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    Hard-Drive/SSD upgrade help?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by mets3214, Oct 9, 2011.

  1. mets3214

    mets3214 Notebook Consultant

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    I have a Sony Vaio CW with a 320GB 5400RPM hard-drive. I desperately want some more space and some more speed. What is the best hard-drive I can get around 750GB and 7200RPM. Since I barely use my optical drive, can I just replace it with a hard-drive and then replace my current hard-drive with a small SSD? I would love to have blu-ray on my laptop though, I think that if I opt to go for the SSD/HDD combo that I wouldl get an external drive. What external blu-ray drives to you guys recommend? Thanks...
     
    mets3214, Oct 9, 2011
    #1
  2. tilleroftheearth

    tilleroftheearth Wisdom listens quietly...

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    Single HDD: Hitachi 7K750 750GB model.

    Single SSD: Intel 510 Series 250GB model or Intel 320 Series 300GB model.

    SSD+HDD combo: Intel 320 Series 160GB (or larger) + Hitachi 7K750 750GB model.


    With the SSD+HDD combo, I recommend to install Windows with the Users folder on the D: drive (the HDD in this case) as well as limiting the capacity of the SSD to 100GB or less (which aids in sustained performance over time and contributes to a much lower WA (write amplification factor) which extends the life of the nand as much as possible).

    See:
    http://forum.notebookreview.com/har...rades/608752-hdd-partitioning-help-500gb.html


    See the above thread on moving the Users folder to a different drive/partition starting with post #3.

    Good luck.
     
    tilleroftheearth, Oct 9, 2011
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  3. tijo

    tijo Sacred Blame

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    If you find the Intel drives too expensive, the crucial M4 is a good drive as well. Not as reliable as the Intel, but still a very good one.

    I second the 7K750 HDD recommendation, the scorpio black is also a very good drive if you don't mind the extra noise.
     
    tijo, Oct 9, 2011
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  4. SlickDude80

    SlickDude80 Notebook Prophet

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    i like the western digital black and the M4 combo
     
    SlickDude80, Oct 10, 2011
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  5. garyfl

    garyfl Notebook Consultant

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    +1 on the M4, i find it very reliable, very fast too. for best results id go with a 750gb momentus.
     
    garyfl, Oct 14, 2011
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  6. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

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    I own a Scorpio Black 750, 500 and 320 GB, none are noticeably noisy.
     
    Tsunade_Hime, Oct 14, 2011
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  7. Mihael Keehl

    Mihael Keehl Notebook Evangelist

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    I recently got the Samsung 470 256GB SSD, I think that's a really great SSD, my laptop is much snappier and faster because of it. It only cost me about $270 + shipping as for space, I would recommend either buying an external enclosure and getting the Caviar Green 3TB drive or if you want to replace your ODD, then get the WD 750GB 7200RPM. But since you aren't going to boot from it, I don't think the spin speed is that important.
     
    Mihael Keehl, Oct 14, 2011
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