Computer future-proofing explained: Why future-proofing is so popular

What is futureproofing?

Future-proofing is a design process used in many sectors such as medical, industrial design, and electronics industries. These design principles are used by anticipating the future to develop products or strategies that continue to be valuable in the future. This prevents the product from becoming obsolete in the distant future.

In terms of computer technology, future-proofing means that you won’t have to buy a new computer for a long time. This process makes sure you have the right tech and hardware on your computer that can last you a long time.

When you buy a laptop or desktop computer, you might want to look into its hardware specs, the model’s build and repairability. Realistically, a future-proofed computer doesn’t mean that the computer won’t break at all. It just means that its capabilities and performance will still hold up a few years into its lifespan. All computers will likely run into some sort of hardware issue during its lifetime, so you might want to consider something that is easy to maintain.

Why should I future-proof my computer?

Simply put, if you don’t want to have to buy a new computer for the next 3-5 years, you might want to look into future-proofing your tech. The truth is, all technology, including computers will become obsolete eventually.

Think of some of your old gadgets, for example. The Walkman was quite popular for a long time in the 80s and 90s, but then it was replaced by the more compact mp3 player. Then somewhere along the line, the iPod was introduced and changed the game. Then again, the popularity of Apple iPods went down as soon as music streaming platforms came in. This is why we can only go so far to adapt our tech to future trends. So to realistically future-proof a computer, we’re simply looking to choose something that can last around 3-5 years.

Here’s what a future-proofed computer can do for you: you can spend less on your computers. With a computer that can last pretty long, the most that you’ll need to spend on it will be on repairs. Depending on what you choose, you might not even need to spend that much if you run into hardware issues. The bottom line is, the money you spend on computer repairs won’t be as much as a new computer. You might also want to look into computer models that can be accessible for upgrades down the line. Things like hard drive upgrades or extra RAM storage could give you a bit of a boost when you need it. All in all, future-proofing your laptop or desktop computer could be something to think about when you want to get the most out of your tech.

Things to consider

Depending on what you need out of a computer, your criteria for future-proofing can change. Say if you only use your laptop for basic stuff like browsing the internet and word processing, it’s much more simple.

You’ll need to match what you do with the hardware specs of a computer to find something that can keep up. Looking over the different computer brands and models would also be useful. You might also want to find out how the computer is assembled and how accessible it is.

What you intend to use the computer for

Like we just mentioned, it’s easier to get a future-proofed computer if you only need an everyday laptop for basic tasks. Pick something with a solid-state drive (SSD), with at least 4-8 GB of RAM, and you should be set.

For processors, you might want to set yourself with an i3 or i5 Intel processor. You probably won’t need something as powerful as i7 for a personal laptop. Integrated Intel graphics cards should do you just fine, you’ll be able to do some basic photo editing and watch movies smoothly.

For professionals

If you’re looking for something like a workhouse model for professional photo or graphics editing, there’s a little more to consider. An SSD is a good place to start, along with at least 16GB of RAM. Then you might want to go with an Intel i5 or i7 processor and a 2-4 GB dedicated video card.

Take a look at the software that you normally use for work. Software like Adobe Photoshop often have a list of hardware requirements, so you can match what you need when searching for a new computer. These hardware requirements shouldn’t change that often, and these software are usually optimised for hardware. So a laptop or desktop computer that matches these requirements should be able to keep up with the software updates.

What about gaming computers?

Let’s face it, realistically there’s no way to future-proof a gaming computer for it to be able to last 5 years. Gaming specs change a lot at rapid speeds, with new models of graphics cards coming out every few months. It’s easier to future-proof a gaming desktop computer, with it’s tower form factor and all, but you might come across some troubles if you want to keep it top of the line. You’d be switching out upgrades frequently or even be met with incompatible newer parts that you can’t use.

The brand and model of the computer

It’s important to look at the different specs of the model, but also the brand and how it’s assembled. This informs you on the repairability and accessibility for upgrades. Here are a few notable examples of models that you should be aware of.

Apple iMac and tower desktop computers

Considering how powerful Apple iMac computers are, they make for a pretty good future-proofed piece of technology. You can probably tell that from the price tags of most Apple computers. Even the most basic entry-level iMac computers can achieve great performance for graphics editing work.

They have quite a standard level of repairability. You can easily upgrade the hard drive or add more RAM to it. Unfortunately you can’t upgrade the graphics card, but they are already quite powerful, so you won’t have to worry about it.

Business issue laptops

Business issue laptops are made quite powerful as well. Models like HP’s Probook and Elitebook, or Dell’s Latitude or XPS can deliver great performance for most tasks. These are top-of-the-line models that have a great expected lifespan.

Finding out the repairability of a laptop computer

It can be quite a disappointment when you want to add more RAM to your laptop computer, to find out that the RAM is soldered on the motherboard and you can’t do anything beyond that. That’s why the repairability of a laptop is an important thing to factor into your future-proofing process.

When you have a few options to think over, try looking through the specs of the model or look up teardown videos on YouTube. Just search the model of the laptop and “teardown”. There you’ll be able to take a look inside to see how it’s assembled. This determines how accessible it is to repair or upgrade.

Professional future-proofing advice

If you look online, there’s a whole lot of talk on future-proofing computers. There’s tons of tech forums where computer enthusiasts discuss future tech trends, PC building, and so much more. Feeling the information overload? We can help.

At Safemode Computer Service, we can consult you on finding the right computer for what you need. Just tell us what you use the computer for, and we can offer a few recommendations that best suits you. We can advise you on computers that actually works for you. Unlike retail salespeople who try to sell you on something by mumbling techspeak, we actually know what’s for you.

As a trusted computer repair service in Inner West Sydney, we can also help with repairs and upgrades that you might need for your laptop or desktop computer. Give us a call or come by our Enmore store today!

7 questions about your hard drive that you’ve always wanted to ask

We use our hard drives everyday on our laptop and desktop computers, but most people still have things they don’t know about their drives. Have you ever wondered what wiping the drive does to your data? Or how bad sectors can damage your hard drive?

All those questions and more will be answered in our following guide. Here’s the 7 biggest questions about hard drives, answered.

1. Is data on a formatted drive gone forever?

So you’ve accidentally formatted a drive that you didn’t intend to. Or you forgot to back it up before you did. Not to worry, data on a formatted drive is not gone forever, and can usually be recovered.

This is where data recovery services or software can help you. As long as the drive is still in one piece and that the data was not on a damaged part of the drive, you should be able to recover it. This is only possible if you haven’t started using the formatted drive though. When the data sectors are overwritten, you probably can’t recover old data.

2. Can magnets wipe a hard drive?

This is more of an urban myth. It has some truth to it though, even if it doesn’t apply anymore. Back then, consumer computer storage was mainly in the form of floppy disks. These were storage devices that can be wiped with a magnet. This information was then passed down and applied to future storage drives, which led to this urban legend.

Computer storage technology has come a long way since then, and many advancements have surely been made. Hard drives are way more sturdier than floppy disks, and can’t be wiped with simple magnets. So you certainly don’t have to worry about those fridge magnets lying around your workspace. Unless you work with industrial-strength magnets then, because that’s a different story.

3. Do hard drives last forever?

Hard drives are indeed pretty sturdy with its metal casing and all, but they don’t “last forever”. Yes they can last pretty long, up to 5 years time. However, while they can still work and last long, their performance will drop significantly within that period. So no, they do not last forever.

Bad sectors cause permanent damage on the hard drive and this can lead to data corruption and loss. This is something all computer users can’t avoid. Bad sectors come from things like physical damage and logical faults, and will accumulate over time. Some of these bad sectors, like soft bad sectors, can be repaired. But it’s not the same for physically damaged parts.

When it gets to a point where bad sectors are so spread out across the drive, the drive will start to fail. You may start to experience errors in startup or notice a drop in performance. The only solution to this problem is to replace the drive entirely with a new one.

4. Can abrupt power shutdowns cause bad sectors?

When an abrupt power shutdown happens, like a hard shutdown or sudden power cut, the hard drive also loses its power source. In situations like this, if the hard drive is in the middle of writing data on the disk, it may create bad sectors.

The good thing is though, these should only be logical bad sectors, also known as soft bad sectors. Unlike hard bad sectors, soft bad sectors can be repaired with disk repair software. Even so, it’s always safer to keep this from happening and turn off your computer properly whenever you can.

5. Will wiping the drive get rid of bad sectors?

We all want to get rid of bad sectors. Keeping the hard drive from accumulating bad sectors is an important part of its care. Some might try wiping the drive entirely to get rid of these pesky bad sectors. Unfortunately, that will not work.

Bad sectors are physically damaged parts of a hard drive. This sort of damage is also irreversible. All you can do in this situation is to repair soft bad sectors and mark bad sectors off from the drive.

6. Are SSDs indestructible?

While SSDs do boast much better durability and longer life spans over traditional hard disk drives, they are not entirely indestructible. Solid-state drives are lightweight storage devices that do not contain moving machinery to work. This makes them sturdier and is the superior storage device.

SSDs may not be prone to shock damage or any sort of machinery-related issues, but they are susceptible to other kinds of damage. This includes extreme temperatures. SSDs are more vulnerable to overheating damage than spinning drives, which only rely on spinning rotors to work. Heat can damage the circuitry or memory chips on the SSD. It’s a good idea, not just for the sake of the SSD, to keep your system cooled efficiently. This benefits the whole system, and keeps your computing experience smooth.

7. How many backups do I need?

You definitely need at least one backup. The more the better, actually. You never know what could happen. The external hard drive might fail, or you might find yourself in a situation without an internet connection.

Backups in general are very useful for all computer users. Hard drive failure is a common computer issue that can happen at any time. You could find yourself with corrupted or lost files, or even a complete hard drive failure. To prevent this sort of tragedy from happening, having a backup would really help.

You can choose from offline backups like external hard drives, or online backups on cloud-based storage services. Both are great options that can suit the needs of every computer user.

Got more questions?

We’re happy to help! Safemode Computer Service is a trusted computer repair service in Sydney, and we can definitely help with any computer issue you have. From laptops to desktop PCs and Macs, our experienced technicians can offer you advice and the right solutions. We are conveniently located in Enmore, Inner West Sydney. Come by our store or call us for a chat today!

Why you should be backing up your data: 4 easy ways to keep your files safe

Backing up your data from time to time is always a good idea. Keeping a backup at all times can save you from the tragedy of losing your precious files if it happens. You may also be doing this before switching to a new computer, or before getting your computer repaired. Either way, there are many ways to backup your data that can help you feel at ease that your data is safely stored. It could be quite a beneficial thing to take a few moments to do.

Why should you back up your data?

Any important data should be backed up. We may never know what could happen to our computers at any time, and data could get lost or corrupted when the computer does fail. So you can thank yourself for backing up your data when that does happen. While most computer users do know that their hard drive will fail eventually, they may not know that they could lose their data as well. Along with hard drive and other computer-related failures, another reason to back up your data is simply, convenience and ease of access.

Hard drive failure

The inconvenient truth is, all hard drives will fail after roughly 2-4 years of use, no matter how you take care of it. While traditional hard disk drives with moving parts are more prone to damage, even the more durable solid-state drives can fall to bad sectors. The accumulation of too many bad sectors is one of the main causes of hard drive failure.

Bad sectors are physically damaged and unusable parts of the drive. They usually start out as very small parts, where the drive can still work great. In fact, a hard drive is always manufactured with a very small number of bad sectors, as it is impossible to make a perfect one. But once the drive comes across software issues, improper shutdown, and physical scratches on the disks platters, it will accumulate more and more bad sectors. It’s fine when they are isolated in a small area, but after a few years of use, they will get more spread out.

At this point of intolerance, data loss or corruption may occur, and even escalate to hard drive failure. You may notice slower performance, slower boot up times, or even errors like “SMART failure” and “no bootable device”.

Before it gets to total failure, keeping a regular backup of important files is a great precautionary measure. You won’t have to worry about losing your files or having to search frantically online for data recovery hacks. If you choose to get your laptop or desktop computer professionally repaired, you could also save money and time by not needing data recovery done.

Convenience

Speaking of data recovery and time saving, having a backup could make things easier for both you and the technician who’s fixing your computer. And this isn’t just limited to hard drive repairs either.

When you have a backup of your files, you might be able to save money and get a shorter turnaround time on your repair services. You won’t need data recovery services and the technician can work better when not having to worry about data loss. Being prepared can go a long way, after all. Learn more about how you can reduce the costs of repairing your laptop or desktop computer here.

We can offer you some tips to pick the right method of backup for you. This depends on the types of files you’re looking to back up, or even together with your operating system (OS). Deciding on what kind of files you need to back up and the right method is important in making the process hassle-free.

Your data backup needs

What you’re backing up is one of the first things you should consider. You can backup only specific files or data by a simple drag and drop onto a hard drive, but backing-up all your files including your OS can also be something you may want to do. This brings us to the different methods that suit different data backup needs.

Backing up to an external hard drive

Using an external hard drive for backups is the traditional backup method. Simply drag and drop data to the drive to back it up. Alternatively, you can use Windows 10’s built-in “File History” to back up data, or Apple MacOS’ “TimeMachine” to backup your files.

You can either use File History or Time Machine, or just drag and drop your files onto an external hard drive. It’s a good idea to have a combination of both options in case one doesn’t work. All important data should stay on a computer, a server, or a mainframe computer, not on an external hard drive. This is because the hard drive inside computers is more well protected than an external hard drive. A common mistake that people do is only backing up their data only when their computer crashes. Backups are meant to be done before the system crashes rather than after it has crashed.

Up in the cloud

Using an online option to store your files offsite in the cloud is also a popular option to keep your backed-up files updated and ready to use at all times. As long as you have an internet connection, you’ll be able to access the cloud to backup and use your files.

Popular cloud services include Microsoft’s OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive, and Apple’s iCloud. These often come with a set amount of free storage with subscription options for more storage space. Cloud storage can help you automatically create backups from time to time, so you can set it and forget it. Having an offsite backup can also give you a sense of security that your files are safe in case your onsite backup fails.

One thing to keep in mind though, you would need a secure and reliable internet connection, like NBN, to maintain regular backups. With that said, you may also want to use the cloud for only smaller files, like documents, and not larger ones like video files. If you are only creating backups for a smaller amount of data, cloud storage can be a cost-effective and low-effort option for you. Other than the popular options mentioned above, software for dedicated cloud services are also available.

Creating an image of your drive

Apart from simple backups on external hard drives and cloud services, there are some more advanced and in-depth types of data backups. This includes creating a disk image of your hard drive. Imaging a hard drive involves compressing everything on your hard drive and creating an archival image of it. The image can be used to restore your data and boot up a new hard drive. This would come in handy if your hard drive crashes or you’re switching to a new hard drive.

The difference between creating a disk image and creating a standard backup is whether the OS is included. On a disk image, your operating system is copied onto a disk image to boot up or restore a drive. You can image your drive on both Windows and Apple computers.

Network Attached Storage (NAS)

A method more suited for business use than personal use, NAS is a more large scale network backup system. It makes use of a group of drives connected to a network. This is like keeping an onsite cloud backup that is accessible by multiple users at the same time. Because of this, most businesses use this to back up multiple devices at the same time over the network.

Besides choosing the type of device for your NAS, you would also need a professional technician. Setting the NAS requires some system settings configuration that only professionals are familiar with. Business computer servers are much more complicated than personal computers or home servers. You might want need to call in an expert to make things easier for you.

Things to consider

Depending on your computer use, you can decide what kind of backup method that is best for you. You may want to only back up specific files or even your entire system, and the right backup can save you time and effort to do so. Depending on the sizes of the files, you might also want to do a combination of online and offline backups. Uploading large files over the internet can take a long time, so using an external hard drive might be better.

It may also be a good idea to keep multiple backups of different files, both onsite and offsite. These backups can guarantee that your backed up data is safely stored and accessible at all times. If things are too complicated for you, it’s best to seek professional advice to help you set things up.

What we do at Safemode Computer Service

Whether you need a hard drive repair or help with backups, we are happy to help! We can advise you with the different types of backups that you can choose from. Company network server configuration is also something we can do. Desperate and need help recovering lost data? No worries, our experienced technicians can have a crack at it. But be prepared though, data recovery repairs are not always successful.

Either way, our highly-rated services are available in Inner West Sydney, where we are located in Enmore. We are a quick stop from the surrounding suburbs of Marrickville and Newtown. Come on down to our Enmore store or make an appointment today!

SSD vs. HDD: Which hard drive should I pick?

Storage drives. These days it’s not just traditional hard disk drives anymore. You may have heard of the newer, advanced form called a solid-state drive. More and more new laptop or desktop computer models contain solid-state drives, as this advancement does come with more benefits. These benefits make replacing an HDD with an SSD quite a popular upgrade option. People with older computer models choose to upgrade to an SSD as a quick way to boost performance.

You might be replacing your drive because of a hard drive failure, or you’re looking for something to upgrade and refresh your computer’s system. Hard drive failure can happen to many computer users and the only way to fix it is by replacing the hard drive entirely. You may take this opportunity to consider what you need in terms of performance and durability. Learn how to diagnose and repair hard drive failures for Dell, HP, and Apple computers in our guides now.

In this guide, we will be looking at the differences between HDDs and SSDs. You’ll be able to decide what’s the right drive for you, depending on your computer usage and what you want out of a drive.

What is an SSD?

A solid-state drive is a storage device that uses flash memory to store data consistently. It is sometimes known as a solid-state device, or flash storage for Apple Mac computers.

Unlike RAM, data stored on an SSD stays on the drive even after the computer is shut down. Its non-volatile memory doesn’t refresh nor reset itself like data stored on the RAM does.

While the SSD was first developed by Sandisk, nowadays popular brands like Samsung, Intel, Toshiba, and WD also make powerful and fast SSDs. Computer brands like Dell and HP also make their own branded drives for their own laptop and desktop computer models.

How does an SSD differ from an HDD?

The main difference between an SSD and an HDD is that it does not contain any moving parts. Traditional hard drives store data on disks that spin like a record, and it reads and writes information on the disks just like a record player. Read and write heads on an actuator arm float ever so gently on the surface of the spinning disks.

These moving parts need to be powered to work and spin at set speeds. They are also quite delicate and prone to damage if used carelessly. SSDs in turn store information on flash memory cells instead of spinning disks. These cells are set in place on a circuit board and don’t use any moving parts to read or write information.

Benefits of upgrading to SSD from HDD

Better performance

Because the SSD runs on flash memory, it does run much faster than HDDs that run on spinning disks. The spinning disks on consumer-grade HDDs can only run up to 7200 RPM. This doesn’t compare to how fast an SSD can run.

On average, it can run up to 16 times faster than traditional hard drives do. By using an SSD as a boot drive, you can boot up your computer much faster than before. Firing up apps or software will be smoother as well. This gets you a faster and smoother computing experience.

If your hard drive hasn’t started to fail yet, or you just don’t want to replace it just yet, you might be thinking of using them both. You can use an SSD as a storage drive together with an HDD, but this doesn’t make much of a difference. As you’re using the drive simply for storage, the OS and other apps still run from the HDD. You won’t really get a boost in performance just by using an SSD for file storage.

Another thing that a spinning drive can emit is noise and heat. The constant spinning contributes to an amount of heat that your cooling system needs to work to get rid of. When the drive starts to fail, you may also notice it making noise from worn out moving parts.

That’s the reason why a drive with no moving parts wins. When one part of the computer works smoothly, this benefits the whole system’s functioning. An SSD also draws less power than an HDD does.

Lasting durability

Without delicate machinery, the drive is less likely to fall to physical damage. The moving parts of an HDD do fail eventually, from working too hard, or just from natural wear and tear. Blunt force could also cause the actuator arm to scratch the disk and permanently damage that part of the drive.

Hard drives all fall to bad sectors, and both HDDs and SSDs can get them. However, HDDs just are more vulnerable to bad sector damage. This includes both physical damage and software errors. Because SSDs are more shock resistant and powerful, they don’t accumulate bad sectors as easily as HDDs do. This means a longer lifespan and better resilience to damage. SSDs can last up to 5 to 7 years, while HDDs have a general lifespan of 2-3 years.

The machinery within an HDD also needs to be powered to run, and they can sometimes be quite power draining. The constant spinning can also exert heat. If this goes on, it could accelerate the drive’s failure. An SSD is a more balanced choice that offers great performance over long term use.

A lightweight option

By upgrading an HDD to an SSD, you can shed some weight off your laptop. An SSD is basically a memory chip, it has a lot less parts compared to an HDD. They do not contain the disks, spindle and motor inside an HDD. Inside its metal casing, an SSD only contains memory chips on a circuit board inside. It weighs less than a traditional hard drive.

SSDs can also come in different forms: the regular 2.5-inch form (weighs 45-60g), or the M.2 stick form (weighs 6-10g). If you’re looking to make your laptop more lightweight and travel-friendly, using an SSD could be a great option.

HDD as a lower cost option

If SSDs are so great, why aren’t they all available on all computers? The reason is because HDD still remains the lower cost option for larger capacities. SSDs are more expensive per gigabyte, while HDDs stay relevant because of their lower cost.

Desktop computer users or users who are looking for more storage space may want to consider just replacing their HDD instead. Or if you want to save some money, a traditional hard drive might still be the choice for you.

As SSDs become more and more popular as a storage mainstay, we expect the prices of SSDs to go down over the years. Advancements over the years may lower the cost and get you larger capacities as well.

What to consider when replacing a hard drive

Form factor

This refers to the physical size of the drive. Getting a hard drive that actually fits your laptop or desktop computer is an important thing to consider. This brings us to the different sizes of consumer-grade hard drives: 2.5-inch, 3.5-inch, and the M.2 SSD. SSDs only come in either 2.5-inch sizes or in stick form (M.2).

2.5-inch drives are mainly made for laptop use, fitting in the laptop chassis via a SATA connection. The larger 3.5-inch HDDs are then used in desktop computers only. You can use a 2.5-inch SSD or HDD in a desktop computer, but a smaller HDD would also mean a less powerful drive due to its compact size.

M.2 SSDs are also available for both laptop and desktop computers, but are more popular for laptop use due to its size and weight. They are favoured in lightweight setups, with a form factor no bigger than a stick of gum.

Capacity

After it’s physical size, we should then think about the virtual size of the drive. Thinking about how much storage capacity you need can help you decide how big of a drive you need.

Most users who use their laptop or desktop computer for personal documents, photos, and internet browsing only need 250 to 500 GB of storage space. Getting too much space would just be a waste of money on a drive that will eventually fail down the line. For users who need more space for video files or photography projects, you might need at least 1TB of storage space.

Compatibility

Making sure that the drive fits into your laptop is important, but we also have to think about whether you can use the drive at all. Certain computer brands like Apple make their own drives or use specific drives that only work for MacOS devices. You’ll have to look out for a drive that is compatible with your operating system and computer model just to make sure.

Checking which hard drive you have

Sometimes it can be difficult to gauge what you want out of a drive. You don’t really know how much space you need, or the speeds of different drives are hard to picture. You may use your current hard drive as a reference point to figure out your usage and whether you’d like to get a better drive or just an exact replacement.

For Windows users, you can find details of your drive from “Device Manager”. Apple Mac users can find this from “About this Mac” and “System Report”. With this, you can do further research on the drive and look for a replacement.

Alternatively, you may choose the more practical method of opening up your laptop to check the information label on the drive itself. If you’re going to replace it yourself later, it could be a way to familiarise yourself with the layout anyway.

How to install a new replacement drive

A hard drive replacement is a very easy repair job to do, even DIY beginners can nail it on the first try. You’ll only need a few simple tools to do so. Resources on YouTube and popular repair guide site ifixit is a great starting point. Swapping out your hard drive is easy as when you follow repair tutorials closely.

After putting in a new drive, don’t forget to reinstall Windows or MacOS, depending on your computer. Apple downloads it for you automatically when you boot from your new drive. For Windows computers, the easiest way is using a USB bootable installer and installing Windows from there.

Professional repairs

Sometimes it’s just easier to let someone else do the work for you. If you’re not eligible to get your computer serviced by a brand-authorised service provider (expired warranty, obsolete device, etc), we can help!

As a third-party repair service, Safemode Computer Service can be a great option for your computer repair and upgrade needs. Is your authorised service provider too far away? Or you’re too busy to replace your drive by yourself? Our experienced technicians in our Inner West store can definitely help! As a highly rated computer repair service in Sydney, we not only can help with repairs, but we can also tune up and upgrade your computer. We can get you the right hard drive replacement, and install it for you as well. Give us a call to make an appointment at our Enmore store today.

How to repair HP laptop hard drive: 5 simple steps

Do you own an HP laptop or desktop computer? Are you detecting signs of hard drive failure like slow performance or sudden crashes? A failing hard drive might be something you can’t ignore, as your entire computer depends on it to carry out tasks. Not only is your hard drive used for data storage, but your operating system is on there as well. Performing tests to diagnose the problem can help you find the right repair solution,

A brief overview

Widely known for their personal and business IT solutions, Hewlett-Packard (HP) produces different hardware and software products. A few of these include, HP Spectre, x360 laptops, Chromebooks, LaserJet printers, and EliteDesk Desktops.

Hard drive failure is a common problem that not only HP users face, and can be very irritating. On top of that, hard drive failure is also something that is quite unavoidable. Hard drives do fail over long-term use, and will need a replacement.

Why do hard drives fail?

Traditional spinning hard drives contain moving parts to read and write data. The moving parts are disadvantageous to the hard drive’s durability, as accidental damage or natural wear and tear can cause bad sectors. The bad sectors then put a risk to the drive’s lifespan.

So what are bad sectors? All hard drives come with small amounts of bad sectors, and they do accumulate over time. When they do accumulate to a considerable amount, the hard drive will start to fail. Errors like slow boot up times and corrupt files are signs of such. Learn more about why hard drives fail and some error signs to look out for in “Top 8 hard drive issues and how to fix them yourself”.

Fixing a faulty hard drive

HP users may use specific tools and tests to diagnose their laptop or desktop drives. This may be a good precaution against data loss from hard drive failure. Understanding the problem at hand and using the right tools can help you find the right solution.

Here’s our guide to diagnosing and repairing an HP hard drive yourself:

1. Test hard drive with HP built-in diagnostics

For your HP laptop or desktop computer, you have a few options here: chkdsk, HP Support Assistant, and HP Diagnostics UEFI. These tools can be used to test your system for any hardware issues.

“Chkdsk” can be found on all Windows PCs, and is used as a simple hard disk checkup tool. If your computer still boots successfully, you can run it from a command prompt, or the properties window of your hard drive.

Chkdsk can attempt repairs on soft bad sectors caused by software errors, and mark hard bad sectors caused by physical damage to be skipped over. If run regularly, it can be a useful tool to prevent and fix things before actual failure.

HP built-in tools

As you can tell from their names, HP Support Assistant and HP Diagnostics UEFI are HP-specific tools designed to test HP devices for any issues presented. These two apps should already come with your computer, but you may also download it from the HP Support site if needed.

If you can start your computer up successfully, you can launch HP Support Assistant for diagnostics and online support. If you can’t get your computer to boot to Windows, you’ll have to use HP Diagnostics UEFI at bootup.

HP Support Assistant

HP Support Assistant is where you can find all the information you need about your computer. It is also where you can run diagnostics on all components on your system. You can launch the pre-installed app to do so.

To test your system, you may run simple checks like Performance Tune-up Check for system optimization. Or run HP Hardware Diagnostics to test for potential hardware issues. This not only includes the hard drive, but also components like memory and the video card. So you might even find other hardware issues that you can fix yourself.

HP Diagnostics UEFI

You can still test your hardware for issues if you can’t boot successfully to Windows (blank or stuck at HP splash screen). To use HP Diagnostics, just hold the “Esc” key when you restart your computer to reach the startup menu. Then press “F12” for System Diagnostics.

HP Diagnostics performs a full system checkup, and will report any hardware faults with failure codes. After you note down any failure code you get, you may check with HP Customer Support to find the right solution to the failure

2. Test your hard drive with dedicated analysis software

Sometimes simple system tests aren’t enough to fully test your hard drive. Then the next step might be testing it with dedicated hard drive analysis software. Software like WD Data Lifeguard (Western Digital) or SeaTools (Seagate) are some tools you can use.

Hard drive analysis software often offers two test options: Quick and Extended. With quick tests, data on the drive is verified and and a SMART test is performed. This tests for any potential soft errors and failures. Extended tests are more thorough, with stress tests that diagnose bad sectors. They usually take longer, up to an hour or more.

With this method, you’ll have to do a little more prep than just launching an application. This involves taking out the faulty hard drive from your laptop or desktop computer, and connecting it to a different desktop computer via a SATA enclosure box. Testing the drive on a desktop computer keeps it isolated from other factors that may affect its performance. The SATA enclosure being powered by a different power source also helps for this thorough check.

While the above options can test and repair rising problems, bad sectors are unavoidable and can still cause the eventual failure of the drive. So if you may want to choose a long term solution over a short fix that may only buy you another year on the drive. This brings us to hard drive replacements.

3. Choose a hard drive replacement

Understanding what you need and want in a drive and its performance can help you choose the right drive for your computing experience. Here are a few things to look out for.

Finding your own hard drive model

Your current hard drive model can be your reference while you’re looking for a new one. By judging your experience with your current drive, you’ll be able to gauge what kind of experience you want out of your computer. You may want a faster drive, or more storage space. And comparing that with the drive you have been using can help you decide.

You can find information about your hard drive model on HP Support Assistant, along with other hardware and software information. Or you can find it from Device Manager, under “Disk Drives”. The properties page can help you find information for further research.

If your computer can’t boot correctly to get to the above methods, you can check your hard drive model from BIOS setup. This is F10 from the startup menu that is prompted by holding Esc during boot up.

Or you could just open your laptop up and see for yourself. Hard drives have information such as model and serial number printed on the front label. Taking it out for a quick look is also an easy way to familiarise yourself with your laptop.

What should I look for in a hard drive?

Form factor

SATA hard drives mostly come in two physical sizes, 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch. This refers to the rough diameter of the spinning platters on the drive. Laptops generally use 2.5-inch drives, while desktop computers contain the latter. As the 2.5-inch drives are smaller to fit into the laptop bodies they relatively have less storage capacity than 3.5-inch ones.

Capacity

If you’re happy with the storage space you’ve been using before, it could be a good idea to stick with that. This helps to avoid buying too much space that you won’t be using anyway.

Still determining how much space you actually need can be hard to imagine. For reference, you’d normally require 250-500GB for personal use of documents and media files. For professional use of larger media files such as creative projects, you might need at least 1TB or more.

Speed

The revolutions per minute (RPM) of the spinning platters determines how fast the drive can read and write data. It goes without saying, the faster the RPM, the faster the performance of the drive.

Consumer-grade drives usually come in either 5400RPM or 7200 RPM. As mentioned, you’d of course want to choose the higher RPM. Even so, as the moving parts do need to be powered, the higher the RPM, the more power the drive will draw. So for a more balanced but not as fast performance, 5400RPM might be the way to go.

Replacing HDD with SSD

An SSD upgrade can get you the best of both worlds. By using NAND memory, it does not contain machinery that needs to be powered. This means it draws much less power, and offers better durability and performance. SSD upgrades are more and more popular these days as a quick performance boost. Learn more in our guide to SSD upgrades.

Where can I buy a hard drive replacement?

There are many options in the world of tech hardware these days, both online and in-store. Buying from trusted retailers like Amazon or directly from HP can usually get you a reliable purchase.

If you’re keen to get some in-person advice, shopping in store can also be a great option. By going to a local retailer you may be able to get useful pointers on the right hard drive replacement for you.

4. Install your new hard drive

Now comes the real stuff. Installing your hard drive by yourself should take nothing more than a few simple tools and a few guidelines to follow. This is an almost-immediate solution to hard drive failure as you’ll be able to replace it and use it in no time.

HP Support’s YouTube channel has a lot of resources and video tutorials that show people how to replace and repair their own HP devices. Here’s one about replacing the hard drive or SSD on an HP EliteBook 840 G3 Notebook PC:

Popular tech DIY site ifixit also offers repair and upgrade guides for all sorts of hardware products, including HP products. Find a repair guide specific to your HP laptop or desktop computer there.

5. Install Windows on new drive

You won’t be able to use your computer once you’ve only installed it as there is no operating system on it. Starting it up will only prompt errors like “no operating system found”. To start using your new drive as a boot drive, a Windows installation will naturally be needed.

An easy way to reinstall Windows on your new drive is by using a USB installation media. First, download a Windows installation media onto a USB with at least 16GB capacity. Then, at startup, hold “Esc” just like before to enter the startup menu. But this time we’re not looking for F2 Diagnostics. Select F9 Boot options menu and choose which device to boot from. Install Windows, then you’re done!

Summary

To sum up, fixing hard drive issues by yourself can be a very simple and rewarding thing to accomplish. We take pride in giving the right DIY solutions, as we very much enjoy making tech easy for people. A quick tip though, always remember to backup your data. Creating regular backups not only secures your files from potential crashes, it also puts your mind at ease. Knowing that your data can be accessed from a safe place anytime is always a good feeling.

Professional repair

While everyone is totally capable of doing all this themselves, you may find yourself too busy or you might not have the right hardware tools. Choosing to go with a professional repair can then be something to think about.

For specialised professional repairs, you can take your computer to an HP-authorized service centre. Bringing along any information about errors reported will also be a great help to support technicians. However, their replacement and repair services offered may depend on your computer model and the state of the hard drive.

Checking your warranty before doing all this might also be a good idea. If your HP laptop or desktop computer is still under warranty, you might be able to get a free replacement and servicing from an HP-authorized service centre. If not, your only professional repair solution will be from a third-party repair service.

Speaking of third-party repairs, that’s where we can help! Located in Inner West Sydney, our technicians at Safemode Computer Service are highly rated and knowledgeable. We offer full checkup services and can provide you with the right repair solutions to any problem you might have. Call us today or drop by our Inner West store for a friendly chat.

A Complete Guide to Upgrading Your Hard Drive to an SSD

So you’ve had your computer for a while and it seems to be running slower than you’d like. Or you’re looking for something to boost its performance. Want a quick and practical way to upgrading your computer? Then upgrading your hard drive (HDD) to a solid-state drive (SSD) might be something to consider. As a quick and cost-effective upgrade, an SSD upgrade can be a way to boost your computer’s performance and practically make it fly!

Boosting your computer’s speed with an SSD upgrade may sound like a big change, and you may not know where to start. There are certainly a few things to consider before you decide to upgrade. Not to worry, here’s a guide to computer storage basics and what you should consider before upgrading to an SSD.

What is computer storage?

We all need a place to store our files, somewhere the data can stay on your computer and even while you’re not using those files or when your computer is turned off. This form of storage is called non-volatile storage. With this, you won’t lose data and have to recreate your work every time you turn on your computer. The main device for computer storage is generally a hard drive or a solid-state drive.

While we mainly store data on hard drives or solid-state drives, these drives work together with your computer’s memory (RAM) to get work done. RAM, random access memory, is a form of volatile storage, stores data that you are working on at the ready, so you can access it faster. Both forms of volatile and non-volatile storage work together to give you a smooth multitasking experience.

What is an HDD?

A hard disk drive, or hard drive is the storage device on your computer. HDDs have been the standard for permanent data storage on computers for many years. Traditionally, hard drives come in two physical sizes, 2.5-inch for laptops, and 3.5-inch for desktop computers

So how does a hard drive work?

Right round like a record, to borrow a phrase. The actuator arm floats on the rotating disk to read and write data to its surface, using magnetic heads, working like a record player. The disk rotates on a spindle at a high rate of speed to read and write data.

Like most things, hard drives will eventually age and wear out. While they can last long, they can cause unwanted issues such as overheating and performance loss. On top of that, because they contain delicate moving parts, dropping your computer while it is operating can also cause significant damage to the disk.

Related: Top 8 hard drive issues and how to fix them yourself

If you’ve owned your laptop or desktop for a few years and want to keep its performance up to your standard, you may want to start thinking about upgrading to an SSD. Let’s look at the benefits of that.

What is an SSD?

Solid-state drives are becoming more and more popular in comparison to hard drives, due to its higher speed and reliability. Most new computers use SSDs over the old standard of HDDs. SSDs typically come in 2.5-inch sizes, the size of a standard laptop HDD. A newer type of SSD, the M.2 standard, is much smaller and thinner and can fit in ultra-thin laptops and mini PCs.

The main difference between HDD and SSD is that SSD does not have any moving parts that need to be powered. While HDD works by motorized write and read heads on a disk, an SSD makes use of flash memory, a form of non-volatile computer memory. Simply put, data is electronically written and stays on memory chips, unlike regular RAM, where data is only stored while the computer is powered. This process does not require any moving machinery for data storage.

What are the pros and cons of upgrading to an SSD?

Pros of upgrading to SSD

Without any moving parts, its solid state can withstand physical impact more than a hard drive can. Its shock resistance promises better durability while it is in use and not.

The moving parts of a hard drive draws power to work, and also produces noise and heat. All these issues can be solved by replacing the HDD with an SSD. You can use an SSD as a data drive together with your HDD, but using the SSD as a boot drive allows you to make full use of its benefits.

The biggest benefit of upgrading to an SSD is the higher performance, which greatly improves your computing experience. It can read and write much faster than standard hard drives. Booting up your computer will also be much faster than before. You’ll be able to refresh your computer and even make things run faster than it ever has!

Cons of upgrading to SSD

While it seems like an easy decision to upgrade to an SSD, one significant downside is its high cost. The cost of SSDs are gradually decreasing, but still remain a lot more expensive than hard drives. A hard drive of the same price of an average SSD can get you a lot more storage.

The storage capacities of SSDs also can’t compare to the largest capacity of a hard drive. Hard drives are still the mainstay if you need to store huge amounts of data. You could consider replacing your hard drive with a newer one, or put your data on external hard drives.

On the bright side, SSD manufacturers are still working to refine their technology and quality of their drives. With this, we can expect price drops and capacity improvements for the near future.

Things to consider before upgrading to an SSD

This may be obvious, but if your computer already comes with an SSD, you do not need to upgrade from an HDD to an SSD. Most newer models make use of SSDs, such as Apple Macbook laptops from 2013 onwards. If you are looking for more upgrades, you may want to look into other hardware upgrades that can boost performance.

When it comes to deciding which SSD is right for you, you may want to think about your main computing needs. The capacity and performance of the drive should be your priority when you are shopping for one. In terms of cost, getting an SSD with larger capacity could provide more value for money.

Interface: SATA vs. PCIe SSDs?

PCIe SSDs a newer option compared to the more widely-used SATA interface for SSDs. It connects directly onto the motherboard. Compared to one another, both connection types have their relative benefits and disadvantages:

Form factor

You’ll also need to think about whether the drive’s form factor can fit in your computer. The 2.5-inch size can fit a laptop, but the thickness of the drive is also something to consider. Checking your computer’s manual can help you make this decision.

The smaller and thinner M.2 SSD is also gaining popularity for storage solutions in thinner laptops. For desktop computers that usually require a 3.5-inch size for drives, you may use an adaptor to mount the 2.5-inch SSD.

For Apple computer users

Users of Apple laptops from 2012 and Mac desktops and can only upgrade to the 2.5-inch SSD with SATA connection, as the laptops do not come with the PCIe connection option.

If you own an Apple laptop from 2013 to 2015 and onwards and want to upgrade your existing SSD’s capacity, make sure you only choose from genuine Apple SSD’s. This is due to the specific interface that Apple makes use of for their laptops from 2013 to 2015. Apple desktop users can choose from any brand, just as long as they are 2.5-inch ones.

From 2016 onwards, most Apple laptop SSDs (flash storage) are built into the computer motherboard which makes it impossible to upgrade.

How do I upgrade to an SSD?

If you’d like to install your new SSD on your own, you can do so with some simple tools and by migrating your data from your HDD to your new SSD. This is a process where you’ll need to clone your drive, which carries over your files, installed programs, and operating system over to your new drive. You’ll be able to boot up exactly as you did before, only with a significant performance boost for your computing experience.

In-store upgrade

If you find yourself not-so-adept to DIY tasks or would just like to save yourself the hassle, you may want to get your SSD upgrade done by a professional. Our friendly technicians at Safemode Computer Service, one of the best computer services in Inner West Sydney, can definitely provide you with the best advice and service.

If you own an Apple Mac, you might be thinking about taking it to the nearest Apple store. But, an upgrade with Apple may not be possible. Apple does not offer upgrades to every model of their computers, so you may want to check with them before booking an appointment to avoid wasting your valuable time.

For Windows computer manufacturers such as Dell, HP, or Lenovo, you may want to check if there is an authorized service centre near your place. Same with Apple stores, it could be a good idea to make sure they offer such services for your computer.

Otherwise, a third-party computer repair service might be your only option. If you live in Inner West Sydney, surely us – Safemode Computer Service is an option! We are rated among the top three laptop repair centres for the third year in a row by ThreeBestRate :) Or you can look up other computer repair services online to find one near you.