My hard drive died :(

[Sirrahsim]

RIP sweet hard drive, you were so good to me
I'm on our laptop struggling to get used to the itty bitty touch pad cause hubby took the mouse to work with them. The hard drive on my desktop computer has being sick for quite a while and finally it took its last breath and turned into an expensive doorstop.
I'll be buying a new one just as soon as we get paid, but does anyone have any advice when it comes to shopping for a hard drive. The one I had was 30GB and besides wanting one that is bigger, I really don't know much about it. My brother had me run this Linux utility on the doorstop to make sure that it was the hard drive that was dead and not the RAM and so far all signs point to the hard drive.
SOooooo all of you computer savvy people:
How much cache should I look for? What about RPM? What about brand name?

thanks bunches

[Katiesmom]

poor hard drive

i put a 80GB hard drive in my computer don't know the name brand due to the fact that I don't go by name brands...I got an 80GB because I do alot of stuff on my computer like pictures and I have alot of software and I don't want to run my computer down by having all that and a little hard drive I had a 10GB before this one and had alot of problems because I had no room so it really depends on what you do with your computer but bigger is always better it costed me $75 to get the 80GB but its money well spent

[BitsyNaceyDog]

I feel your pain. I'm on a laptop right now too. I'm baby sitting my friends baby (she's naping right now), and I brought my lap top with me. I hate the little touch pad, it's such a pain.

[Laura's Babies]

I have 80 gig and I feel like I need more since I take so many pictures and recently bought a MP3 player and have lots of music on it too to download to that. I am looking at laptops also to take to work with me for fun and pictures as the one I have is over 5 years old and just won't hold todays needs....

I have a HP PC for home and I have always loved HP products.

[Sirrahsim]

my pc is a mish mash of parts that my Dad built for us two years ago. Up until this point it has worked fantastic. I like a custom built computer versus a packaged computer. I'm gonna keep all of the other components, I just need to purchase a new brain for it

[lishab]

For a home PC,80GB 7200 RPM should be sufficient. Though with prices so low, you could probably get a 120GB for about $75.00. As far as brands, I'd recommend Maxtor & Western Digital.

[Sirrahsim]

I purchased a Western Digital. The 80GB drive was $69 while the 200GB drive was only $115, so hubby talked me into getting the 200GB (it didn't take much convincing). I have Windows installing right now I tried to set my old drive up as a slave drive to try to recover some of my data (if I could get it to take one last breath,) but it's late, I'm tired, and for some reason I can't get it to work. I'll try again when I'm well rested It's soooo exciting

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

You can do this yourself??? Wow!!
Does a new hard drive mean you have to re-install everything??

[sirrahbed]

Originally posted by Maya & Inka's mommy
You can do this yourself??? Wow!!
Does a new hard drive mean you have to re-install everything??

Missy is part geek and pretty fearless so she usually fixes the computer herself. I talked to her this morning (her night!!) Yes, with a new hard drive, you have to re-install everything including windows, linux, etc... sometimes transfer data from the old drive if you are able to. It does take a long time to get everything back!! Hubby is a geek and does this as a hobby.

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Originally posted by sirrahbed
Hubby is a geek and does this as a hobby.

Oh please, send him over asap....! We bought a new computer, but we haven't installed it yet. My hubby is absolutely NOT a pc-geek, so he is so nervous even just thinking about what he has to do....

[Laura's Babies]

M & I MOM, hooking one up is simple as pie.. Just open those boxes and look where the conncetions go... they are ALL different so you can NOT hook the wrong thing up to the wrong place! I found it tons easier than hooking up a VCR or DVD player!! YOU CAN DO IT!!! (I promise you!!)

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Originally posted by Laura's Babies
YOU CAN DO IT!!! (I promise you!!)

Thanks !! That's a relief! But, we still will have to re-install lots of programs that are on this pc I am working on right now, like Paintshop Pro. And how about all the favorites, documents, etc.... . I burnt all the pics on CD's, but I cannot do that with the other stuff, can I???

[Sirrahsim]

Originally posted by sirrahbed
Missy is part geek

heeeeeyyyy!!! I resemble that remark First my husband and now my Mom, maybe I *AM* a geek?