Windows 7: Query re HDD's

I have had a quick look but cannot find much but.....

I have built a SB with i5 2500 on Gigabyte GA-H67A-UD3H-B3 Motherboard and I fitted a Samsung SpinPoint F3 1TB HD103SJ but find it a bit noisy so have bought a
Seagate Barracuda 1TB ST31000524AS not only because it is supposed to be quieter but it is also a 6Gbs transfer rate, and hoping it will speed up the boot as a bonus.


Can I transfer the OS and everything on the Samsung to the Seagate and then disconnect and remove the Samsung ? keep it for another small build ? spare - easily or is it going to be a difficult task to do that.

I also have an internal Seagate Barracuda 500GB ST3500413AS as a back up as well. Can I also just put the OS only onto this drive in the event of the other drive crashing completely.

I do back up onto a 3.0 USB external as a matter of course, as I like to be overly cautious rather than stuck with zip.

Advice and direction most appreciated

Hi ICit2lol.
Please follow the Transfer Windows 7 Installation to a New Computer guidelines to be safe.
Hope that helps.

You can use the base of this Tutorial:

SSD - Install and Transfer the Operating System

You might want to try flashing the Samsung firmware before decide to put all that effort: http://www.samsung.com/global/busine...=QI&faqKeyword

I have 2 F3's and they're very quiet. If you're hearing them, then that's not normal.

Thanks so much for all of the advice fell errrrrr people - better be politically correct eh?lolzzzz
Yeah Fumz that what everyone is telling me I have quietened it down to some extant by packing the side slot rails with some strips of rubber glove and small pieces of those stick on rubberized table leg ends. it is is just that infernal clicking when it's booting going through the motions of something that is quite distracting. Especially as I fitted the machine with Nexus Silents (5) to have some peace and quiet as desk 1 does have this constant fan noise when running (can't fit the Silents until a year - warranty) .
The other feature I thought would be useful too was that I could speed up my machine by using the 6Gbs drive/es.
But I will go through the tutorial and the guidelines to make sure I have an idea on what I am doing - sorry am very new at this - old looking for a retirement hobby (love anything electronic based) and you folks have ben so kind to give up your time to help me out I am so appreciative.
Machine specs -

Lite-On IHAS324 24x DVDRW


Nexus Real Silent White LED 120mm (5 pack)

G.Skill Ripjaws F3-10666CL7D-4GBRH (2x2GB) DDR3

Samsung SpinPoint F3 1TB HD103SJ

Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit OEM

Corsair HX-650 Power Supply

CoolerMaster Centurion 5 II Black (No PSU)

Fractal Design Silent Series 140mm Fan

Thumbscrews - Red (10 Pack)

Intel Core i5 2500

Gigabyte GA-H67A-UD3H-B3 Motherboard

plus I have added a
Gigabyte Radeon 5450 card
8GB more of Rip jaws RAM (now 12GB all up)
Asus Xonar DG card
TP-Link ethernet card - wouldn't work on the mobo socket
changed the rear fan to one of the Nexus ones and fitted a 140 the top and two 120's to the side panels (fitting my own home made filters)
Am about to fit a Scythe Kaze Master fan controller and
2x extra 3.0 USB outlets to the back panel via PCI card

In hindsight I should have gone with the 2500K and a P67 board but being a bit dumb thought this was a bit overboard but as you can see I have done this anyway.

Unless the Seagate HDD is inherently faster, you won't see any boot time improvement because it is 6 Gb/s = 600 MB/s - the HDD themselves are much slower than this - on the order of 100-125 MB/s.

Clicking is usually a sign of a failing, on its last legs, drive. I've been there with that before. You can run Samsung's HDD Test to be sure before getting all your data and OS on it, and POOF!

Thanks Gene I am a non savvy so just saw 6Gbs and thought woo hoo!!

Oh and Briton this drive was only installed on about the 1st of May so basically it is brand new. As I said I have packed the sides with some bits of rubber that has stopped some of the noise but perhaps I'm just being a bit overly fussy e that clicking as it reads eh? But I might just run that test for curiosity anyway as long as it will just download a tetsre without having to go through al that model numbers, serial numbers yada yada as I had to with Gigabyte just recently for a BIOS query.

You're not being overly fussy. If you're hearing it write, then you have a bad drive.

My guess is that there was a bad batch of 103SJ's because the firmware only works on them. I also installed a 103SJ about a month ago, and knowing about this patch beforehand, I had it at the ready; however, it would not work on mine. I have another 103 upstairs that's about a year old, and the firmware would not take there either. Since I haven't seen any of the reported problems on either drive, either I got lucky or you were unlucky.

If it were me, I'd RMA the drive. The F1's made a big whoosh sound when they spun up, the F3's, less so. The F4's are really noticable... but again, that's only when they spin up. Once they're up, you should not be hearing them write.

Correct the only sound, if any, from a HDD would be a low humming sound. I can't hear mine due to the case fans.