The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    upgrading an alienware

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by air_max, Jun 19, 2007.

  1. air_max

    air_max Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    15
    Messages:
    155
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I'm looking into buying the m5550 notebook from alienware and hoping to save a little cash by buying upgrades instead of paying the inflated prices on the website. I'm looking to upgrade the memory and the harddrive, but I'm a little worried about upgrading the harddrive.

    Alienware has a how-to for installing harddrives for the m5550 at their support site, Id post a link but it wont work for some reason.

    What I'm worried about is buying the right harddrive. Is there anything I should look out for? Im hoping to pick up any 100 GB 7200 rpm drive. Thanks for any help!
     
  2. illmatic2609

    illmatic2609 Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    104
    Messages:
    909
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
  3. Zero

    Zero The Random Guy

    Reputations:
    422
    Messages:
    2,720
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    The M5550 uses 2.5" SATA drives. IDE drives will not work in the notebook. Newegg, linked by illmatic2609, is a great website to get computer parts of, and those hard drives listed in that link, will work fine with your notebook.
     
  4. panteedropper

    panteedropper Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    97
    Messages:
    1,015
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    any 2.5inch SATA hard drive will work. if i'm not mistaking, alienware uses hitachi drives, but a seagate, western digital or maxtor will work just fine.
     
  5. Zero

    Zero The Random Guy

    Reputations:
    422
    Messages:
    2,720
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Hitachi and Seagate offer some of the fastest 100 GB 7200 RPM disks, and Samsung's hard disks are also very fast and reliable. Fujitsu drives tend to be more focussed toward quietness, rather than speed.