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    Need advice on notebook upgrade

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by whattheheck, Mar 4, 2006.

  1. whattheheck

    whattheheck Newbie

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    I have a Sharp Actius AV18. It has been functioning very well for nearly 2 years now. Over the last 2 weeks, the hard disk makes a loud noise (rotating disc sound) as soon as I turn on the notebook. The noise stops after about 5 min and things are fine after that. This is the system profile:

    1. Motherboard: SHARP Corporation PC-AV18 1.0, Bus Clock: 266 megahertz
    BIOS: Phoenix Technologies LTD 6.00 1.19.00U 04/15/2003
    2. HDD: HITACHI_DK23EA-40 [Hard drive] (40.01 GB) -- drive 0, s/n D14442, rev
    00K3A0A1
    3. External Drive: MAT****A UJDA750 DVD/CDRW [CD-ROM drive]
    4. Communications: Lucent Technologies Soft Modem AMR
    1394 Net Adapter
    Cisco Systems VPN Adapter
    Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast Ethernet NIC

    I want to:
    A. Upgrade the HDD to 80GB or more.
    B. Upgrade the CD-ROM drive into a DVD writer.
    C. Install a wireless network card (currently i use a USB wirless drive).

    Can anyone suggest me some options that I have and where to get them from?

    Thanks in advance.
    Harshman
     
    whattheheck, Mar 4, 2006
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  2. coriolis

    coriolis Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Not sure if you can add a mini-PCI card to it, it may not have an internal slot reserved for it. I'd search around or call Sharp for details.

    The HD should be easy, but I'd also look to see if BIOs restricts the maximum amount of HD Space.

    As for the optical drive, I would just get an external one, I would assume it would be more expensive and harder to find and install a foreign optical drive.

    First I'd call Sharp and inquire.

    Best of luck.
     
    coriolis, Mar 4, 2006
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