Learn how much it costs for a drive replacement and what impacts the price. This article also shows the cost of a hard drive replacement and clear steps on how to replace a hard drive.
The cost of replacing a hard drive depends on its size and whether you need help installing it. A 1TB hard drive is usually around $50, while larger ones like 8TB can reach about $300. Drives between 2TB and 6TB normally fall between $67 and $240. If you take your computer to a workshop, the full replacement may cost around $200, which includes $60 to $100 for the drive itself and about an hour of labor. The price can be much higher if your old drive is failing and you also need data recovery, since copying files with a USB caddy is cheap and quick, but recovering files from a damaged drive takes time and is more expensive.
Knowing the cost is only part of the picture, though, because it’s also important to know when a hard drive should be replaced. Most HDDs last between three and ten years, but performance issues usually appear before total failure. Slow system response, frequent errors, or a drive that is always full are early warnings. More serious signs include clicking or grinding noises, overheating, freezes, blue screen errors, missing files, error messages like hard drive not found in laptop, bad sector alerts, or repeated crashes. In such cases, replacement is often the best choice, especially if clearing space or repairing the drive no longer helps.
You can replace your hard drive with an SSD without reinstalling Windows by cloning your old drive and installing the SSD directly. This involves copying all the data from your current HDD to the new SSD, then removing the HDD and putting in the SSD. To do this safely, you need a reliable disk cloning tool, and AOMEI Partition Assistant is a recommended option. It creates a complete sector-by-sector copy of your hard drive onto the SSD, working with drives from different manufacturers and all Windows versions. The tool ensures your data is fully preserved, giving you an exact copy of your files so you can switch to the SSD smoothly without losing or damaging anything.
The Best Windows Disk Partition Manager and PC Optimizer
Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant, click "Clone" in the main interface, and select "Clone Disk".
Step 2. Choose the hard disk that you need to clone as the source disk and click "Next".
Step 3. Select another drive as the destination disk, and then click "Next".
Step 4. Then, you can check the source and destination disk in the next window or change to "Sector to Sector clone", and click the "Confirm" button to continue if there is no problem.
Here, you can also click the "Settings" button to adjust the partition size on the destination disk or tick "4k alignment" to improve the reading and writing speed of the SSD.
Step 6. You can preview the disk cloning operation by viewing the "Pending Operations". To commit the "Pending Operations", please click "Apply" and "Proceed".
★★★★★If you just want to transfer OS partition to SSD, you can try its “Migrate OS to SSD” wizard.
After cloning your old hard drive to the SSD, the next step is to physically install the SSD into your laptop. This process involves removing the old HDD and securing the new SSD in its place. Follow the steps below carefully to ensure a smooth installation.
Turn off your laptop and disconnect the power cable along with any other connected devices. Place the laptop upside-down on a flat surface so you can access the bottom panel.
Most laptops have a plastic panel on the bottom held by screws. Remove these screws to access the hard drive. If your laptop has no panel, you may need to remove the entire bottom cover. Next, unscrew any screws holding the HDD in place, lift it at a 30–45 degree angle, and carefully pull it out.
Slide the SSD into the same slot at the same angle as the old HDD and press it firmly into place. Secure it using the screws you removed earlier, then replace the bottom panel to close your laptop.
Restart your laptop and press ESC, F1, F2, F8, or F10 during startup to enter the BIOS or boot menu. Navigate to the Boot tab and move the SSD to the top of the boot priority list. Save your changes and exit BIOS. Your laptop should now boot from the cloned SSD. If it doesn’t, check that the boot mode, namely check the BIOS or UEFI is correct and that all system files were fully cloned.
If you are wondering how much does it cost to replace a hard drive, the answer depends on the drive size, labor, and whether data recovery is needed. Understanding the cost of a hard drive replacement helps you plan your upgrade, whether it’s a small 1TB drive or a larger 8TB one. Knowing how much does it cost for a drive replacement and recognizing the signs of a failing HDD can save you from unexpected issues. Upgrading your system by following steps on how to replace a hard drive with SSD ensures faster performance while keeping your data safe. Learning how to replace a hard drive properly gives you a smooth and reliable transition to a new storage drive.