Upgrade to SSD and add RAM

[dmike25]

I'm going to  install an SSD drive. My computer has room for more RAM. I ordered both. Can I install them at the same time? I only want to open the machine once!

What I ordered is: Crucial CT500MX500SSD1 and Crucial CT102464BF160B.

Thanks in advance, Mike

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, Mike:

I don't see any reason why you can do the complete operation at the same time.

Below is the link to the service manual.

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c04642845

[dmike25]

Thank you Paul

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

[dmike25]

It turns out that the new parts are arriving tomorrow (Friday) instead of Sunday the day they said they'll arrive. That means that I can make the change this weekend instead of next weekend. There goes my week to prepare for it! I probably should mention that I'm a construction worker, not an IT guy. Paul sent a link to the service manual for my machine (thanks again Paul!) and when I go through it I see that to replace the hard drive the back of the computer needs to be removed. Google searches show several you tube movies showing the hard drive being accessed from the top, by removing the keyboard. My gut tells me to go by the manual and open the back. But I have to wonder, which is the best way to open this machine? I'll be replacing the HDD with an SDD, and also installing more RAM. 

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi:

The service manual has no procedure to remove the keyboard or top cover, so I would follow the guidance in the manual.

The hard drive is on the underside that shows up when you remove the bottom cover.

You would have to remove the motherboard if there was some way you could access the drive from the top.

[dmike25]

Thank you again Paul.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Anytime.

Glad to have been of assistance.

[dmike25]

Upgrade complete. Thanks to Paul for the help. I do have one more question. What can or should I do with the original HDD now that it's been removed?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

If you want, you can buy a SATA to USB hard drive cable, plug one end into the hard drive, the other end into a USB port, and format the hard drive so you can use it for some other purpose.

Something like this...

https://www.amazon.com/Drive-Adapter-Cable-Support-Black/dp/B07S9CKV7X/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?dchild=1&keyw...

If you don't want the hard drive anymore, and are concerned that someone would try to recover any data from it--even if it was formatted, the only easy way to prevent that from happening is to smash the drive with a hammer.  Wear eye protection if you decide to go that route.