Upgrading Hard disk drive for Gateway MX3410

Can someone please let me know what type of 2.5in hard disk drives are supported by the gateway MX3410 laptop? I believe I need to get a ATA IDE 2.5inch hard disk drive.

Gateway MX3410

I need more than 80GB.

Is the hard drive below compatible?

Western Digital Scorpio 120GB

Edited by rsd79, 09 June 2009 - 09:14 PM.

The hard drive in the link is not compatible.
It is a SATA drive & you need a ATA [IDE] drive.

One of these should do it,

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList....archResult=True

Thanks for the link, I totally forgot about newegg. I was trying to purchase the WD scorpio drive ATA EIDE or something like that. When I search I should always look for the "ATA-6" type of 2.5inch drive?

"When I search I should always look for the "ATA-6" type of 2.5inch drive?"

Yrs but make sure it is a laptop drive !

Will do

How about the one below, does my laptop support it? If yes, now I just have to find a better deal.

Western Digital 160GB Scorpio Blue

Yes , it is a IDE drive.

Start looking for the better deal.

Personally, I'd go for the 160GB Seagate.

Interesting, since they both are 160GB, does the Seagate one run colder than the WD? That is the main reason I would probably purchase one over the other.

Seagate 160GB momentus

I am lucky to have found that drive at memory express. Now I have to decide between WD or Seagate and price match them against a Canadian online retailer.

Edited by rsd79, 13 June 2009 - 02:35 AM.

I have chosen the Seagate, since it has less power consumption. I hope it works. By the way, my cd-drive of my Laptop does not function so I will have to use the Gateway recovery disc on my desktop PC, while the Seagate 2.5inch HDD is hooked up. Any suggestions on how to do this easily? However, a google search should probably suffice.

Installing Windows on another computer is a pretty "iffy" thing.
It will have all of the drivers installed for the unit it's installed on & won't match the laptop.
That could cause Windows to fail to start.
There is a possibilty though
Install on the desktop
After the install is done go to the Control Panel
Double click the System icon
Click on the Hardware tab
Uninstall the Video,Network Adapter[s], Sound, & USB.
DO NOT let the computer restart after any uninstall
When you are done shut the unit off & remove the hard drive.

{ut it in the laptop & with a little luck it will boot.

1) Uninstall Video,Network Adapter[s], Sound, & USB
2) DO NOT let the computer restart after any uninstall
3) When you are done, shut the desktop PC off and remove the desktop's HDD
4) Put it in the laptop HDD and insert the gateway recovery disc.

with a little luck, hopefully it boots.


Will that work?

Is it possible to copy the gateway operating system disc XP home edition to a USB flash drive and boot my laptop, from my new HDD seagate?

"Will that work? "

Sometimes.

I changed the motherboard in this one 3 times without reinstallin XP by doing that .

The last time I wasn't so lucky.

As for the USB question, I*'ve never tried it but you might copy everything that is on the XP disk to a USB drive & get it to boot but I doubt it.
[Your unit would have to be set to boot from the USB first]

Here is the results:

Good news - I did everything and reached the black gateway recovery screen where you have to press R.

Bad News - My 2.5inch ATA-6/IDE hard disk drive does not fit into my IDE Ribbon cable's slot. I stopped after I bent one of the pins on the 2.5inch hdd. Should I exchange my 2.5inch hdd?

Conclusion: I think I have to purchase one of those IDE/USB hdd converters or adapters.

Edited by rsd79, 16 June 2009 - 08:38 PM.

I did the exact same thing on the first laptop IDE drive I changed !

Look at the back of the old drive
There should be an adapter on it the you remove & put on the new HD [After you carefully straigghten any bent pins] .