What you should know before you upgrade your HP laptop hard drive

💡 Need to know

• Not every HP laptop is upgrade-friendly. Some models use different storage formats, so check compatibility before buying a replacement drive.
• SSD beats HDD. Upgrading to an SSD can make your laptop feel faster, boot up quicker, and load apps faster.
• Back up first, swap second. Cloning or backing up your data before replacing the drive can save you from a major headache later.
• Know your limits. Opening a laptop involves delicate components and may void your warranty, so if you're unsure, it's worth letting a repair pro handle it.

Do you have an HP® laptop that's trying hard—maybe a little too hard—to save all of your photos, videos, and files? Instead of ditching the entire computer, it might be easier—and more affordable—to repair or replace your hard drive.

At Asurion, we fix, protect, and help you get the most out of your tech. Here's what you need to know about upgrading the hard drive in your HP laptop.

Should I replace my hard drive on my own or take it to an expert?

Opening up your laptop can be a complicated task involving a lot of small internal parts. It can also void your warranty, depending on when and where you bought your computer. Before purchasing a replacement drive, verify that your specific HP laptop model supports storage upgrades. Some newer laptops have limited upgrade options or use storage formats that require specific replacement parts.

If you're still under warranty or if you don't have the time or experience to dive in, we recommend bringing your device to an HP laptop repair expert. Storage drive replacements typically start at $160 and increase depending on the drive type and capacity. The drives themselves usually range from $40 to $300 or more.

What to do before you replace the hard drive on your HP laptop

There are a few things you'll need before you pop open your HP laptop and get to work. Some of the essentials include:

A new storage drive

This one sounds obvious, but you don't want to start working on upgrading your laptop's storage only to find out you ordered the wrong part. Before purchasing a replacement, determine:

• Whether your laptop uses a 2.5-inch SATA drive or an M.2 SSD.
• Whether the M.2 drive uses SATA or NVMe technology.
• The physical size of the drive slot, such as 2230, 2242, or 2280.
• The maximum storage capacity supported by your laptop.

Most modern HP laptops use M.2 NVMe SSDs rather than traditional hard disk drives.

A reliable disk cloning tool

If you don't mind reinstalling Windows™ on your laptop, you can skip this item. But if finding and downloading Windows—and any other applications—sounds like a waste of your time, a cloning program may be the way to go.

Most of them are free. Just be careful with any files you download to lessen the risk of accidentally installing malicious software. If your laptop uses BitLocker® encryption, make sure you save your recovery key and suspend BitLocker protection before cloning or replacing the drive.

A connecting cable or enclosure

You'll need a way to transfer cloned data from one drive to the other. Most HP laptops have only one internal storage slot, so you'll need a USB adapter, enclosure, or cable to connect the new drive during cloning.

A Phillips-head screwdriver

How else would you access your laptop's innards?

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Preparing the new hard drive

Before you can start replacing anything, you need to set up the new hard drive. Here are a few things to know about it:

Hard disk drives or Solid-state drives

Hard disk drives (HDDs) are the older, more affordable type of storage device and are still available in a variety of capacities.

Solid-state drives (SSDs) are faster, quieter, and more durable because they don't contain moving parts. Most modern laptops use SSDs, and upgrading to one can significantly improve boot times, application loading, and overall responsiveness.

To learn more about the differences and which option might be right for you, check out our guide.

Master Boot Record or GUID Partition Table

When you set up your new drive, you'll be asked whether you want to use Master Boot Record (MBR) or GUID Partition Table (GPT). Both are ways of organizing information on a drive.

MBR is an older standard, while GPT is recommended for most modern Windows 11 systems because it supports larger drives, improved reliability, and additional security features.

With those choices in mind, you can start setting up the new drive with these steps:

• Connect the new drive to your laptop with a USB adapter or enclosure.
• Press Win + R to open the Run window.
• Type diskmgmt.msc and click OK to open Disk Management.
• Right-click the new disk and select Initialize Disk.
• Select MBR or GPT and click OK.
• Follow the onscreen instructions to finish setting up the drive.

Keep the new drive connected to your laptop for the next step.

Cloning the storage drive

To bring all of your data from your current drive over to the new one without having to manually download or reinstall individual files—including Windows—you'll need to clone it.

Again, drive-cloning programs are third-party applications and can come with potential risks, so download software only from trusted sources. After selecting and installing your cloning software, follow its instructions to copy the contents of your existing drive to the new one.

Don't want to clone the drive? You can also perform a clean installation of Windows after replacing the storage device.

One thing to keep in mind: Windows 11 activation is typically tied to your laptop's motherboard, not the storage drive, so replacing the drive generally won't affect your Windows license.

How to replace a hard drive on your HP laptop

Before opening your laptop:

• Verify whether it uses a traditional 2.5-inch SATA drive or an M.2 SSD. The replacement process varies depending on the storage type.
• Determine if your laptop is still under warranty—and make sure you don't void that warranty if it exists
• Decide if you have the time, experience and patience to dive in. If not, tap in a HP laptop repair expert.

1. Turn off the HP laptop and disconnect it from the charging cable.
2. Discharge any static electricity by touching a grounded metal object or wear an antistatic wrist strap. This helps protect sensitive internal components.
3. If your laptop has an external battery, unlatch and remove it.
4. Use a Phillips-head screwdriver to remove all screws securing the bottom cover.
5. Carefully remove the back plate.

For laptops with a 2.5-inch drive

1. Locate the storage drive assembly.
2. Remove any screws securing the drive bracket.
3. Disconnect the drive and lift it out of the laptop.
4. Install the replacement drive into the bracket.
5. Reconnect it and secure it with the original screws.

For laptops with an M.2 SSD

1. Locate the M.2 storage slot on the motherboard.
2. Remove the small retaining screw holding the SSD in place.
3. Gently slide the SSD out of the slot.
4. Insert the replacement SSD at a slight angle.
5. Press it down and secure it with the retaining screw.

After installing the new drive:

1. Replace the back cover and reinstall the screws.
2. Reconnect the battery if you removed it.
3. Plug in the laptop and power it on.
4. Confirm that Windows starts normally or begin the Windows installation process if you're performing a clean install.