FAQ: Notebook Hard Drives


Will Using A Total Micro Notebook Hard Drive Void My Warranty?
Will Using A Total Micro Notebook Hard Drive Void My Service Contract?
Are Total Micro's Notebook Hard Drives As Good As My Original Drive?
Will My Notebook Support A High Capacity Total Micro Hard Drive Upgrade?
What Determines Quality In A Notebook Hard Drive Replacement?
What is "Micro-Tools" Software?


Will Using A Total Micro Notebook Hard Drive Void My Warranty?

No. Using any third party product as an upgrade or replacement part for your notebook will not void its original warranty, so long as that part does not damage your notebook. In fact there are Federal laws which make it illegal for a manufacturer of a product such as a notebook computer to void a consumers warranty due to the introduction of replacement parts made by a third party company (visit the Federal Trade Commissions web page for more information on warranty laws at www.ftc.gov). Because Total Micro builds it's products to meet or exceed the original computer manufacturers specifications, users are guaranteed that Total Micro's notebook hard drives will perform as well or better than the original drive supplied by the computer maker.


Will Using A Total Micro Notebook Hard Drive Void My Service Contract?

No. Although some computer manufacturers state that using a "third party" product in their notebook computer is not covered under their service contracts, so long as the addition of any third party peripheral or upgrade does not damage the system, the Service Contract cannot be voided. Adding a Total Micro hard drive to your notebook does not affect the service contracts offered by major computer manufacturers. If for any reason the Total Micro hard drive should fail to perform as specified, it is covered under our Replacement Warranty program, thus it does not fall under a service agreement, which you may have with the original computer manufacturer.


Are Total Micro's Notebook Hard Drives As Good As My Original Drive?

Yes, and in some instances even better. Notebook storage technology has continued to evolve over the past few years and Total Micro builds all its products using state of the art equipment and only premium quality components. This means that every Total Micro hard drive product will meet the original computer maker's specifications and in many cases exceed it offering not only higher storage capacity but faster transfer rates, and seek times as well.


Will My Notebook Support A High Capacity Total Micro Hard Drive Upgrade?

Yes. Although the high capacity hard drives available today may not have existed when your notebook was manufactured, you can still add one to your system. A complete compatibility listing is available on the Total Micro website through our on-line "Notebook Configurator". Thanks to Total Micro's formatting software, even systems with old bios revisions can utilize even the highest capacity hard drives. We offer complete kits, so that unlike other notebook peripheral manufacturers, when you purchase a Total Micro kit, you will have everything you need for fast easy installation.


What Determines Quality In A Notebook Hard Drive Replacement?

Total Micro only uses premium quality components when building our notebook hard drive upgrades. That means we test and qualify all drive mechanisms used in our kits. Plus all of the components we use including connectors, plastics, shock absorbing devices, etc. must meet or in most cases exceed the original manufacturers specifications. All this combined with a relentless attention to detail provide our customers with replacement parts which are matched perfectly to each notebook make and model. And the true test is when you install a Total Micro upgrade and it fits as perfectly as the original unit that came from the manufacturer while adding increased performance to your system. Every Total Micro Notebook Hard Drive Upgrade is backed by our 3 year Limited Warranty.


What is "Micro-Tools" Software?

In order to use any type of hard drive in a notebook computer, you must first format the drive before you can load an operating system such as Microsoft Windows. If your portable computer was built several years ago, the high capacity drives offered by Total Micro didn't even exist at the time your system was manufactured. Consequently the "bios" of your system may not be able to recognize these new higher capacity drives. Using Micro-Tools, you can format hard drive upgrades for use in virtually any portable computer system in less than 10 minutes –regardless of the systems bios revision. If you have questions about using Micro-Tools please contact our technical support department for assistance.