What do I need to take into consideration when I want to buy a new Hard Drive?

[VR StarLightPL]

I find it really hard to believe that it was windows which "broke" the hard drive, but that's beside the point. You shouldn't consider moving to windows 10, you should seriously DO IT. Like the moment your new SSD arrives. AFAIK you can still use your windows 7 key to install and activate windows10 for free - just make sure you're using the same version as your W7 (so W10 Home for W7Home key, or W10Pro for W7Pro key). While at it, might as well make a microsoft account and tie your license there - it's super convenient when changing hardware. Windows 7 is End-of-life since over half a year now - which means new found system vulnerabilities aren't being patched, which leaves you open game for hacking by botnets exploiting those vulnerabilities.

Also W10 allegedly has tons of improvements under the hood and runs games faster. Didn't benchmark but probably someone on the internet did. Seriously. Upgrade.

 

[starman]

install linux instead.

 

[VR StarLightPL]

install linux instead.

He said he's gaming tho. And I presume he wouldn't be asking about harddrives if he had the knowledge required to run linux without a hitch, let alone game on it. It's not a system for the faint of heart

 

[Firestar97]

I find it really hard to believe that it was windows which "broke" the hard drive, but that's beside the point. You shouldn't consider moving to windows 10, you should seriously DO IT. Like the moment your new SSD arrives. AFAIK you can still use your windows 7 key to install and activate windows10 for free - just make sure you're using the same version as your W7 (so W10 Home for W7Home key, or W10Pro for W7Pro key). While at it, might as well make a microsoft account and tie your license there - it's super convenient when changing hardware. Windows 7 is End-of-life since over half a year now - which means new found system vulnerabilities aren't being patched, which leaves you open game for hacking by botnets exploiting those vulnerabilities.

Also W10 allegedly has tons of improvements under the hood and runs games faster. Didn't benchmark but probably someone on the internet did. Seriously. Upgrade.

Thanks, didn't know that it is still possible

 

[VR StarLightPL]

Thanks, didn't know that it is still possible

From what I know (and I might be wrong on this one), the only "impossible" way now is the "upgrade" wizard they once showed down everybody's throat. You should still be able to install it from a CD or USB - just download w10 media creation tool from microsoft and install fresh (you will have an empty SSD anyway ). If the installer doesn't accept your key you can choose to install without a key and then after windows is installed enter your win7 key during activation - one of these ways should work. And again, I would advise to tie the license to a ("free") microsoft account. You can do without, but m$ is going out of its way to inconvenience you for not having one. That's the price of the "free" update I guess. Privacy.

Windows 10 herunterladen

If your language isn't German, you can change the language at the bottom left of the page, apologies in advance

PS PS: don't install operating system on anything else than a SSD nowadays. You will be amazed how much faster your computer will go compared to HDD.

 

[Firestar97]

From what I know (and I might be wrong on this one), the only "impossible" way now is the "upgrade" wizard they once showed down everybody's throat. You should still be able to install it from a CD or USB - just download w10 media creation tool from microsoft and install fresh (you will have an empty SSD anyway ). If the installer doesn't accept your key you can choose to install without a key and then after windows is installed enter your win7 key during activation - one of these ways should work. And again, I would advise to tie the license to a ("free") microsoft account. You can do without, but m$ is going out of its way to inconvenience you for not having one. That's the price of the "free" update I guess. Privacy.

Windows 10 herunterladen

If your language isn't German, you can change the language at the bottom left of the page, apologies in advance

PS PS: don't install operating system on anything else than a SSD nowadays. You will be amazed how much faster your computer will go compared to HDD.

Thanks for the Link to the Download. I need to get this on a empty USB-Stick to install, right? I think I won't create a Microsoft Account if it isn't really necessary. Microsoft can't be that annoying if I don't do it. I can't wait to finally use my Computer again. But the SSD gets delivered on Saturday, so I need to wait some Time

 

[VR StarLightPL]

Thanks for the Link to the Download. I need to get this on a empty USB-Stick to install, right? I think I won't create a Microsoft Account if it isn't really necessary. Microsoft can't be that annoying if I don't do it. I can't wait to finally use my Computer again. But the SSD gets delivered on Saturday, so I need to wait some Time

Yes if I remember correctly you choose when you run the tool. You can also use the antiquated optical media if you wish

As for account - I have one, license is tied to it, so I don't have to worry about hardware changes. After change I just login and it transfers automagically. At least it did last time YMMV. It is not required and you can create a local account on your Windows PC.

 

[Morbad]

If your PC is about 10 years old, you probably have a SATA 2 controller which will top out at about 280 Megabytes per second in real-world useage. Just about any SSD (solid state drive) made in the last few years will be not only able to make use of it's full potential - but actually be limited by it.

Most of the performance advantage of SSDs in general use comes from their random access performance, which is vastly superior to mechanical drives, even if sequential performance is capped by the interface.

Whatever you do - don't buy a used or even a reconditioned hard drive or solid state drive. Your data is worth more than any savings. And keep backing everything up!!!

If it weren't for the potential of damaging mechanical drives during transit, I'd almost prefer used drives.

Failure rates for almost anything follow a bathtub curve. New parts have comparatively high failure rates as defects that weren't caught by QA reveal themselves, while very old or heavily used parts see high failure rates as they begin to wear out. In the middle are the lowest failure rates. If I can avoid it, I don't use brand new drives for important data.

Ok, I hope the Problems that caused the other SSD (at least I think it was one because it's a very good PC that I've got only approximately 3-4 Years ago that can run all Games without Problems) to die, are now solved.

While there are ways to hedge against and predict component failure with varying degrees of accuracy, it's possible for anything to fail at any time, with little or no warning.

This is why backups are important. Any data that only exists in one place is at real risk of being lost.

I find it really hard to believe that it was windows which "broke" the hard drive, but that's beside the point. You shouldn't consider moving to windows 10, you should seriously DO IT. Like the moment your new SSD arrives. AFAIK you can still use your windows 7 key to install and activate windows10 for free - just make sure you're using the same version as your W7 (so W10 Home for W7Home key, or W10Pro for W7Pro key). While at it, might as well make a microsoft account and tie your license there - it's super convenient when changing hardware. Windows 7 is End-of-life since over half a year now - which means new found system vulnerabilities aren't being patched, which leaves you open game for hacking by botnets exploiting those vulnerabilities.

Also W10 allegedly has tons of improvements under the hood and runs games faster. Didn't benchmark but probably someone on the internet did. Seriously. Upgrade.

There was a recent (and now patched) bug with Windows 10 2004 that was causing it to defragment SSDs with every boot, instead of once a month, which could have been responsible for some premature failures in borderline cases.

Windows 10 has tons of improvements (though what constitutes and improvement is always going to be somewhat subjective), but relatively few games or other software that will run on older versions will perform appreciably faster on Windows 10.

Thanks, didn't know that it is still possible

Officially, it's not. Unofficially, it's never likely to be removed as Microsoft benefits far more from giving away free licenses than they do for relegating people to unsupported versions or driving Windows users to other options.

 

[VR StarLightPL]

There was a recent (and now patched) bug with Windows 10 2004 that was causing it to defragment SSDs with every boot, instead of once a month, which could have been responsible for some premature failures in borderline cases.

<offtopic>
Yeah I forgot about that, but still extremely edge cases I'd argue. I usually reboot my pc once or twice a day plus an off-on cycle here and there, and with the life expectancy of current SSDs it merely shortened the life of the drive for maybe a month or two. It went unpatched for a few months, it probably had an impact, just it wouldn't be noticeable by the average user IMHO.

Also the drive in question was an HDD so it would at most make boot times longer (and only on first boot unless there was something "highly fragmenting" going on each time in the system). Next defragmentations simply would not have much to do and quit. Short of a simple mechanical failure I cannot think of anything Windows could do which would damage the hard-drive beyond use. It could mess up mbr / partition table, but the drive should still be usable and even data able to recover. Of course I'm not talking specialised malware messing around with drive heads and stuff on purpose, though I am not sure if that's even possible with controllers nowadays. Last time I manually programmed a disk-drive head (on a floppy) was as an exercise in school looong ago
</offtopic>

 

[JetsonRING]

https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07MBQPQ62/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fab_qC5AFbNZPJ328

I'll buy this one. Impressive how cheap it is even though it has 1TB Space and is way faster than anything I've found during my Search.


Ok, I hope the Problems that caused the other SSD (at least I think it was one because it's a very good PC that I've got only approximately 3-4 Years ago that can run all Games without Problems) to die, are now solved. I'll try to get Windows 10 on it

Edit: and I think I'll get this one as a External SSD to try to get the old Files and then safe Stuff like Photos on it.

https://www.amazon.de/dp/B087DDSXD3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fab_EN5AFbWJX00MN

Chances are your MOBO has more than one HDD interface, whatever the (IDE, SATA, M.2) type. Those busses will be faster than a USB bus, maybe just get a second internal SSD.

 

[Firestar97]

Luckily I'm able to transfer the Files on my external SSD while using the Safe Mode (don't know if that's the correct Translation). It just showed 1 Day remaining but luckily it did just change. I really hope I won't forget any Save Files from Games
Edit: got almost all Files, but now there are Problems, so it takes a Eternity to finally finish it ☹
I hate these People that write a Article about how to find something in the OS but they write about probably the first Version ever of that System because it just doesn't work that Way. I needed multiple Hours just to get that Windows Registration Code. Now I only need to prepare the Installation USB-Stick before I can finally install the SSD

 

[Firestar97]

How exactly do I get this into the Computer? I know normally there are Cables that need to be connected with a SSD but I don't know how it works with this one. Do I need a special Part for this one?

 

[Mole HD]

How exactly do I get this into the Computer? I know normally there are Cables that need to be connected with a SSD but I don't know how it works with this one. Do I need a special Part for this one?
View attachment 189541

It's an NVME/m.2 drive...it fits in a special slot on your motherboard. Depending on the make/model of motherboard will determine where the NVME slot is. It's not hard to find since it's printed next to the slot on the motherboard.

 

[Morbad]

How exactly do I get this into the Computer? I know normally there are Cables that need to be connected with a SSD but I don't know how it works with this one. Do I need a special Part for this one?

That's an M.2 drive, which are generally slotted directly into the motherboard, or failing that a PCI-E to M.2 adapter card, at least for internal use.

Most systems built in the last five years years or so will have an M.2 slot, but you should check the manual to see if there are any special considerations, especially if there is more than one slot.

 

[Firestar97]

Now I only need to find out where exactly the Motherboard is in my PC. I wish I would know more about this Stuff. It's so stressful to do this without much Knowledge. At least the most stressful Part where I needed to work with the defective Hard Drive is over. I needed the whole Day for it

 

[Mole HD]

Now I only need to find out where exactly the Motherboard is in my PC. I wish I would know more about this Stuff. It's so stressful to do this without much Knowledge. At least the most stressful Part where I needed to work with the defective Hard Drive is over. I needed the whole Day for it

The motherboard is what everything else in your PC is slotted or plugged into so it's not difficult to find. Mine has an m.2 port and an additional hybrid NVME/m.2 port. Both look similar but have different pin configurations to match either NVME or m.2. I also have a PCIE - NVME/m.2 converter with a further 2 ports...which I had to remove recently when I fitted a second graphics card into the PCIE slot.

It's very difficult to offer good, sound advice to someone who has no idea where the basic components of a PC are located though....I'd strongly suggest finding someone local who is knowledgeable or professional to fit those parts for you. I assumed you had at least some basic knowledge of PC components when I offered advice. Do you know...for instance...if your motherboard has an m.2 port or an NVME port as standard before you paid for the SSD?

Not all motherboards have both options...some have a hybrid port so you can fit both types of internal SSD into the same slot, some NVME drives can fit into an m.2 port by having a spacer slot at both sides of the pins. The one you bought hasn't.... but not all motherboards or internal SSD's do this. Both m.2 and NVME SSD,s have quite different fittings.

Mucking about with such components at your level is neither sensible nor cheap... should you break something, misalign a cable or port fitting or install something in the wrong place. Everyone has to learn those basic skills at some point running a PC... but I don't want you breaking something and ending up back at square one or worse.

 

[Morbad]

Yeah, I'm all for learning via trial and error, but this is best done when it's not one's only system, or high-end components that are on the line.

None of this stuff is particularly difficult, but some prior hands on experience goes a long way.

 

[Firestar97]

My Motherboard (n68-gs4/usb3 fx) doesn't seem to have a M.2 Port. It also doesn't seem to have a PCI-E Port. Is it still possible to get it to somehow work with the Computer without replacing the Motherboard?

 

[Mole HD]

My Motherboard (n68-gs4/usb3 fx) doesn't seem to have a M.2 Port. It also doesn't seem to have a PCI-E Port. Is it still possible to get it to somehow work with the Computer without replacing the Motherboard?

If this is your motherboard...or similar ASRock N68-GS4 micro ATX board...

There's 2 PCIE slots I can see, above and underneath where N68-GS4 FX is stamped. PCIE slot one is an older pattern shortened one for peripherals outside of graphics cards... It doesn't however have a dedicated NVME or m.2 port that I can see. The image underneath is the schematic for your board. Judging from the old DDR3 RAM slots, the motherboard is slightly out dated, possibly 5 year old design or more.

To get that m.2/NVME drive to work on your system you'll need one of these, a PCIE - NVME converter... You can buy them very cheaply on Amazon etc

 

[Firestar97]

If this is your motherboard...or similar ASRock N68-GS4 micro ATX board...

As I've mentioned, my Motherboard has the Name n68-gs4/usb3 fx, so it is a different Model. I've looked it up on a Website but PCI-E Slots where not mentioned