INSTALLING A NEW HARD DRIVE ON MY ACER LAPTOP. IS THIS DIY

[Nicetoseeyoutoseeyounice]

My laptop is 'BROKEN'. Ok my it wasnt booting up and to cut a long story short it has been looked at by 2 different people and I am told I need a new hard drive. As I not desperate and have the PC I am using now I was wondering if I can install this hard drive myself or is it only for the 'specialists'.
I have been reading on the net about how to install etc on some sites it definately only a job for the technically gifted, but on others it seems quite simple.
Can I do this myself with help of DITNOT ?????

 

[wanleg]

Usually the hard drive is quite easy to physically replace....do you know what to do once you have physically replaced the drive ?

Which model laptop and which operating system are you running ?

Are you sure you have the required operating system/recovery disk(s) to reload once a new drive is fitted ?

 

[dave.m]

Some instructions here

dave

 

[Nicetoseeyoutoseeyounice]

Thank you for the replies.
The instructions you say to follow are pretty much what I have already read but I honestly could not believe it could be that simple (well, simplish).
My laptop is an Acer Aspire 5630, it is 64bit and I was, running Windows Vista.
Now, would I have to reinstall Vista or can I change to XP. Also if I do have to install Vista, foolishly I did not make a recovery cd or back up when I got the laptop so now I do not have a recovery cd, but again, from I read I think I can purchase one of these if neccessary, although I would prefer Windows XP to run on it.
The swopping the hard drive bit dosnt seem too bad, its the things you have to do after you have installed it that worry me. Is it quite a straight forward process????

 

[tim west]

having an Acer backup disk is not the same as having the OS disks the acer one is an image file that needs the necessary cd boot drivers that youd need to install on the new drive first

 

[Nicetoseeyoutoseeyounice]

Hello Mr West. After much trawling I have found this link:

http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery-disc-download/

It says all I have to do is burn onto CD or DVD. Would this be what I need?

 

[mattylad]

Sounds about right.
You may be needing an install key though

 

[Nicetoseeyoutoseeyounice]

What is an install key? also would I be able to install XP or does it have to be Vista?

 

[Nicetoseeyoutoseeyounice]

Sorry please excuse my ignorance. The install I know is the key code number which I would hopefully get when I download. Now I know what you mean about if I download Vista I would need this number.
I havnt thought of that but I am sure I would find out when I download. It dosnt seem to cost much to download so maybe they send you one, I would have to find out.
So as the process seems simple enough to install a new hard drive, what is the process once this is installed??

 

[macro01]

when you have installed the HDD, boot up with the DVD you got and install it. put the install key and applicable settings for vista. i think that's it