solid state drive Archives - Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: Will replacing the hard drive with an SSD make a PC run hotter?

Posted on April 28, 2025

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Question from Michael: I have a three year old laptop that runs a bit on the warm side. It always has, ever since I first took it out of the box.

I read your post about replacing a hard drive with an SSD and I’d love to replace the existing 1TB hard drive in this laptop with a 1TB SSD.

The thing is I’m afraid it will cause the laptop to overheat since it’s getting really warm already. Do you think it might? [Read more…]

Q&A: Do SSDs need to be backed up like a hard drive?

Posted on January 26, 2025

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Question from Brenda: I took my laptop to Best Buy after the hard drive crashed and they installed a 2TB SSD for me. I can’t believe how much faster the computer runs now.

Luckily I had a backup when the hard drive crashed. I was reading an article today that said SSDs don’t break because they have no moving parts, therefore you don’t really need to back them up.

Is that true? [Read more…]

Q&A: Will installing an SSD void my new laptop’s warranty?

Posted on December 29, 2024

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Question from Markus: Hi, Rick. I recently bought a new laptop that came with a 1 year manufacturer’s warranty, but I paid extra for a 3 year extended warranty.

I’d really like to swap out its 1TB hard drive for an SSD (as you often recommend).

I have not read anything anywhere about potential consequences if one does this. Could this possibly be considered an “unauthorized” activity and therefore void either the laptop manufacturer’s warranty or the extended warranty that I purchased? [Read more…]

Q&A: Are SSDs just as reliable as hard drives?

Posted on February 26, 2024

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Question from Wesley: Hi, Rick. I hope you’re doing well.

I recently read your post about speeding up a computer by replacing the hard drive with a much faster solid state drive (SSD).

I’m leaning towards doing this but I have one concern that’s holding me back.

I’m worried that an SSD might not be as reliable as a hard drive, and I really can’t afford to lose my files if it were to crash on me.

What’s your opinion on this? Are SSDs as reliable as hard drives? [Read more…]

Q&A: Is it worth it to install a second SSD just for my data files?

Posted on January 16, 2024

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Question from Larry: I remember reading something a while back about using two SSDs instead of one to speed up a computer but I can’t remember the details.

I was in a hurry when I read it so I didn’t pay as much attention as I should have.

I think it had something to do with putting Windows and the installed programs on one SSD and all the data files on the other one.

Can you fill me in on the details? [Read more…]