Windows 7: Raid 0 to SSD questions

Hey guys! Happy new year!

I was wondering what would be the best way to go from a 1tb raid 0 to a 128gb samsung SSD?

Im a little confused on what to do so im looking for a little help to point me in the right direction. Currently im using 1tb raid 0 HDD and decided to upgrade to a Samsung 128gb SSD. Ive read that the easiest way to go about this would be to create a system image, do a clean install of Windows 7 with the installation disk on my SSD, and then to restore the image to my new SSD but i cannot seem to shrink my C: partition/image under 250gb or so with some 3rd party apps.

Questions

1) If i leave the system restore image at 250gb, can i restore that to the new Windows 7 put on my 128gb SSD? (not sure. thinking no?)

2) What would you recommend that i do to get my C: partition smaller? (using partition wizard, i can only shrink it to about 250gb)

Ive looked everywhere online and cant seem to figure this out lol.

Any help is greatly appreciated!



Thank you

-Ryan

1. No, try to put 2 gallons of water into a 1 gallon jug. Why don't you first move your user data to a seperate partition Data Partition

2. Depending on the imaging program, you can move a bigger partition to a smaller SSD (e.g. with Paragon) provided the amount of data in that partition is not more than the SSD can fit..

3. If you want to make your life really easy, you are only $19.95 away from it - LOL Paragon Migrate OS to SSD - Overview - but basic physics still apply (the data must fit).

Your best approach is to clean install to the SSD with the RAID disconnected, SATA controller set to AHCI or IDE mode, all other HD's disconnected.

After install reconnect your other HD's to serve as data and storage drives.

You can move User folders to the data drive to save SSD space using this method: User Folders - Change Default Location

Keep your SSD OS/Programs partiiton image backed up to the Storage drive, along with User files. You can automate these backups incrementally using Windows Backup Center, or drag and drop.

Here are tips to get a purrfect install based on hundreds done here: re-install windows 7

SSD Alignment

awesome, thank you for the great info! ill give that a look and hopefully work it all out!

cheers!

Before you do the installation with imaging, call back in. There are a few more steps you have to do. If you do a clean install or use the Paragon tool, then it is straight forward.

thanks whs, will do.

hey i have a question on updating my FW on my samsung ssd

the pdf (http://www.samsungssd.com/sites/defa...ity_Manual.pdf) says that i have to load the fw from a dos bootable usb. i guess i have to boot from my usb and update ftw through a dos emulation?

kinda lost here...

"Hardware Requirements
System (Laptop/PC) needs to have at least two drives to update the firmware,
1. SSD drive requiring firmware upgrade
2. DOS Bootable USB drive with DOS SSD-FWD UTIL application
Software Requirements "

how would i go about loading the fw update onto my new ssd?

thanks for the help!

or..
Get it here for free:

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Hmm, that is neat - but I have it already for testing. Anybody having trouble with the German, let me know. I can help you.

The way I read this (for a laptop) is that you load the firmware from the USB to the SSD which needs to be also USB attached in an enclosure. But if the SSD is already installed in the laptop, I guess you can go directly to that.
But better wait for Greg, he knows that stuff better than me.

I just has a conversation with Greg. He is not 100% sure either, but he sent these links which discuss the matter and suggest a tool from Samsung:

http://forums.storagereview.com/index.php/topic/29213-samsung-470-series-ssd-review/

http://www.samsungssd.com/faq/samsung-ssd-magician-questions