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I wonder if it was not designed to increase hard disk number [in terms of watt available] (the manual isn't specific on it, it only talks about 'replacing the second one' in other models). However, I assume there's a high probability there is no problem since it was shipped with a slot and all the circuits for it.

What do you think. Safe? Unsafe?

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  • What is the model of laptop?
    – MBraedley
    Jan 14, 2011 at 17:36

3 Answers 3

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A lot of times laptops are manufactured to be flexible in the way that extras can be included in pricing packages. Stores would sell them with all the bells and whistles as a high end model (such as with an extra hard drive or extra memory), and sell the lower-end ones without all the extras (less storage and less memory).

In your case, I'd say you're safe with another hard drive. Be sure to check if it is indeed wired correctly to accept and detect another drive. I wouldn't worry about wattage here.

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  • It turned out it didn't have the connectors at all. Anyway, acceptable.
    – j riv
    Sep 12, 2011 at 13:04
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There really isn't "high" differences between wattage of laptop hard drives, in the sense to cause a system to fail. Upgrading your hard drive is a VERY common thing done by Super User and manufacturers VERY much want you to SOLELY buy from them. That is why your left in the dark on the manual. You're fine in upgrading the hard drive.

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Agreeing with other responses as I type, let me add that laptop hard disks use very little current compared to the CPU. One figure I've seen is that a laptop drive uses 2.5W max and 0.85W most of the time. Consider that even a very low-power laptop has a 40W power supply.

Adding another few watts will shorten the battery life but won't have any other deleterious effects in any case I can think of.

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