Installing "boot" files to an SSD

[TheAtomicGoose]

Ok, thank you for your very active support in this reinstallation. I'll follow the tutorial very closely.

 

[TheAtomicGoose]

The BIOS options for SATA operation are not the same as those mentioned in the tutorial. The options are "Compatible," "AHCI Mode," and "IDE mode." I'm not sure which of the three I should pick based on the tutorial. There's also a whole separate section in my BIOS for Intel Rapid Start Technology, with the entries being iRST Support, which is enabled and can be disabled, Entry on S3 critical battery event, which is set to enabled and can be disabled, and iRST PARTITION STATUS, which is currently INVALID. I don't know if I need to do anything with those options.

 

[gregrocker]

Sounds like IRST is broken out into separate settings which are enabled, but registering correctly now as Invalid since the RAID is broken.

What is the current SATA setting? If you didn't change it I would leave it where it is.

What is the Lenovo model number and extension? Go to the Support Downloads webpage for your model to read the full Manual now for how to reinstall. You may also find more information on this by googling as almost every model requiring special steps has search findings from forums like ours.

 

[TheAtomicGoose]

The current SATA setting is Compatible. The model is Lenovo U410 Ultrabook. I'm not sure what you mean by extension. I'll go read up on the laptop.

 

[gregrocker]

The Guide on How To Reformat, Repartition AND Get RapidStart & RapidStorage Working

Mystery solved:

Delete all the things: Delete all of your partitions. Seriously, get rid of 'em. You will be left with your 500GB disk, unpartitioned - and a 8GB drive, unpartitioned - this is your SSD. It only shows up as 8GB because 22GB of that is dedicated to RapidStorage cache, due to the driver you just installed. Now create a partition on the main HDD and let windows create the other necessary ones. Click next to continue installation.

 

[TheAtomicGoose]

Ah. That solves that problem. I'll continue installing and see if I come up with any more problems. Thanks for all your help!

 

[gregrocker]

Can you find the RAID setting it refers to in the tutorial? It is referred to as working in several related Lenovo forums threads. The Guide on How To Reformat, Repartition AND Get ... - Lenovo Community

 

[TheAtomicGoose]

No, I do not see anything in BIOS which says RAID. The model the OP in that guide is using and the model that I have are slightly different, in case that could change anything.

 

[gregrocker]

There is much to read about your model in the search results for lenovo u410 ultrabook reinstall windows 7

I would also read the Manual and inquire in the Lenovo forums.

Keep in mind that replacing the HD with an SSD is the best Upgrade one can have for Win7 nowadays, especially with the prices coming down so fast. These are faster than buying a high-end gaming rig without an SSD.

 

[TheAtomicGoose]

A 500GB SSD is still pretty damn expensive. Especially as I'm a teenager with no income. I've also read that SSDs degrade faster than HDDs, resulting in f2fs filesystem types and things like that, although I've got no idea if that's actually true.

 

[TheAtomicGoose]

Also, after reinstalling, I'm not sure what the advantage of installing the iRST technology is as the computer boots as quickly as it ever did. Is the IRST technology in order to set up RAID?

 

[gregrocker]

It RAIDs the SSD and HD together with the boot files and virtual paging file on the SSD to supposedly speed up boot and virtual memory. However if your Core i5 PC has plenty of RAM it may not even be calling on the virtual memory much, and you say it is already fast.

What might be interesting is installing Win7 to the SSD to look at that speed difference which we have seen done successfully here before. But it takes moving your User folders to HD and installing excess, lesser-used programs there too before you run out of space.

Since you're interested in choices I'd try it both ways, with and without IRST enabled. Maybe install to SSD. SSD is the best upgrade one can have for Win7.

 

[TheAtomicGoose]

The thing is that I'm probably going to be using Windows only for gaming until I get a gaming rig built, and using Linux for everything else. Because of that, I'm probably going to be installing and uninstalling very large programs fairly frequently. Would it be difficult to install other programs to the HDD from the SDD? I have a feeling that I would need to install most of the games to the HDD as 32GB is not very much space.

 

[gregrocker]

I'd just try to enable the IRST to see if that speeds it up any. If not or it gives you problems you can still always partition the SSD and move the paging file there, since you said you have a fast boot now anyway.
Virtual Memory Paging File - Change - Vista Forums

 

[AddRAM]

Mushkin Enhanced Chronos MKNSSDCR240GB-7 2.5" 240GB SATA III 7mm Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - Newegg.com

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=20-147-248

Most 120 to 128 GB ssds are even cheaper

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...7247&cm_re=SAMSUNG_SSD-_-20-147-247-_-Product


http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware...intel-rapid-storage-technology-do-i-need.html

 

[TheAtomicGoose]

When I went to install the IRST driver, I got an error which said "This computer does not meet the minimum requirements for installing this software." Also, after seeing how much space the Windows files (e.g. the ones that were installed when I reinstalled Windows) took up, I'd like to increase the size of my primary Windows partition. How should I go about doing that?

 

[AddRAM]

I recommend using a Partition Wizard Boot CD

Partition Wizard Bootable CD allows user to manage partition directly with partition manager bootable CD.

But, could you post the latest shot of disk management ?

 

[gregrocker]

When I went to install the IRST driver, I got an error which said "This computer does not meet the minimum requirements for installing this software." Also, after seeing how much space the Windows files (e.g. the ones that were installed when I reinstalled Windows) took up, I'd like to increase the size of my primary Windows partition. How should I go about doing that?

You were to have deleted all partitions during install according to the tutorial so why was any more than one partition present for the installation of Win7?

Delete all the things: Delete all of your partitions. Seriously, get rid of 'em. You will be left with your 500GB disk, unpartitioned - and a 8GB drive, unpartitioned - this is your SSD. It only shows up as 8GB because 22GB of that is dedicated to RapidStorage cache, due to the driver you just installed. Now create a partition on the main HDD and let windows create the other necessary ones. Click next to continue installation.

Did you create another one for data or something else during install? If so simply delete it and extend the C partition in Disk Mgmt.

If you need help then post back a screenshot of Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image

If you are not following the tutorial to the letter, then I would start over and do so because this may be the reason the IRST will not enable.

 

[TheAtomicGoose]

No, I did only create one partition, but Windows creates other very small partitions automatically after the user creates the first partition. I did follow the tutorial to the letter, I was very careful and took my time doing it. I did not know of the extend function in Disk Management, I used that and was able to successfully do what I was trying to do.

 

[Anak]

How is your machine running now?

Could you please post another screenshot of disk management as requested by AddRAM a few posts ago; So we can compare it with your earlier one?

But, could you post the latest shot of disk management ?