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HP Recommended
HP Pavilion Elite HPE-500f Desktop PC
Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit)

Pc is old & retired (like me) but after spending several exciting weeks of researching/studying/configuring Gamer for teenaged grandson;

got the 'upgrade bug'.  Home filled with new(er) Chromebooks, smartphones, laptop; so now all my pc does is stream, make Excel lists,

watch YouTube, download music 🙊.   With replacement components so much cheaper than a new desktop; request your advice about:

 

1.  upgrade RAM?  from 8gb (4x2gb) to16gb total (2x8gb)? OR  continue using all 4 slots (4x4gb)??  (using 5.78gb of memory now)

2.  upgrade storage?  If good idea, replace  old 1.5tb HDD (.9tb still free) with SSD?  OR  add small SSD, keep HDD and go hybridOR ...???

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions
HP Recommended

@TexasIndian --  How easy is it to replace original (~2011) 1.5 tb 5400 HDD by a new SSD install? 

 

Are you really using much of that 1.5 Terabytes of available storage?

 

For a desktop, it's not very difficult.

  1. Download and install the free Macrium Reflect software.
  2. Run it, to make a bootable image onto a USB memory-stick.
  3. Purchase a new SSD. 
  4. Purchase an adapter tray -- it is cheap metal, that is 3.5-inches wide -- the same width as your current disk-drive, and it will allow you to securely hold the 2.5-inch wide SSD in the tray.
  5. Open up your desktop computer, and disconnect the "power" and the "data" cables from your CD/DVD device, and connect those cables to your new SSD.
  6. Insert the memory-stick.
  7. Boot your computer, selecting to boot from the memory-stick.
  8. It will launch Macrium Reflect.
  9. Choose the "clone a disk" option.
  10. Choose the "source" disk-drive as your current disk-drive.
  11. Choose the "target" as the new SSD.
  12. Run the clone process, to copy, byte-by-byte, from "source" to "target".
  13. When it completes, power-off your computer, and disconnect the power-cord.
  14. Disconnect the SSD from those cables, and reconnect the cables to the CD/DVD.
  15. Disconnect the "data" and "power" cables from your current disk-drive.
  16. Disconnect any screws that hold the disk-drive in its position, and slide it out.
  17. Slide-in the new SSD, mounted inside that metal tray, and use those screws.
  18. Connect the "data" and "power" cables to the SSD.
  19. Connect the power-cord.
  20. Start-up the computer, and enter BIOS SETUP.  Look for the "boot" section. Change the boot-list to remove the now-detached disk-drive, and to add the new SSD as the first of the bootable devices.
  21. Save-and-Exit from BIOS SETUP.
  22. Your computer should now boot from the SSD.
  23. Replace the side-panel that you removed.

Good size for my use?  Brands?  NO to hybrid?

 

Yes, definitely AVOID any "hybrid". You want SSD speeds for ALL the files/folders.

Probably, the SMALLEST capacity SSD that you will find is 240 GBytes.

A few years ago, the smallest was 32 Gbytes.

 

Again, how much of that 1.5 Terabytes are you using?

You might be able to save a few dollars, by looking for 500 GB, at the best price.

There is not much difference in performance between manufacturers -- not enough that you will notice, anyway, to justify paying extra money.

 

Any specifications, etc need to make sure new SSD will 'match up' to HPE 500f??

 

Be sure to purchase the 2.5-inch-wide SSD.  There now are tiny "M.2" devices that also use SSD technology, but your old motherboard will NOT be compatible with such a device.

 

View solution in original post

7 REPLIES 7
HP Recommended

@TexasIndian -- using 5.78 gb of memory now [out of 8 GB]

 

I would not waste my money adding more RAM that will be unused.

 

Given the (suspected) age of the current disk-drive, I would proactively replace it, and I definitely would purchase a SSD.

Free software such as MACRIUM REFLECT can "clone" from your current disk-drive to the SSD.

Even if the SSD eliminates only the "rotational-delay" of any spinning disk-drive, the SSD will be faster.

HP Recommended

Thanks Itsmyname,

 

1. ALWAYS appreciate any advice that starts with "I wouldn't waste my money...."

2. How easy is it for me ('techno-inept') to replace original (~2011) 1.5 tb 5400 HDD?

     Same query about new SSD install?  Good size for my use?  Brands?  NO to hybrid?

     Any specifications, etc need to make sure new SSD will 'match up' to HPE 500f??

HP Recommended

@TexasIndian --  How easy is it to replace original (~2011) 1.5 tb 5400 HDD by a new SSD install? 

 

Are you really using much of that 1.5 Terabytes of available storage?

 

For a desktop, it's not very difficult.

  1. Download and install the free Macrium Reflect software.
  2. Run it, to make a bootable image onto a USB memory-stick.
  3. Purchase a new SSD. 
  4. Purchase an adapter tray -- it is cheap metal, that is 3.5-inches wide -- the same width as your current disk-drive, and it will allow you to securely hold the 2.5-inch wide SSD in the tray.
  5. Open up your desktop computer, and disconnect the "power" and the "data" cables from your CD/DVD device, and connect those cables to your new SSD.
  6. Insert the memory-stick.
  7. Boot your computer, selecting to boot from the memory-stick.
  8. It will launch Macrium Reflect.
  9. Choose the "clone a disk" option.
  10. Choose the "source" disk-drive as your current disk-drive.
  11. Choose the "target" as the new SSD.
  12. Run the clone process, to copy, byte-by-byte, from "source" to "target".
  13. When it completes, power-off your computer, and disconnect the power-cord.
  14. Disconnect the SSD from those cables, and reconnect the cables to the CD/DVD.
  15. Disconnect the "data" and "power" cables from your current disk-drive.
  16. Disconnect any screws that hold the disk-drive in its position, and slide it out.
  17. Slide-in the new SSD, mounted inside that metal tray, and use those screws.
  18. Connect the "data" and "power" cables to the SSD.
  19. Connect the power-cord.
  20. Start-up the computer, and enter BIOS SETUP.  Look for the "boot" section. Change the boot-list to remove the now-detached disk-drive, and to add the new SSD as the first of the bootable devices.
  21. Save-and-Exit from BIOS SETUP.
  22. Your computer should now boot from the SSD.
  23. Replace the side-panel that you removed.

Good size for my use?  Brands?  NO to hybrid?

 

Yes, definitely AVOID any "hybrid". You want SSD speeds for ALL the files/folders.

Probably, the SMALLEST capacity SSD that you will find is 240 GBytes.

A few years ago, the smallest was 32 Gbytes.

 

Again, how much of that 1.5 Terabytes are you using?

You might be able to save a few dollars, by looking for 500 GB, at the best price.

There is not much difference in performance between manufacturers -- not enough that you will notice, anyway, to justify paying extra money.

 

Any specifications, etc need to make sure new SSD will 'match up' to HPE 500f??

 

Be sure to purchase the 2.5-inch-wide SSD.  There now are tiny "M.2" devices that also use SSD technology, but your old motherboard will NOT be compatible with such a device.

 
HP Recommended

WOW!!  That was incredibly succinct and detailed...Thank you Itsmyname.

("accepted solution" even though sounds waaaay beyond my capabilities)

🤔😲

HP Recommended

@TexasIndian -- even though sounds waaaay beyond my capabilities

 

Either find a "technophile" friend who has the capability, or pay a professional computer technician to follow the steps.

 

You might try some "upgrading disk-drive" type of videos on YouTube, so that you can watch the process, and learn about its complexity.

 

HP Recommended

last question about this (promise, I hope) ... since I don't have any (local) technophile friends,

do you have advice, critique or suggestion regarding Best Buy's Geek Squad vs Microcenter?

HP Recommended

@TexasIndian -- I would prefer a local "owner/operator" computer store. They stay open for business by providing good service, and receiving good word-of-mouth recommendations.

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