Replacing Hard Drive in HP Pavilion

[pitasmom]

Though I definitely would not classify myself as an ignoramous with regards to computers, I am having the silliest problem. A friend of mine asked me to fix her computer as Windows was not loading - you guessed it "operating system not found". So, first thing I did was asked if her computer was losing any time that she noticed - she had not, but I double checked the CMOS battery just in case - that's ok so the next thing I determined (correctly?) is the hard drive is dead. Great! No problem! I thought. Just replace the hard drive. . . . seemed easy enough until I opened the case! Now for my silly problem - how the heck do I get the hard drive out of the case! It's in a bracket which I can't get out. I don't know what HP was thinking of when they designed this case. I have a hard time with getting my little hands in it I have a hard time wondering how a man could get their hands in there. The computer case is an HP Pavilion 8655C. Could someone please tell me, as precisely as possible, how to get this drive out so I can put another in its place? :confused:

[rangeral]

Don't know the case itself but the box that is holding the drive may have to be removed first before trying to get the drive out or the bracket has a screw on one end possibly, if the case has 2 removable side panels then you have to take both off then or sometimes the front case plastic has to come off as well to unscrew the box.

[bigparsnip]

Is it not worth formating the drive first to try a clean install of windows, as I have on occasion acidentley caused my system to report no opperating system on boot. So try this first, it may save you the bother (and monney) of changing the disk.

[pitasmom]

Thanks for both of your inputs. Actually, with regard to getting the bracket out - that appears to be my problem. I can't get the front of the case off and the other side doesn't come off either since it's holding the motherboard. My friend had told me she had reinstalled Windows at one time which worked for less than two weeks so I believe the hard drive's mechanisms are failing. I, of course, could be wrong. I must say though that trying to get this very large bracket - which is holding the CD-ROM, CD-RW, hard drive and floppy drive - is quite the pain in the neck and I have yet to get it out. I would suggest to anyone considering getting an HP Pavilion, to check out the inside of the case if they think they would want to upgrade anything. In order to even get to the motherboard, the case fan would have to be removed along with the power supply which both sit neatly on the rear of the case directly in front of the motherboard.

[RayH]

Do you have to remove the old hard drive? Is there room to just put another drive in?

[rangeral]

How old or new is this hp since I don't keep track of hp model numbers? What cpu or system specs could you give us?

[brainwave64]

I've replaced the hard drives of maybe two HP systems in the last few months, and they definitely aren't easy to open. (By the way, I bet the hard drive's a Quantum). Here's my educated guess as to how to get the HD out. I believe the whole framework (containing the HD, FDD, and CD-ROM) slides out the front. The front panel might come off (though i don't remember exactly how, use gentle force :) ) and then there's probably one screw on the front (exposed after you take off the cover) keeping the drive framework from sliding out. There's also a spring loaded latch located on the roof of the case that you have to pull in order to allow the framework to slide forward. I'm thinking there might also be a few screws attaching the framework to the roof that you have to take out. Again, I've only done this a few times and your case is probably different then mine, but hopefully some of this info's useful.

[pitasmom]

Thank you so much! That was exactly it! Actually, I had just been ready to throw the thing on the ground when I accident nudged the case so the front started coming out. What a surprise. I had never worked in a case like that before. Very interesting. I'm kind of liking it now! :D

[Mindwarp]

And chek if the hard drive is in warranty, check into www.maxtor.com , they are now the resposible of honoring their warranties. I had a friend with a Pavillion whose 13gb ata33 hard disk died and it was replaced in warranty for a 20GB ata 66 unit.