How to Install a Hard Drive in IBM Laptop 360 D

The hard disk drive is the device on your IBM 360 series laptop that holds your operating system and all of your files and programs. If your laptop will not boot up at all or only powers on intermittently, your hard drive is likely failing and will need to be replaced with a new one. Replacing the hard drive on an IBM laptop is actually an easier process than on a standard desktop computer as you only need to take out a single screw to locate the hard drive.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver
• Replacement hard drive
• IBM recovery CD

Instructions

1. Click on the Windows icon at the bottom of the desktop and choose "Shut Down." Wait for the IBM 360 laptop to completely power down and then close the top screen lid.

2. Flip the IBM laptop over so that you can see the bottom side of the case. Locate the battery release latch at the top of the case and push it down. Slide the battery out of the laptop casing and set it aside.

3. Find the screw on the upper-right corner of the laptop casing that holds the plastic cover piece over the hard disk drive. Use a screwdriver to pull out the screw and then lift the plastic cover piece off of the case.

4. Grab the left and right edges of the hard disk drive and slide it directly out of the laptop. Pull off the long rubber pieces on both sides of the hard drive. Put the rubber pieces onto the sides of the new replacement hard drive.

5. Position the hard drive so that the metal connector on the bottom is facing towards the open area on the laptop. Push the hard drive directly into the laptop until only the top portion is exposed.

6. Place the plastic cover piece back over the hard drive and then put the screw back in. Push the battery back into the laptop until the release latch clicks. Turn the laptop back over and open the lid. Press the power button and wait for the laptop to power on.

7. Insert the operating system recovery CD that came with your laptop into the CD drive. Follow the recovery instructions that will appear on the screen to install the operating system on the new hard drive.

Tips & Warnings

• Save backup copies of any programs or files that you will need onto an external source such as a USB jump drive before removing the old hard drive.

• A new hard drive does not come with any operating system pre-installed. If for some reason you no longer have the recovery CD you will need to purchase an operating system installation disc (see Resources below).

Resources

• IBM support website
• Purchase laptop hard drives at Newegg.
• Purchase operating system installation CDs at Newegg.