Get An External Hard Drive...NO EXCEPTIONS

I got my first laptop a year and a half ago, and honestly it's one of my most valuable possessions.  Everything important to me is on it: my photos, my music, and my schoolwork.  I don't know what I would do if I lost it...that's why I'm so glad that a guy at the Apple store recommended I get an external hard drive, and I listened.  An external hard drive is a must!!!  A week ago when I was working on my laptop, and a can of hairspray from the shelf above me, fell hitting me on the top of my head, and then hitting the laptop.  Creating a large dent right above where the hard drive sits.  After I turned it off, the laptop would not get past the loading phase.

After opening up my laptop I found that the dent made by the hairspray protruded into the hard drive, along with wrecking the wire over the hard drive.  I believe people should not be scared to open up their laptop when it have a problem, just be careful not to void the warranty.  In my Macbook Pro the warranty can be void by removing the battery; other laptops are different.  All you need is small phillips screwdriver.  My screw driver has a size #0 and #00 phillips bit and 1.5mm and 3mm flat head bit; for $2.00 this screwdriver fits all my computer needs.

After deciding what the problem was, and doing research on replacement parts, I booked an appointment into the genius bar.  They confirmed that the hard drive, and the cord above it were wrecked.  I had Apple replace the cord for $16.73 plus $39.00 for labor.  I did not have them replace the hard drive because that would cost over $150 for 300 GB.  Instead I waited, and went to Memory Express, where I bought a 1 TB hard drive (1 terabyte = 1000 gigabytes) for $90.  After spending over a thousand dollars for my Mac, I wish Apple didn't rip off the customers when it comes to repairs, and parts.

I took the hard drive home, to install it myself.  It's not as hard as it sounds; I removed ten screws from the back to remove the cover, then two more screws to free the damaged hard drive.  I disconnected the cord from the old hard drive, and connected the new one.  After everything was all closed up, I was good to go!

A video I referred to while installing my hard drive, it is very good for Mac users:  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uptvZsYd97U

Now that my computer is ready to go, I put in the disks that contain the operating system in. After the operating system has been install I plugged in my external hard drive, and transferred everything that was on my old hard drive to my new.

One of the bonuses of my Macbook Pro is Time Machine (I don't know if there is something similar for windows).  When I plugged in my external hard drive it made the computer the same as before it crashed; all my apps, files, and settings were restored.  Above is my 500 GB hard drive; I got it a year ago at Apple for $130.  Today you can by them cheeper, and bigger; I recommend looking at Costco.  I am very grateful I have an external hard drive, and I think everyone who has a computer should have one too!

P.S.  Sorry, I know this post is long...