Sony Vaio SZ4 MN/B Major Surgery (Replace HDD to SSD and Add Secondary HDD for data) with HD Video Start Up Comparison

As for today (09th Dec 2012), my Sony VAIO SZ4MN/B Laptop exactly a month before it's 6th Birthday (I've bought it in January 2006). Back in mid November 2012, it's second HDD dead/kaput. Yes 2nd HDD, because in 2009 after warranty finished it went into first major surgery already (replace slow 5400 rpm 100GB HDD into 7200 rpm and high volume 320GB).

So this project is to replace dead 7200 rpm HDD into SSD and add 2nd HDD to replace optical drive. With SSD Drive becomes more affordable today, so now it time to try it on into Sony VAIO SZ4 Series.

Here my configuration :
- Sony Vaio SZ4MN/B 1.83GHz Intel Core Duo T5600 (Merom)
- 3GB SDRAM PC5300 (533MHZ)
- 120GB SSD SanDisk Extreme
- 1TB Toshiba 5400RPM HDD (2nd HDD)

and here final result first, the video shown comparison of boot time of all 3 configuration (details after video).

Boot Time for Sony VAIO SZ4 with :

HDD 100GB Toshiba 5400 rpm with Windows Vista Business (176 seconds)

vs

HDD 320GB Seagate 7200 rpm with Windows 7 Ultimate (73 seconds)

vs

SSD 120GB SanDisk Extreme with Windows 7 Ultimate (42 seconds)

I am using SanDisk Extreme Solid State Drive that I bought from Amazon (here : SanDisk SDSSDX-120G-G25 120GB Extreme SATA III 6Gb/s 2.5in Internal Solid State Drive ) for around £70 only (real bargain as for today's SSD market)

This SanDisk Extreme SSD with 550MB/s Seq Read and 510MB/s Seq Write, yes with that speed and price around £70 for 120GB, that real bargain.

Details about SanDisk Solid State Drive Product Comparison can be found at www.sandisk.com/products/ssd/sata



Pic : SanDisk Extreme Solid State Drive (from SanDisk Website).

For Toshiba 100GB 5400 RPM (Original Sony Vaio SZ4 HDD), I've clean install Windows Vista in it before perform this 'boot' time comparison.

And for Seagate 320GB 7200 RPM, I took from my external USB drive then perform clean install Windows 7 Ultimate in it prior to this event.

All 3 Windows have same configuration and 'things' in it. Clean install windows then :
- Install Sony Util DLL
- Install Sony Share Library
- Update All Drivers
- Install WinRAR, Adobe Reader, Chrome Browser, HDD Sentinel and TuneUp Utilities
- Install Antivirus Karpersky
- Enable 4 Desktop Gadgets (Calendar, MeterCPU, Weather & TuneUp Util)
- Then Disable UAC, Disable LogIn Screen and connect in the same internet wireless point.

Here my photo set of this transformation:

http://desaputra.blogspot.com/2013/01/sony-vaio-sz4-with-ssd-and-1tb-hdd.html  or
http://www.flickr.com/photos/desaputra_hidden_side/sets/72157632260735187/