Easiest Way to Perform LaCie Hard Drive Replacement

Read this post to get a complete guide on doing LaCie hard drive replacement with larger hard drive or SSD without losing data.

By @Jonna Last Updated June 14, 2024

How Long Do LaCie Hard Drives Last?

LaCie hard drives are premium external storage solutions known for their reliability, performance, and distinctive design. They cater to a wide range of users, from everyday consumers to professionals needing robust and high-capacity storage.

Usually, the typical lifespan of LaCie hard drives, like most external hard drives, ranges from 3 to 5 years, with an estimate of normal usage and no physical damage. And one thing should be noted that you may also encounter LaCie hard drive problems like external hard drive not showing up and hard drive not working during its usage. Thus, the need to perform a LaCie hard drive replacement arises. On this page, we will covers a full guide on replacing your LaCie hard drive while keeping your data safe.

Preparations for LaCie Hard Drive Replacement

To prepare for replacing a LaCie hard drive, you can follow these preparations to ensure safety and proper handling:

♦ Power down and unplug: Turn off your LaCie hard drive and unplug it from the power source and computer. Allow it to cool for about 60 minutes to avoid any risk of burns or static damage.

♦ Remove external casing:

  • For some models like the LaCie Rugged USB-C, remove the rubber case and unscrew the four Torx T8 screws.
  • For others like LaCie 2big replacing hard drive, locate the hard drive tray, use the small hole on the side, and gently pull to release the tray.

♦ Handle with care: When handling the hard drive, be gentle and avoid touching any circuitry. Use antistatic wristbands if possible to prevent static electricity damage.

♦ New drive: Get a new drive that can be compatible with your LaCie storage devices or your desktop/laptop device.

♦ Backup data: Before replacing the drive, ensure you have backed up all important data, especially backing up for the new drive. This is crucial as the replacement process may cause data loss.

♦ Tools and environment: Ensure you have the necessary tools, such as screwdrivers, and work in a clean, static-free environment.

♦ Reliable disk cloning tool: To replace LaCie hard drive with a new drive, you need to migrate data from old disk to new disk using a disk clone software if you don’t want to reinstall Windows OS and programs from scratch.

Easiest Way to Replace LaCie Hard Drive without Losing Data

To replace your LaCie hard drive easily and safely, we highly recommend you use professional disk cloning software - AOMEI Backupper. Coming with an intuitive interface, it is simple to operate for all users and provides various cloning features:

AOMEI Backupper
LaCie Hard Drive Cloning Software
  • It offers 3 cloning options including System Clone, Partition Clone, and Disk Clone, to meet different clone needs.
  • It runs in an intelligent clone by default, which copies only used sectors, enabling you to clone larger HDD to smaller SSD. Also, sector-by-sector clone is offered to clone all sectors for copying to a larger or equal size of disk.
  • For LaCie SSD upgrade, it provides SSD Alignment to accelerate the target SSD drive and prolong its lifespan.

You can download and install this software on your computer or laptop, and perform a LaCie d2 Quadra hard drive replacement or other LaCie disk upgrade following the guidelines below:

Step 1. Connect your two hard drives to computer

  • For computers with only one drive bay, you can use a SATA-to-USB adapter to connect the new drive as an external drive.
  • For computers lucky enough to include two drive bays, you can install the new hard drive directly next to the old one.

Step 2. Select your target clone options

Run AOMEI Backupper, and go to the Clone tab. To copy all partitions containing OS on your current LaCie disk, choose Disk Clone; to copy only the Windows OS to your new drive, select System Clone.

Step 3. Configure cloning options and start the disk clone

#1. Select your current LaCie hard drive as the source directory, and click Next.

#2. Pick the connected the new drive as the destination directory, and click Next.

Tip: If you are migrating to a smaller disk, please do not check the Sector By Sector Clone option. And you can enable Edit Partitions to resize partitions and convert disk types and SSD Aignment for better disk performance.

#3. Click on Start Clone to begin the LaCie hard drive replacement progress now.

FAQs about LaCie Hard Drive Replacement

Why is my LaCie hard drive slow?

There are several potential reasons why your LaCie hard drive might be experiencing slow performance:

  • If you are using an older connection type such as USB 2.0, it will significantly limit data transfer speeds compared to USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt connections
  • The file system used on the drive can affect performance
  • Over time, hard drives can wear out and become slower
  • Excessive fragmentation of data on the drive can also slow down performance

What to do if the LaCie hard drive is not working?

If your LaCie hard drive is not working, you can try these troubleshooting tips:

  • Check your LaCie hard drive connections
  • Reset the LaCie hard drive or format the drive
  • Check Device Manager on Windows or Use Disk Utility on Mac

How do I know if it’s time to replace my LaCie hard drive?

Signs include frequent crashes, unusual noises, slow performance, and error messages during file transfers. You could also regularly check drive health using tools.

How can I open my LaCie hard drive enclosure?

Procedures vary by model, but generally, you need to turn off and unplug the device, remove screws, and carefully open the casing to access the internal drive.

In the End

If you want to perform a LaCie hard drive replacement without losing your data, please try the best hard drive cloning software - AOMEI Backupper, following the guide foregoing. It allows you to copy your current drive to a larger or smaller HDD or SSD with simple clicks.

Except for disk cloning, it is embeded with other powerful functions like backup & restore, bootable disk creation, disk wipe, and so on. You can utilize it to backup files to external hard drive for restoration and create Windows bootable USB drive with ease.