How do i install ssd on my laptop?

umairarif · 16 Dec 2012

Hi all,
As title says i want to install ssd on my laptop and make it first drive with all windows files on it. I have bought samsung 840 250 gb ssd. I have sorted out my data that i want to keep on my laptop. I know how to physically install ssd but I want some one to help me on how to copy existing windows and data files some where, and then after installing ssd of course how to run those windows file on ssd. I hope my questions are clear enough. I tried to put this post on tutorial section but for some reason it did not allow me to post there.
million thanks in advance.

richnrockville · 16 Dec 2012

Umairarif, welcome to the windows 7 forum.

First great on the SSD, but, it won't work if all you do is copy the files from your old C drive to the SSD.
Windows has to either be installed on your new SSD or it has to be rewritten with an image of your older C drive.

As long as your old C drive is equal to or smaller than your new SSD, then windows Imaging utility will do the job.

If your old C partition is larger than your SSD, that won't work properly without doing some manipulation of your existing old C drive to reduce it's boot partition equal or less than your new SSD.

I use Acronis 2013 and make an image of the C drive on an external USB hard disk so that when Acronis (or the free Macrum) will create the necessary files and partition on your new SSD.

If your old C drive is = or smaller than your new SSD. All should be well but you have to first make an image of your boot C partition on an external USB disk or another spare hard disk.

Installing your SSD is pretty easy in most cases and then you can boot the recovery disk that you made in the windows image program or Acronis or Macrum. then select restore to your new SSD.

There could be some glitches as the drivers for your old Hard disk might need updating for the new SSD.

Give it a shot and let us know how it is going>

Rich

umairarif · 16 Dec 2012

ok I will take it one at a time, so just checked my OS(C) partition size by right clicking and then going to properties, it say total capacity 451 gb which is bigger than my ssd(250 gb). this means I have to do some thing to resize this partition?
regards

bigmck · 16 Dec 2012

Take a look at this tutorial SSD - Install and Transfer the Operating System It will guide you through the transfer. As you will see there are two ways to do it. One is with a lot of commands and the other you spend $19.95 and the program does everything for you. If you have $19.95, that is the way to go.

umairarif · 16 Dec 2012

All of this is very complicated because I a basic home user. but I am sure I can do it. so do I need any hardware apart from ssd and all of its attachments? I have hp dv7 which has 2 hdds 500gb each. So my understanding is that I will take 1st hdd of my laptop and replace it with ssd. but I dont understand when should I use this paragon program? before installing ssd of after?

do I need this external enclosure?

edwar · 16 Dec 2012

The total capacity of the drive doesn't matter. It is how much stuff you have on the drive, Space used. If that Space Used is larger then the Total size of the SSD then you will need to Off Load some of those files to an External drive. Once that is done just use one of the free Imaging programs to Image your present drive to an External drive and then install the SSD and load that image on the SSD.

umairarif · 16 Dec 2012

My c: partition size is 451gb, from which used space is 48 gb, my ssd is 250 gb, this means I dont have to manipulate the files on c: partition?

when you say image the data, does this means copy the data ?
can I use one off my hhds to image this data and then load from it to ssd later?

LittleJay · 16 Dec 2012

If you could go into disk management and use the Snipping Tool to take a screen shot of your current HDD setup, then post that screen shot here, it would be very helpful.

umairarif · 16 Dec 2012

LittleJay said:

If you could go into disk management and use the Snipping Tool to take a screen shot of your current HDD setup, then post that screen shot here, it would be very helpful.

how to get hdd setup?

LittleJay · 16 Dec 2012

Go to the start menu and type disk management into "search programs and features. It will show you a link to disk management that you can open.