How to install an SSD in your laptop
After helping thousands of people all over the world install SSDs — people of all ages, backgrounds, and computer skill levels — we're convinced that you have what it takes to install an SSD. With little more than a screwdriver and your system's owner's manual, you can install an SSD. Here's how it's done.
Equipment needed
- 2.5-inch Crucial SSD
- Non-magnetic tip screwdriver
- Your system's owner's manual
Special considerations
If replacing your existing drive, we recommend the use of data migration (cloning) software to move all of your files from your existing drive onto your new hard drive. Data migration software is available at Crucial.com.
Precautions
- Static electricity can damage the components in your system. To protect your system's components from static damage during the installation process, touch any of the unpainted metal surfaces on your computer's frame or wear an ESD wrist strap before touching or handling internal components. Either method will safely discharge static electricity that's naturally present in your body.
- To protect your new SSD, do not touch the connectors on the drive.
- Do not open the SSD. Doing so will void your warranty.
Laptop installation instructions
- Make sure you're working in a static-safe environment. Remove any plastic bags or papers from your work space.
- Shut down your system. Once your system has been powered off, unplug the power cable, then remove the laptop battery.
- Hold down the power button for 3-5 seconds to discharge residual electricity.
- To protect your drive and components from static damage during the installation process, touch an unpainted metal surface or wear an ESD wrist strap before handling internal components.
- Locate your computer's storage bay and remove the existing storage drive. Refer to your system's manual for how to safely locate and remove the existing drive.
- If the existing drive has brackets or adapters, remove and attach them to your new Crucial SSD in the same manner. Note that some drive bays have a height of 7mm, while others have a height of 9.5mm. Depending on the size of your drive bay, you may need to use a spacer to make your SSD fit properly.
- Align the connector pins on your Crucial SSD with the SATA connector in the storage bay and slide the Crucial SSD into the bay. Do not force the connection.
- Reassemble your system and reconnect the battery.
- Power on your computer.
- If you did not migrate your data from an existing drive, install operating system, drivers, utilities and applications as needed. Installation is now complete.