Max disk size for a FX501 vaio upgrade?

[jcollomosse]

Hi there,

My vaio harddisk failed at the weekend (after a couple of years heavy service!), and I've been looking at buying a new one. Installing it hopefully shouldn't be a problem as I have already taken the vaio apart to see what sort of disk it takes. I just wondered if anyone knew what the maximum capacity of a harddisk is in a vaio? I don't want to buy a 80 gig disk and not be able to see it all when its installed!

My setup is: Sony Vaio FX501, which I bought in March 2002.
For info: the broken disk was an IBM/Hitatchi Travelstar 20Gb with 4200rpm speed.

Thanks for any advice you can offer!

John

[kee-lo_]

I think it's limited to 20GB

[Woody27]

I think it's limited to 20GB

Nah,

You can go up to at least 30 Gb as the FX505 came supplied with a 30 Gb drive and shares the same motherboard!

CW

[kee-lo_]

Ah I see

[jcollomosse]

Thanks for the advice.

I have gone ahead and ordered a 60Gb drive in the hope I can use most of it.
Guess I should be able to use at least 30Gb then.

I will feedback to this list on how successful I am in getting it working.

Cheers,

john

[jammold]

Try splitting the disk in two, so you have two 30Gb partitions - it may work, if it doesn't then fiddle with the sizes!

[kee-lo_]

I asked Rob about that James and he said it doesn't work

[Woody27]

I have gone ahead and ordered a 60Gb drive in the hope I can use most of it.  
Guess I should be able to use at least 30Gb then.  

I'm afraid to say I don't know if it will support that big a hard drive... ....30Gb yes!.... ....60Gb, not sure!

Additioanlly, Kee-Lo and Rob are correct partitioning into two 30Gb may not work. It depends how much the motherboard / BIOS / Windows version supports!

Also it does'nt work in the way you describe... ...if your VAIO doe'snt support a 60Gb hard drive, it will not just let you use what is dose support (e.g. 30Gb), it just won't let you use it!

I hope it works!

CW

[dogscoff]

Actually, I've been wondering the same thing about my fx701 for some time now.

1- What is the maximum capacity it can take?

2- If I buy a drive larger than the 20gig it came with, do the sony-provided restore CDs automatically format them to two 10gig partitions and ignore the rest or do they actually use the additional space? Or should I not use the restore CDs and instead ghost my existing data somewhere and retore from there? Oh, and If I asked Sony customer support would they send me newer restore CDs with all the windows patches and driver patches already installed?

3- What other specs do i need to be aware of when buying a new drive for my laptop?

[Woody27]

Actually, I've been wondering the same thing about my fx701 for some time now. 

1- What is the maximum capacity it can take?

Again, I think it is 30Gb!

At least that's what the FX705 came with and it shares the same motherboard and BIOS.

2- If I buy a drive larger than the 20gig it came with, do the sony-provided restore CDs automatically format them to two 10gig partitions and ignore the rest or do they actually use the additional space? Or should I not use the restore CDs and instead ghost my existing data somewhere and retore from there? Oh, and If I asked Sony customer support would they send me newer restore CDs with all the windows patches and driver patches already installed?

When you re-install from the VAIO recovery CD's they should ask you what partion sizes you want (a limited number of options are given). You can the select what sizes you want (i.e. two 15Gb partitions) or simply decide not to partition it!

As for ghosting, it depends how much stuff you've got on it! If very little I would just restore! If you have loads on it maybe partition and then ghost!

Sony will send replacement disks but they only contain what was on your original (and they charge!)

For updates refer to the VAIO-LINK web site!

3- What other specs do i need to be aware of when buying a new drive for my laptop?

It needs to be an 2.5" Enhanced IDE type with as faster spin speed as possible (this greatly speeds up your computer). I think for a 30Gb version they probably go as fast as 4,200 rpm.

Microanvika do an Hitachi model, which would suit your needs, for £95.00, but you may be able to find cheaper if you hunt around a bit!

NOTE: getting to the HDD in FX VAIOs is not for the light harted! You have to take them apart.... ....literally!

Hope this helps!

CW