How to Repair a Compaq Laptop With Toshiba Parts

Hard drive.

While the shelf-life of a hard drive can vary based upon the make, model and frequency of use, hard drive failure is not uncommon and can render a laptop otherwise useless. Fortunately, hard drives are arguably the easiest to replace of all computer hardware, and as long as the form factor and interface match, you can easily switch the drive from one laptop to another. If the hard drive in your Compaq fails, but you have a spare drive in your Toshiba laptop that you are not using, as long as the drive is compatible, you can replace the Compaq drive with the one from the Toshiba.

Things You'll Need

• Small Phillips-head screwdriver

Instructions

1. Confirm that the hard drive from the Toshiba laptop is compatible with the Compaq. Older Compaqs may require an IDE hard drive (an outdated technological standard for hard drives), whereas new Compaqs will use SATA (the current standard for hard drives). Check your manual, or search your laptop on the HP website, to find out what type of hard drive your laptop uses. If your computer requires an IDE drive, but the drive from the Toshiba laptop is SATA, or visa-versa, then you will not be able to install the drive from the Toshiba into the Compaq.

2. Remove all power from the Toshiba laptop and remove any external devices connected to it. To prevent damaging the hardware due to static electricity, place your hand on a metal surface.

3. Turn the Toshiba onto its face and release the tabs on the bottom of the computer to extract the battery. Pull the battery out the rest of the way and set it aside.

4. Unscrew and remove the cover protecting the hard drive. Loosen the screws securing the disk to the laptop itself.

5. Lift the hard drive from the Toshiba. Remove any cables connected to the back of it. Unscrew the tray covering the hard drive. Depending on the model, you may need to remove only two screws from either side; with others, you may need to remove four.

6. Place the hard drive in a protective, anti-static bag. Turn off the Compaq computer, remove any cables connected to it, and then close the lid.

7. Remove the battery and the hard drive from the laptop similarly as with the Toshiba. The battery and hard drive may be in a different location than in the Toshiba. You may also need to unscrew the battery from its compartment, rather than release any tabs.

8. Remove the Toshiba drive from the anti-static bag. Attach the mainboard cable to the hard drive. Attach the Compaq's drive tray to the Toshiba drive, then carefully slide the drive into the empty drive compartment.

9. Screw the hard disk and the cover into place. Reconnect all of the cables to the Compaq, then turn it over and open the lid. Power on the PC.

Tips & Warnings

• The location of the hard drive may vary from laptop to laptop, even if the manufacturers are the same. If you are not sure where the hard drive is located, check your manual--located online or in your laptop's packaging--or remove all of the covers located on the bottom of the computer.

References

• ComputerShopper: Replace your Laptop's Hard Drive