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Here’s how I upgraded the hard drive in a Sony Vaio PCG-V505DXP laptop. This laptop had an older 60GB 4200RPM IDE hard drive (Toshiba MK6021GAS). The original hard drive failed and I decided to upgrade it with a faster one.
I upgraded the laptop with an inexpensive 120GB 5400RMP WD Scorpio IDE drive (WD12000BEVE) and it works like a charm.
The drive replacement procedure is pretty simple and here it is.
First of all, unplug the battery. The hard drive compartment is located on the bottom of the laptop under the cover. Remove five screws and remove the cover.
Now remove two screws securing hard drive brackets to the base.
Carefully lift up the hard drive and unplug it from the connector on the motherboard.
Now you can unplug the hard drive cable.
You’ll have to transfer mounting brackets to the new drive. There is one bracket on each side of the hard drive.
Remove bracket from the right side.
Remove bracket from the left side.
This is my new WD Scorpio hard drive. You’ll have to use an IDE drive, not SATA.
Connect both brackets to the new drive, connect the cable, install the drive into the laptop and install the cover.
As you understand, the new drive comes without software. In order to install the operating system and applications you’ll have to run recovery discs.
Hopefully, you’ve created a set of recovery CDs or DVDs while your old hard drive was in a good working condition. If not, you’ll have to contact Sony and purchase recovery discs from them.
Boot your laptop from the first recovery disc and follow the wizard on the screen. This process will reimage your new hard drive to factory defaults.
February 4th, 2013 at 8:36 am
Excellent info for replacing mem and HD thanks alot
April 19th, 2011 at 2:54 pm
wasim akhtar,
I guess you are talking about the hard drive password.
You will not be able to access with hard drive if you forgot the password. If you forgot the password, you’ll have to replace the hard drive.
April 19th, 2011 at 2:22 pm
i want to format Drive ‘C’ but it required password. I tried many password but failed. After THREE attempt a number appear which is “00119″.
PLEASE guide what will be the ORIGINAL password ? so that I can format the old window by new one.
Thanks & regards.
April 8th, 2011 at 2:33 pm
Laura Brody,
If the DVD drive mounted inside the laptop case, it’s likely you’ll have to remove the top cover assembly in order to replace the drive.
Maybe something like in this guide: http://www.insidemylaptop.com/how-take-apart-sony-vaio-vgn-sz-series-laptop/
April 4th, 2011 at 1:53 pm
I have a Sony Vaio PCG-V505AX laptop. I got it when the previous owner brought it in with a crashed HD. They decided to abandon it. I opened it up, added memory, a new CMOS battery and a new HD. It has been working great for a couple of years. Th CD/DVD drive is mucho flakey, so I got a replacement off of eBay.
The problem is that I can’t figure out how to open up the unit so I can swap the DVD drive. I must be missing a screw or two. Any words of wisdom?
Thanks!
August 6th, 2010 at 1:30 am
nice info.. thx
August 2nd, 2010 at 2:47 pm
Hi – I have a V505BX – its original HDD is 40GB and dead. I got 80GB HDD but it keeps complaining about BAD POOL and dies with BSOD.
Please help,
thanks
April 7th, 2010 at 2:50 am
I have the same problem. I called tech support to re install my software for a clean start. I was instructed to press F10 and restore from the partition. It shut down in the middle. I then purchased the Sony recovery disk as instructed and it still won’t recover . The computer just shuts down at about 20-24% progress. I don’t know the “whole recovery process” but I assume just putting in the recovery disk is what you mean. I guess I need to replace the hard drive also. I see there may be a problem with a larger hard drive (from a post above). Ideas on where I can purchase a replacement hard drive – nothing fancy, just want to get it working again for basic quicken. I have a Sony Vaio PCG-K45 (Mobile Intel Pentium 4 Processor 538, 512 MB RAM, 80 GB Hard Drive). It was slow – but working fine before I started this whole process. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you
“I have a Sony PCG GR 414 SP the hard drive has failed I have recovery disc but says It cannot find Operating system when loading so I guess the hard drive has had It can u tell me an alternative Drive that I maybe able to replace It with and how I go about doing It
Many Thanks John”
Did you try booting from the recovery disc? Did you go though the whole recovery process?
April 1st, 2010 at 9:42 am
David,
I cannot tell without testing the laptop.
1. Try reconnecting the hard drive cable on both ends – motherboard and hard drive itself.
2. Enter the BIOS setup menu and try loading default settings. Check out if the hard drive will appear in the BIOS after that.
3. Probably try replacing the hard drive cable.
April 1st, 2010 at 7:14 am
I have a Sony PCG-V505BCP and just rec’d my HD connector, when I start it up, it won’t reconz. the hard drive. What can it be? the connector itself you think?