Hitachi Travelstar User manual

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Cracking open a laptop hard drive
The Hitachi Travelstar
Laptops are quickly overtaking desktops as the computer of choice. The heart of any
laptop, meanwhile, is its hard drive. Explore this image gallery to see how one of the
world's most popular mobile hard disks (the Hitachi Travelstar) is put together to power
countless laptops. You'll gain a new perspective on the main component powering all
those notebooks you see the next time you frequent the local coffeehouse.
The Hitachi Travelstar mobile hard disk. This model sported a 5400rpm motor, ATA
interface and 40GB of data storage.
Cracking open a laptop hard drive
Removing the hard drive cage

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This particular Hitachi Travelstar was removed from a Dell Inspiron laptop.
Several Philips screws (one of which is shown here at the top left corner) must be
removed to free the Hitachi hard disk from the silver hard disk assembly used to hold the
hard drive securely within the Dell Inspiron's hard disk bay.
Cracking open a laptop hard drive
The hard disk cage

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This silver cage, perforated to encourage cooling airflow, holds the hard disk securely
within the Dell's hard disk bay.
Cracking open a laptop hard drive
Hard disk cage removed

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Once the hard disk cage's screws are removed, the assembly falls free from the Hitachi
hard drive. The Hitachi's circuit board, shown here on the right, is then revealed.
Cracking open a laptop hard drive
Disassembling the Hitachi Travelstar

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To continue disassembling the Hitachi Travelstar, next several small Torx screws must be
removed. So, too, must the drive's label.
Cracking open a laptop hard drive
Disassembling the Hitachi Travelstar