Not able to change boot hard drive

deactivate safe boot on BIOS ( i forget it ) this could work before everithing

format your SSD and only connect the ssd to make a clean install of the OS. 

you can do it with alienware respawn, and you dont need to install drivers again. 

look at your SAta operation on BIOS and select AHCI

I've tried this. I made sure to format the new hard drive and shut down the computer then disconnected then current boot drive. Connect up the SSD and booted up. The computer went to a black screen that said no bootable drive. I went into boot options and switched the order on the boot up list to cd/dvd-hard disk. Then exited. Still the black screen with no bootable devices found. I used this same SSD with my previous computer the M18X I didn't have any of these issues. I appreciate the help

did you deactivate safe boot? and change the sata operation ? 

I couldn't find the sata operations in the bios anywhere. I was only able to look for a few minutes before work.

can you please take pictures of your BIOS. 

to make sure that you have the latest BIOS, download and install this 

www.dell.com/.../DriversDetails;fileId=3474966574&osCode=WT64A&productCode=alienware-area51-r2&languageCode=EN&categoryId=BI

If you need any others just let me know.  Thank you

My BIOS is up to date.

ok first of all, when you say you cant boot from this ssd are you meaning that you cant select this drive to install windows or what ? 

second: can you select boot mode ? and let me see the other options besides UEFI.

i am not shure if you know how to make a recovery  of windows 10 in a USB using alienware respawn.

if your SSD is empty and you want to install windows 10 on it, you need to do this: 

1) make a recovery using alienware respawn, very easy (if you dont know, i can make a video explaning you) i am not enought good speaking english, but i can do it to help you.

2) alienware respawn will save windwos 10 and all the drivers ( if you want to save your files you can make a virtual partition on your HDD and save your file on this virtual partition, for ex: windows C is your main partition and for explample you named D the virtual partition. you have to move your important files to this virtual partition, this have a meaning that i will explain you after) also, if you dont know how to do it, i can include this on the video.

3) when you have the USB recovery disc and saved your important files (if you really have, is not necesary to do this step ) you need to dissconect the HDD and connect only your SSD, later in BIOS put first the USB in the boot order menu.

4) save this option in BIOS and boot again, you will supose to see the alienware respawn menu, just clic next and next. you need to wait a couple of minutes meanwhile  the process end.

5) when it finish, you will see a fresh install of windows 10. 

6) if you saved files on the virtual partition ( the second partition is needed because i am almost certain that C: partition is not going to apear you on the SSD operating system because it have another OS, but "D" dont. that is why i make this.) if you made the virtual partition, just drag your files from "D" to your SSD and format the HDD entirely.

i hope you understand me, in this moment i am not sure what you mean, when you say that you can't boot from the SSD. If you don't have an OS on the SSD is impossible to boot from it.

let me know whatever you want to know.

It has legacy and UEFI mode

Im trying to select this drive to install my OS on.  I'm sorry I should have specified that from the beginning.  I have the resource dvd that alienware sends with the system.  If I have this I shouldnt need to make a back up should I?  I'll restart real quick and see what the other options are for boot mode.

ok, dont use the dvd, use alienware respawn, and make the usb recovery disc. and try to do the steps.