Help needed - how to install new SSD as OS / apps drive

1)  It is not a bad idea to update the BIOS/drive firmware in case there is an urgent fix available that you might encounter, but it is often not necessary.

2)  AHCI will likely already be enabled on it, but if you do need to change it, you should do it after you install the drive (otherwise BIOS won't see anything whose settings to change) and before you install the OS (as sometimes switching after can cause problems).

3)  Restoring an image would save you some time, but loading from the Windows DVD will ensure that everything is loaded from the get-go.  The Dell DVD will install the "hidden" partition, which contains diagnostics/recovery information.  Diagnostics can also be run from a CD/USB key at any time.

4)  You may be able to change the boot order for hard disk in the BIOS, otherwise, you will need to change positions to make sure it is in position 1.

5)  Generally, it is a good idea to create an OS partition for Windows and your programs, and a data partition for all your files/data, so that in the event that Windows crashes, you can reinstall Windows without worrying about wiping out your files.  This is good practice, but not necessary.  There is however no substitute for keeping an external backup of your files.

6)  If you plan is to delete the original copy of Windows from the 500GB drive, then I would not worry about running multiple versions of Windows.  Even if you didn't, as I understand it, you are only allowed to run one of them at a time, so even in a dual-boot scenario, it is not possible to breach that rule.  You shouldn't need to worry about "formatting" the disk, as Windows will take care of that during the install.

Thanks! That's really helpful

Cheers

Here are my own thoughts on the issue of SSDs. I'm contemplating purchasing one myself, but I really need to get the strategy down before I do it.

Obviously, the main benefit to the SSD read speed, but without spending a boatload of money, you don't get a lot of space. I'm hesitant to put a lot of money into one, so I'm likely to end up with a 32GB or 64GB drive; not a lot in comparison to my 750GB hard drive which is about half full. I'm obviously not going to be able to just clone my existing HDD over to my SSD, so I'm going to find myself installing a fresh copy of windows on the SSD, which will mean that all of my applications on the 750GB drive will not work anymore. They're going to need to be reinstalled after installing windows onto the SSD.

So, what I'm up against is: backup important files from the HDD to an external drive, install the SSD, install windows on the SSD, and reinstall all of my applications. And here's the rub with that. From what I read, the performance of SSD drives can degrade somewhat as they approach their capacity. So I'll need to be super diligent about what actually resides on the SSD. For the maximum performance benefit, what really needs to live on the SSD in the first place? The stuff that's read most often see the most benefit in being on the SSD - the operating system itself, the paging file, etc - but what about things like system restore point? the recycle bin? My Documents?

There's a certain amount of this stuff I can control. When I install any program, just make sure I change it to install to the D: HDD rather than the C: SSD. But what about the stuff I can't control? How do I make the best use of my SSD, considering the $$ per GB is pretty high. It's not as simple as just installing the SSD, putting windows on there, and then basking in the glory of solid state performance. :) I know about Windows junction points, and I think I can fool Windows into putting stuff on the HDD when it thinks it's actually going onto the SSD, so we'll see how that goes.

This is probably all very confusing. I'm still confused. But better to be aware and not care than to not know at all, right?

SSDs will work as a direct replacement for the hard drive, but depending on the size of the drive you'll get, you may need an adapter to fit the existing mounting location. Your existing HDDs are standard 2.5" devices, while the SSDs might be 2.5" or 1.8". If they are 1.8", you'd just need to check that they include the adapters. If not, you'll have to get them separately, and they run about $20-ish per drive.

Following this procedure - http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/1735/en/SM/hdd.htm#wp1109848 - you could replace your existing drives with other HDDs or SSDs.

Thanks. I have my entire C partition imaged by Acronis True Image and I wonder if I can just perform a straight image restore with a brand new SSD drive? It would take a number of days to customize a fresh OS install. Also, what performance issues are there if I run an SSD in C and leave the second drive a 7200rpm HDD ?

There is no reason you can't do this, so long as the data will fit on the SSD you have.  Just keep in mind that XP does not natively support SATA, and especially not SSD's, so there will be some configuration/setup work to do once you get XP running on it.  If it is Windows 7, then it natively supports both SATA and SSD and there will be nothing further you need to do.

Having a secondary HDD will not affect the performance of the SSD unless you try to RAID them together.  Also, if you copy something from one drive to another, it obviously can only go as fast as the slower drive.  Also, if you keep all your "data" on the HDD, it will only access your data at the fastest capable speed of the HDD - but that is less important, as the speed is usually only a factor when running the OS/programs.

Hi , as for what's the best way to install Windwos 7 on SSD, my advice is to migrate os to ssd.in this way, you don't need to reintall your system. furthermoe, you can keep other thingd on HDD. of course this depends on your requirements.

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