hard drive...
7. If BIOS does not reconize it, it is most likely dead. If BIOS reads it, but you cant format it, you would need to use the Western Digital HDD setup utility.
8. Is it a Dell? Dell laptops have a special connector attached to the hard drive connector. The pins on the connector connect the hard drive electronics to the rest of the laptop. Look at your old hard drive. Compare it to the new one that you have mounted in the special holder. You see the difference? Just a black strip with pins. Pull it off really carefully. Don't bend any pins. A tiny bit of wiggling is ok to get it off the old drive. Eventually it will come off. Then carefully slide it on the new drive. Make sure the power connector is disconnected. Take the battery out so there is NO POWER before proceeding. [ Put on some slow dance music before proceeding...] Now when you put it back in the laptop you should feel slight resistance when you slide it in. Then reattach the screws, put the battery back in, connect the power cable and boot up. Start in the BIOS (F2 or F10). Make sure that BIOS detects the hard drive (you should see the make and model). If you see the drive, go on as you would otherwise.