More space

[frostyspecs]

I was wondering if it possible to obtain more space on a laptop by removing the hard drive and buying a new one. Is this possible?
Or, buy another laptop as I see in todays Sunday times one can buy a new laptop for �99, also �120 1nd another at �200. I know that the scree is only 7.5"

[Ethel]

I know you have an external hard drive. Plug it in!!!

What laptop do you have? Most can have a second or larger hard drive.

I suspect that the laptops you have seen advertised at that price do not use Windows, but use a different operating system - Linux, which is free. Great for the adventurous, daunting otherwise.

[vehelpfulguy]

You CAN replace the hard drive in most laptops. But then you have the problem of HOW to get all the files (Windows and all your personal files) from your old hard drive to your new hard drive.

Once you have taken the old hard drive out and put the new hard drive in you cannot start the laptop because the drive is empty, so how do you copy everything from the old hard drive?

You could reinstall Windows from scratch, but if you cannot even use an external hard drive I think the chances of you reinstalling Windows may be quite low.

[vehelpfulguy]

There are products that allow you to copy or clone a hard disk so you can upgrade to a large hard disk.

One product is Acronis True Image
http://www.acronis.co.uk/homecomputing/product s/trueimage/

But to use this you would need to plug in your external hard drive, then use Acrnois to copy the contents of your current hard drive to the external drive.

You then put in your NEW hard drive, then use Acronis again to copy the image from your external drive to your new drive.

[ACtheTROLL]

You un this case you can't use acronis with a USB drive ....
(it's not "allowed" to install windows to usb - SO IT WON'T)

It's one of the many Gotchas with laptops.

frosty .... you have my sympathy ... (esp now ethel is on your case !!!!! [but she's right you know .... you need to persist and learn to use it])

You need to learn the difference between programs and data

programs (word, notepad etc) are used to create data.
it's generally better if your progs are installed on the system disc.

the data can basically be stored anywhere.
when you do a "save as" you need to select a folder on the USB drive rather than just accepting the default.

It's quite easy to move the My Documents folder to another location .... but it's unwise to make that location a USB drive (windows gets jumpy if My Docs goes is missing)

[rojash]

The easiest way is if your external drive is 2.5 inch. Then you just need to image to the external drive. After creating the image, swap the drive in the external case with the drive in the laptop, and fanny's yer aunt!

[The Builder]

Please please please Frosty.....................go and buy yourself a copy of "Windows for Dummies"...............the title is a bit of a misnomer.......................It really is excellent...:o)

[frostyspecs]

Many thanks for all the comments. I`m confused, baffled a
nd wish computors were never evolved. To "The Builder"I did have a coppy oy the Dummies Book but lent it to my Grandaughter about 3 years back and that was it. Howevr I have a copy of "The Complete Idiots Guide" but that is useless, so looks like I will have to spend more money on the yellow one.
A further point is the OS on the cheepies is Linux. Some say brillient others cr.. So a Idiot like me re pcs are more than confused. I cannot win

[ACtheTROLL]

obviously the complete idiot's guide is no good because your not!

I'm guessing however that you are a bit of a novice (although if you had the dummies book 3 years ago .... what's the story there?)

windows, mac, linux .... they pretty much all do the same job..... shifting to linux isn't going to improve your skill level

the niceties are different (verrrrrry different) ...

but the point click - files and folders, USB, CD/DVD
are broadly speaking the same .....

they all need a propper period of sitting down, and getting stuck in.

the best incentive is to have a job to do .....

a recovery disc is a godsend .... because if after 3 months you haven't bug**ered up your system ... you haven't being experimenting.

take it steady .... don't throw it through the window ... and you can't permanently damage it .... just make sure you have the recovery disc