How to replace a laptop hard drive

Replacing the hard drive in most laptops is almost as easy as selling popcorn in a movie theater. Just follow the simple steps listed below. 

Note: Replacing a laptop hard drive typically requires removing several tiny Phillips head screws. These screws are very easy to lose, so make sure you keep up with them throughout the entire procedure.

1 – Disconnect everything that’s attached to the laptop. This includes all USB cables, flash drives, external monitors, external speakers and such.

2 – Turn the laptop over and remove the battery.

3 – Locate the small rectangular panel that covers the hard drive bay and remove it. This typically involves removing one or more tiny Phillips head screws and then gently prying the cover out of it’s slot. Be careful not to break the cover or any other part of the laptop.

4 – Remove the tiny screws that hold the hard drive in place, then slide the drive in the direction opposite the connector. Once the drive is free of the connector, simply lift it out of the bay.

5 – If the drive is mounted in a supporting bracket, remove the screws holding the drive in the bracket, then remove the drive from the bracket.

6 – Remove the new drive from its packaging and install it by reversing steps 1-5.

That’s all there is to it. It really is a relatively simple process.

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