When the Hard Drive Dies
Between yesterday and today, I replaced my hard drive on my home PC, and re-installed windows and all my programs. I was lucky and knew it was dying thanks to a big fat S.M.A.R.T. error that showed up every time I rebooted. I was able to get set up for the death of a hard drive much easier that way. There are a few things I learned, that may help people who need to switch out a hard drive on their comps.
It may seem obvious, but keep your files backed up. Not all the time you will know ahead of time the thing is going to die. I didn't lose years of pictures, writings, homework assignments, my e-mail list, and all that thanks to being prepared.
If you have two hard drives, and have room, transfer your pictures and documents over to the second hard drive. Takes about ten seconds to send a gig to another hard drive. Takes about ten minutes to transfer a gig from a DVD-R.
If the original hard drive still works, create a new windows user with adminstrator status. Log on as that user, and delete all the other accounts. Windows asks you if you want a folder of all that accounts documents on your desktop. Say yes. It will give you a nice archive of files as a back up. It will save all files on the desktop, and in the documents folder of that user. (I backed up all those files on DVD-R and my second hard drive)
Keep all your program CD's in a cd flip folder/case thingy. Its a lot easier to take and just load stuff up in order, than it is to search out this disk and that disk. I also keep the activation numbers in the sleeve with the cd. If you need any other info on that specific disk, write it down on a piece of paper, or on the disk itself. I have a program I love to use from an old burner I bought, that is long dead. I wouldn't think to load that software on the comp, because that hardware is long dead. On the cd it says the name of the program I like, and want to install.
Secret is, keep organized, backed up, and leave yourself notes in the most obvious locations. It will make the death of a hard drive a little bit easier.
It may seem obvious, but keep your files backed up. Not all the time you will know ahead of time the thing is going to die. I didn't lose years of pictures, writings, homework assignments, my e-mail list, and all that thanks to being prepared.
If you have two hard drives, and have room, transfer your pictures and documents over to the second hard drive. Takes about ten seconds to send a gig to another hard drive. Takes about ten minutes to transfer a gig from a DVD-R.
If the original hard drive still works, create a new windows user with adminstrator status. Log on as that user, and delete all the other accounts. Windows asks you if you want a folder of all that accounts documents on your desktop. Say yes. It will give you a nice archive of files as a back up. It will save all files on the desktop, and in the documents folder of that user. (I backed up all those files on DVD-R and my second hard drive)
Keep all your program CD's in a cd flip folder/case thingy. Its a lot easier to take and just load stuff up in order, than it is to search out this disk and that disk. I also keep the activation numbers in the sleeve with the cd. If you need any other info on that specific disk, write it down on a piece of paper, or on the disk itself. I have a program I love to use from an old burner I bought, that is long dead. I wouldn't think to load that software on the comp, because that hardware is long dead. On the cd it says the name of the program I like, and want to install.
Secret is, keep organized, backed up, and leave yourself notes in the most obvious locations. It will make the death of a hard drive a little bit easier.
posted by Michael at 11/14/2004 09:00:00 PM
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