# Laptop replacement question **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 24, 2017, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-replacement-question/787362 "2017-05-24T19:31:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2017, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-replacement-question/787362/21 "2017-05-26T14:35:39Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > I would suggest as also stated above that you buy a USB hard drive enclosure instead of install it in your new laptop, unless you need the extra storage space. > > And if you need the extra storage space NOW you bought the wrong laptop (possible exception yoru new laptop has a small SSD as opposed to a much larger spinning drive, but if you really need all that space of a spinning drive you bought the wrong laptop). You should have plenty of room, and with more stuff uploaded to the web, the need for space is diminishing quickly. > > Installing it into your current laptop will have it consume more power, and also be slightly heavier. If your laptop walks so does everything. > > Installing it into a USB enclosure will allow a very simple local backup once in awhile, it would allow a pretty full recovery if something happens. Thanks for your input. The new laptop has a 256 GB solid-state drive, plus an empty 2.5" hard drive slot. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2017, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-replacement-question/787362/22 "2017-05-26T15:45:36Z")
Most of the time a modern notebook BIOS setup will let you select the primary boot drive. There are no cables, switches or jumpers to set. If you have a new system with a Win 10 boot drive and an old win 7 bootable drive the system should be intelligent enough to make the old drive a secondary drive. IF it is not and on the small chance having two boot drives onboard confuses the controller then you will have to clear off the drive (after copying with the USB box) and make it non booting. While this can be done with Win 10 commands it is far easier and safer in most cases to simply download the setup software from the drive manufacturer that will do partitioning and cloning. This can be used with the drive in the box or installed in the notebook. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2017, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-replacement-question/787362/23 "2017-05-26T16:24:05Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Most of the time a modern notebook BIOS setup will let you select the primary boot drive. You mean by interrupting the bootup process/going into diagnostics mode (with F12 or ESC or whatever)? > [@](#): > > IF it is not and on the small chance having two boot drives onboard confuses the controller then you will have to clear off the drive (after copying with the USB box) and make it non booting. While this can be done with Win 10 commands it is far easier and safer in most cases to simply download the setup software from the drive manufacturer that will do partitioning and cloning. This can be used with the drive in the box or installed in the notebook. Is there a way to make it non-booting without clearing the memory? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2017, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-replacement-question/787362/24 "2017-05-26T20:00:39Z")
Lazy ol’ me just set up the new laptop, took out the hard drive from the old one, installed it in the new one, and fired 'er up. And it worked fine. The system did a disk check automatically, and there was some weirdness with permissions, but now I have full access and it appears that all files are there. Yippee! I love the new laptop. Solid state drive is fast as heck! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laptop-replacement-question/787362.md?page=1)