I'll take that as a no....

Assuming the SSD is empty, could you not just clone the image from HD to SSD with Acronis or similar ? 

Updated instructions are here from an XPS 8700 thread. This instructs in using Dell Backup and Recovery opposed to Alienware Respawn but Alienware Respawn is essentially a reskinned Dell Backup and Recovery:

Step 1: Make Recovery media with Dell Backup and Recovery

Follow the instructions here to make a Rescue Disk (Bootable External Hard Drive) or Factory Backup (Bootable USB Flash Drive):

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/dell-backup-and-recovery/

This should be standard procedure when you get a new Dell system.

Also make a Windows 8.1 UEFI Bootable USB as its required to use DISKPART:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/download-microsoft-windows-and-office/download-microsoft-windows/download-windows-8-1-retail-and-oem-iso/

This is useful to have to hand in case you later want a clean installation (For Windows 7 users the OEM .iso is unavailable to download so just use a Windows 8.1 .iso for DISKPART).

Step 2: Use DISKPART

Insert the Windows 8.1 Bootable USB. Power up your system and press F2 to get to the Dell BIOS setup. Ensure that the SATA Operation is AHCI (see the start of this video up till 1:21):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGJ4MnZTNXo&list=PL1RkaknDn7v_SJaBuleIyodZD7Nt_IgqM&index=2

Windows 8.1

• AHCI
• UEFI Enabled
• SecureBoot Enabled
• USB 3.0 Enabled - Debug Off

Windows 7

• AHCI
• UEFI Enabled
• SecureBoot Disabled
• UEB 3.0 Disabled - Debug On

Boot from the Windows 8.1 installation media and use DISKPART > CLEAN ALL on the HDD and DISKPART > CLEAN on the SSD:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/we-couldnt-create-a-new-partition-or-locate-an-existing-one-for-more-information-see-the-setup-log-files/

Step 3: Restore Factory Settings to SSD

Power down the system and remove the cables from the HDD. We want the computer setup so it has the SSD only otherwise Dell Backup and Recovery will restore to the HDD.

Use the Rescue Disk or Factory Backup to install Windows 8.1 or 7 to the mSATA SSD. Update Windows and check that its running okay.

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/dell-backup-and-recovery/#Restore

Power down your Dell.

Step 4: Initialise HDD and Assign for Libraries

You can power down your Dell and reinsert your hard drive. Power it up and log into Windows. Finally you can initialise your hard drive and set it up to use the HDD as a data drive:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/hardware-upgrades-for-your-system/upgrading-to-a-solid-state-drive/solid-state-drive-and-hard-drive-configuration/

This should now have the factory settings installed correctly on the SSD with the HDD being used for your files.

The configuration in the past has been 32-64 GB SSD Cache drives and then 0.5-3 TB HDDs or systems with only 1 SSD. In such a configuration Windows was installed on the HDD and caching software setup for the HDD.

Its been in high demand to make a 256 GB SSD Boot Drive and 1-3 TB HDD configurations. Dell seem to build the computer and then load the factory image as the last step. I think the issue is the Dell Backup and Recovery (Alienware Respawn) software does not allow the user to select the drive during installation and by default takes the largest internal drive it sees hence systems are coming configured on the HDD opposed to the SSD. You are on the first batch in this configuration and seems Dell is commonly making this mistake.

The steps I list are the easiest way to "fix" this.

Is this something Dell does often with Alienware laptops? I just ordered an Alienware 17 last Monday with an almost identical setup including SSD. The laptop is currently in the "In Production" phase... do I need to contact someone to make sure this does not occur? The point of having the SSD is to use it as the OS boot drive, so I definitely would rather not have to go through all this *** if there is any way around it. Thanks

That's pretty crazy that this is currently the only option to fix Dell's "mistake." They even list the SSD as the "BOOT" drive on their order page, so even if their technician's had to take one extra step to make things work as advertised you would think they would do that to save their customer the extra work of making things right.

Things could always be worse, but that's still a real shame.

@Cenobitez Cloning would work but most free versions won't allow cloning to a different sized drive. The real question is why do I have to do anything to have my brand new computer Boot from the ssd it came with.

@natakuc4 again, why? (it's what I ended up doing, but why did I have to?)

@jholbert so far it's happened with 100% of my alienware  computers

That's pretty crazy that this is currently the only option to fix Dell's "mistake."   They even list the SSD as the "BOOT" drive on their order page,   so even if their technician's had to take one extra step to make things work as advertised you would think they would do that to save their customer the extra work of making things right.

Exactly.

That is why I have notified Dell proper of this thread and others trending, and they should be looking into Factory Build Process to correct this on future builds.

Natakuc4 is pretty much the expert on this kind of thing and he volunteered to come help out here, and get you all back-on-track. He knows the current Dell Recovery tools well, and those are required to get machines back to Factory Fresh state. 

His guides are very through, and as good or better than anything Dell could come up with for an "in-the-field" repair. It's not like the machines can be sent back for re-imaging (or, even need to be). This guide appears to be perfect, and all the bases are covered. Win8-64 will do it's "first-time start-up" from the SSD. He even included steps to remove old Recovery Partition from spinning HDD.

I usually gravitate towards a "Clean Windows Restore" but in this case ... I think this solution (as presented by Natakuc4) is better and is actually what I requested that Dell provide to you all. You deserve to get all your enhanced Alienware software, themes, skins, and wallpapers. If you decide to do a Clean Windows Install at some point, that is fine, but you should not be forced into it by a manufacturing mistake that Dell made.

Thanks again Natakuc4, well done.  

Agreed but think about the amount of time you could spend with technical support with them taking you through a manual install (probably by sending you a Recovery USB and you waiting for it to ship) or trying to get an exchange and waiting to pack up the system, have a new one shipped....The steps I mentioned can be done in an hour or two.

Assuming the SSD is empty, could you not just clone the image from HD to SSD with Acronis or similar ?

The whole process through Alien Autopsy took me about 45 minutes with a USB 3 thumb drive. Not a huge annoyance for me just an unnecessary hassle. Hopefully they can get this straightened out quickly for future buyers. It seems a fairly simple fix.

That is why I have notified Dell proper of this thread and others trending, and they should be looking into Factory Build Process to correct this on future builds.

That would be really great if true. My recent order is still in the "In Production" phase, so we will see I guess.

I can confirm, at least in my case, they have sorted this issue out. My new Alienware 17 received this evening has the OS installed on the SSD as it should be. Nice job Dell.