Basically, I have a nettop (160GB SATA HDD) With no optical / cd drive. It is running Windows Vista (Which came pre installed).
I have just bought a 500GB 2.5" internal SATA HDD that I am hoping to replace the 160GB with.
I put it in the machine and nothing happened. I think this is because it is blank and it hasn't got Vista on it yet.
Is it possible to start my computer with the old 160GB HDD installed, then transfer everything to the new 500GB HDD using an external caddy, then installing the new HDD. Will my computer start up normally if I do that? Or is it written in stone that I need to use a SATA Data Transfer Kit???
I will help you grasshopper, but not in the way that you describe. First: You must swap in the new hard drive to your netbook. Understand that you cannot simply copy your old hard drive to the new one, and expect that it will start Windows Vista. So get an external DVD drive, hook it up, and press whatever F-key allows you to choose your boot device. Boot to the external DVD drive, in which you have put your Vista DVD into. Install Windows Vista.
Now purchase this device: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812232002
Use that to connect your old hard drive to your newly upgraded netbook. Copy all your documents and stuff. Then you're done.
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