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Installing SSD as Boot Drive - Changing Boot Order
For an Optiplex 7010 small form factor I have installed an SSD as a second drive. It is now on SATA 2. I want to change the boot order so it boots from this drive. There is nothing on the drive so I will have to install the system image on my USB Stick.
My Questions:
How in BIOS do I change the boot order. Do I have to disable secure boot?
How do I restore the system onto the SSD from the USB Stick?
Once the above is done I assume I can reformat the 5inch drive and use for strorage.
Thanks
osprey4
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December 2nd, 2013 16:00
Hi KGW22,
What I suggest is that you disconnect your current system drive and plug the SSD into the first SATA port (port 0). Then boot to the BIOS and verify you see the new drive. There you can set the boot order, USB, SSD. Since your OS image was installed in UEFI, you'll need to leave that as is. Then insert your flash drive, exit saving changes and restore your OS to the new drive.
KGW22
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December 2nd, 2013 17:00
Thanks, Dell said there was a way to do it in BIOS but it is not evident to me. It looks like it wants a file location.
Should I keep the original hard drive unplugged or put that into Sata 2. I assume once I re-image I can use the second drive as backup.
The SSD show up in the Windows drive utility but is shown as not initialized. I assume that does not matter.
Thanks
KGW22
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December 2nd, 2013 18:00
Now when I try to reinstall the OS from a 32 Gb USB Flash Drive onto a 250 SSD it says the drive I am installing onto has to be at least 450 Gb. I hate Dell and loath Microsoft. I would have gladly paid an extra $50 to get a Win 8 install disk. Any suggestions.
rdunnill
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December 2nd, 2013 21:00
I installed Win8 from a flash drive onto a 120gb SSD, but that was the $40 upgrade special Microsoft offered early this year. 250gb is big for an SSD.
You might be able to order a reinstall disc from Dell. Barring that, you might be able to clone your existing install using Acronis TrueImage 2014, but I haven't tried that utility with Windows 8.
As for changing boot order, I took the easy way out with my Windows 7/XP multiboot and used EasyBCD to add the SSD to the boot menu. I don't know if that is an option for Windows 8. Of course, osprey's suggestion will work, too.
Someone on eBay is selling a Dell Windows 8 reinstall disk. Note that the PC you install this on must be licensed for Windows 8.