Windows 7: Getting ready to install Win 7 on SSD

I am getting ready to install Win 7 on to a brand new Vertex 2 SSD to put in to my Samsung NC10 netbook. One thing that I have been reading about is setting BIOS to enable AHCI mode, but the downside is that my BIOS does not have a way for me to set that. I know the unit is capable of it because in older BIOS firmwares you could access hidden settings to change it.

Anyway, is there another way for me to enable AHCI after installing Win 7? Also, does anyone else have any other suggestions about settings or do's/don'ts for installing Win 7 on a SSD?

Thanks!

Our excellent tutorial from the Bare Foot Kid


SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation[2]=Hardware%20and%20Drivers


Steve

Hmm, I am not so sure that is the optimum way to install Windows on a SSD. From everything that I have read, it is not a good idea to ever really do a full format on a SSD due to the limit number of write commands for each cell of the drive. It is always best to do a quick format.

I am not looking to format the drive at all really either since it is a brand new drive. I will just be using the quick format or whatever Win 7 does to install on a new drive.

Also, I don't see anything in that tutorial about AHCI mode. It looks like all that tutorial really does is tells you how to change boot order and do a full format if the OS doesn't give you the option as part of the install.

I could have sworn I posted in this thread, but something might have gone wrong.

Some computers have AHCI mode on by default as might be the case with your computer. I would definitely think is the case on a netbook.

That tutorial does have the best method for installing on any drive, especially SSDs. Another thing, all drives have a limit on what they can do. A HDD for example can only spin up and down so many times. SDDs are not fragile by any means and even without taking any steps to reduce the amount of reads and writes made to it, will last for many years. Writing zeros to each sector once will certainly do even less to it than installing the OS. A quick format definitely won't do as good of a job as what is recommended in that article. For optimal performance from your new SSD, use the tutorial.

The tutorial doesn't offer a ful format, but DISKPART's Clean All command which writes zeros to overwrite any factory code or possible infection. If your HD is new then you don't need to write zeroes to it, just use installer to partition as you wish and normal quick format before install.

It's strange that a new BIOS version doesn't offer AHCI whereas older one's did. I would query your computer maker tech support as to why.

Hello xceebeex, welcome to Seven Forums


Just install Windows and let it do what needs done to the SSD during the install.




You don't want to do a "clean all" to a brand new SSD as it may hinder the original performance of the SSD, which is lost anyway as soon as the drive has been used for a very short time and is one of the reasons for the tutorial; the command is best when a SSD / HDD needs to be "cleaned" for various reasons like virus infection or old driver corruption.
Another reason it was written is for people that don't want the 100MB "System, Active" boot partition to be added during the install that happens automatically when Windows is installed to the space on an unallocated SSD / HDD.





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Thanks for the clarification. Are there any other recommended setting changes or anything like that for optimum SSD performance? Also, what are peoples thoughts on sleep/hibernate? I have heard that some drives don't like either mode.

Have a look here

SSD Tweaks and Optimizations in Windows 7


Steve

If you do not use hibernation, you might want to delete the hiberfile to save a few GBs on the SSD. You do this in elevated cmd with this command:

powercfg.exe -h off

Other than that, you really have to do nothing. Just double check that Defrag is set to off, and I recommend to leave Superfetch on. And do not wory too much about wearing the SSD out with writes. It will not happen in your lifetime.

Well it doesn't look like AHCI is enabled by default so I am not sure what to do from here. Samsung decided to remove the option in the BIOS to enable AHCI for some strange reason. I might be able to downgrade the firmware to the version that allows me to enable it, but do I really have to?

If I just install the drivers would that essentially enable it?