[ltp] Replace HD; T41p

[Eben King]

On Thu, 26 Aug 2004, David Sudjiman wrote:

> I'm thinking to replace my 20 GB HD with the largest available one.
> 
> http://www-605.ibm.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=-36&storeId=36&langId=036&dualCurrId=89&categoryId=13865529&productId=33023498
> 
> (URL may wrap)

If replacing the hard drive with your own won't violate the warranty,

http://directron.com/mp0804h.html

is US$500 less.

It may be cheaper and less hassle to add a second hard drive in place of 
the CD, assuming you won't need both of them at the same time.

> However, this one cost me a lot of money (+- 700 AUD) compared to fujitsu
> HD (same volume for half the price).

Using an exchange rate of 1 AUD = 0.7064 USD 
(http://www.rba.gov.au/Statistics/exchange_rates.html), I calculate 
~AUD990.

> Some of you might recommends to replace IBM-to-IBM stuff, if it is the
> solution, what will IBM do with my current HD data and the hidden recovery
> partition?

If I were them, I'd make a pre-desktop area on the 80 GB drive that's the 
same size as the one on the 20 GB drive.  You'd get the same "stock" 
software, just with more free space.  I don't know what IBM would do with 
your data.  Copy it onto the new drive if they're feeling charitable; 
delete it if not.

> can I just use norton ghost and have the the same partition table?

For Linux?  You shouldn't need to expand swap 4x (your RAM's getting no
bigger, neither is your working set).  I'd say, expand your existing
partitions proportionally to use up the extra space (except swap).  Or
keep them the same size, and add new partitions as they're needed.

> what about the second option, the fujitsu one? will ti do the same?

My answer's the same, no matter where you get the drive, as long as you're 
doing the partitioning.

> BTW,
> 1. What so special about IBM HD and Fujitsu HD?

IBM may add a special ROM to the drives (Apple did) so the formatter /
partitioner can identify it as an "IBM drive".  But really, it's to get as
much money out of those who labor under the misconception that only
IBM-brand goods will work.

> 2. Does this effect the IBM Active Protection System and HDD Shock
>    Absorber

I don't think so.  I have heard that those are implemented completely 
external to the drive.

-- 
-eben      ebQenW1@EtaRmpTabYayU.rIr.OcoPm      home.tampabay.rr.com/hactar
An ASCII character walks into a bar and orders a double. "Having a bad day?"
asks the barman. "Yeah, I have a parity error," replies the ASCII character.
The barman says, "Yeah, I thought you looked a bit off." -- Skud