Extend notebook life by upgrading your hard drive

Notebook computers are becoming the systems of choice in the corporate computing environment, with an increasing number of people relying on their portable machine for all their computing needs. This shift to notebooks has two key implications: how do users get their notebook to behave as if it were a full-size desktop machine; and how do corporate IT departments manage the total cost of ownership of these expensive portable machines? Patrick Reeves, mobile products manager at AXiZ, explores these issues.

"Users are demanding more storage on their notebooks as they use their notebooks more," says Reeves. "Thanks to modern storage-hungry applications, such as Windows 98 Office, even modern notebooks with high-capacity drives can run out of storage in six to 18 months of use, which is well before the useful life of the computer has ended. Storage capacity typically increases at a rate of about 60% per year, and the appetite for storage is insatiable."

This leads onto the second issue - total cost of ownership. Notebooks cost more than desktop systems so must last longer to justify their higher cost of ownership. "But what if available storage capacity is swallowed up after a year?" asks Reeves. "Surveys show that lack of disk drive space is the single biggest reason why notebooks become seemingly obsolete - but it needn`t be this way. This is where hard disk upgrades come in."

Hard drive upgrades are common in the desktop computer arena. Companies typically only deploy new desktops when more processing power is required, with older PCs upgraded for continued use in less intensive applications. However, this method of managing costs is largely untapped in the notebook arena, even though notebooks are more expensive to own and run. "The fact is this: the useful life of notebook PC`s can be extended by two years or more by upgrading the hard disk - and the investment required for this is only 15% to 25% of the cost of a new machine," Reeves points out.

Issues affecting the decision to purchase new or upgrade notebooks are as follows:

.         Insufficient hard drive space Because notebooks are increasingly used as primary systems, their storage capacity must meet or exceed that of a desktop PC. Storage problems can therefore be solved as they would with a desktop machine - with a hard drive upgrade.

.         Insufficient CPU speed This is the reason often given for getting a new notebook, but in most cases, it`s a red herring. With most of the notebooks launched in the last year or so, the CPU supplied in the system is perfectly adequate for all but the most intensive graphics applications. For the vast majority of users, any existing CPU that is a Pentium 133 or above is sufficient for running typical applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, e-mail, and internet/intranet access. The weak link in these notebook systems as new applications are deployed is likely to be the hard disk capacity, so an upgrade again extends the notebook`s lifespan.

.         Making space The drawback with this is that notebooks can be notoriously difficult to upgrade, as hard disk units vary in size and shape from one machine to another. Another problem is the issue of how to seamlessly transfer all the data from the original HDD to the upgrade HDD, quickly and cost-effectively.

"The answer is a complete "upgrade solution in a box" for users, such as the Apricorn EZ-GIG Hard Drive Upgrade kit," says Reeves. This product includes a high-capacity disk, software utility, cable and PC Card. The user loads the utility, connects the new disk to the notebook using the cable and PC Card, and within minutes, even Gigabytes of data are seamlessly transferred to the new disk.

"The user then swaps disks and boots up - it really is as easy as that," he adds. "What`s more, all applications, set-ups etc are maintained, so the upgraded notebook behaves exactly as it did before the upgrade. "

An additional benefit is that users can retain the original drive as a back-up and emergency spare hard drive. By re-using the cable and PC Card, the original drive can be used to back-up crucial data - giving users peace of mind.

This upgrade procedure can be done quickly, by users themselves, or by a company`s central service group if expert installation is required. The procedure overcomes the disadvantages of manufacturer`s traditional return-to-base upgrades, which typically incur premium shipping costs, loss of productivity as users have to work without their data and their familiar notebook, and the acute anxiety that users experience over getting their data returned intact.

"The new generation of hard drive upgrades makes the installation process simple, fast, safe, and reliable, with a vast range of solutions to fit the majority of modern notebook systems," says Reeves. "What`s more, there`s everything in the box that users need for the upgrade. Storage upgrades are an excellent tool for managing the life cycle of notebook computers. Substantial cost savings can be realised, while giving users the computing and storage resources they require in their notebooks. "