Unique Installation Question

I would not use MucAfee bloatware on any Win7 system. Use a free lightweight AV like MS Security Essentials which works perfectly with the Win7 Firewall and doesnt' slow your system.

If you reinstall the factory bloatware just to get Roxio, then I'd uninstall everything else including the useless Dell utilities using Revo Uninstaller in Advanced mode. You'll likely still have corrupt system file because bloatware is itself corruption of the first order.

VegasJamie said:

Keiichi25:

"When you do so, just pull the main drive out of the system, do not leave it hooked up for the time being, and try and do a recovery using those DVDs. Worse case scenario, it doesn't work, but at least you still have the functioning drive to clone using imaging software to copy to the SSD as another alternative."

Not sure I follow..... make the DVD's first, then pull the HD, and try to boot off the DVD's without any drive connected?? Or after I've pulled the HD, install the SSD, then boot from DVD's to SSD? I'm a bit confused....

1) Make the DVDs first
2) Pull the Dell System Drive out of the system
3) Put in new drive and use DVDs you just created to reload your OS onto it

Although, ideally, it would be better if you were allowed to just do a plain fresh install with a Windows 7 DVD versus a Dell System Restore Disk, as it puts all the unnecessary stuff on there and they include a disk that has drivers and applications where you can load what you need in pieces versus everything you might not want.

Great!! Thanks to all of you for helping. I've ordered a Crucial RealSSD C300 64GB drive. I will be referring to this thread in the next few weeks when the machine arrives.

I also read that I will be installing the OS on the SSD, and then simply plugging the larger drive in, once the system has booted up. I'm presuming the new machine will have the necessary cable(s) for power and drive connection already installed? Dell states the machine has great capabilities for expansion, and, some of the other Dells I have worked on recently have had cables to plug in additional drives.

So, if it true that I simply plug in the larger drive after the SSD is loaded with the OS, how does it show up? If the SSD is C:, will the larger one simply be D: by default, and show up under hard disk drives?

I've always partitioned my drives during OS installs,....if the above method is the way things will go, will I have an opportunity to partition it when I format it using W7?

I apologize in advance for the nature of my 'basic' questions, but, I want to ensure I do this properly, and that the install/reinstall/SSD addition goes smoothly. You're all far more advanced than I am, but I feel comfortable with the task I have outlined, doesn't seem to be a difficult process.

Thank you again.

VegasJamie,

It's a fair assumption that the new system will have a additional power connection for a sata drive likely in tandem with the primary/stock hard drive, BUT the actual sata II or III cable you will have to purchase and no the drive doesn't come with one. Do you know if the system has sata II or III ports if you don't know check the system specs.If you have computer friends around you check with them as it seems anyone in this hobby for a while collects all sorts of extra cables. Oh and at this time if you dare you can also clean up the routing of the factory cables to promote air flow if needed or nessary. You can see many threads here about this and get some great ideas.

If you wanted a straight SSD version of the factory disk then using the DVD recovery disks mentioned earlier may be the simplest approach. But I had a feeling you may get back a recovery partition consuming 10GB+. If the SSD is only 64GB this may be a consideration.

linnemeyerhere:

I think the machine is SATA II, but, I'm pretty surprized its not SATA III (it's a Dell XPS 9100, pretty muuch fully-loaded)....Question: if Dell installs a HD that is SATA II, does that mean the machine is ONLY SATA II, or, is there also a possibility it could be SATA III, but the HD they install is only SATA II? Would it be worth the $ to purchase a SATA III card?


To all of you talking about using a Windows 7 DVD to install the OS on the new SSD (versus using the backup DVD's Dell will ask me to do when I first fire it up), it just dawned on me that I ordered the 3x Windows 7 Family Upgrade Pack to upgrade all the other machines in my house,....could I use the 64 bit DVD to do the install, and then use the Windows 7 code on the new machine to register it? (I'm pretty sure it will come with the Genuine Windows 7 product code sticker on it somewhere) I have been reading about doing fresh installs with the upgrade DVD, wondering if I can use it in my situation?

Thanks again to all of you who have responded....

Yes, you can reinstall factory OEM with the retail installer using the Product Key on the COA sticker. It may require a robocall to MS to sort the batch key on sticker.

You can unlock all versions in installer using this method on ISO extracted with ImgBurn: Universal Installation Disc - Create

gregrocker said:

The installer is mostly driver-complete, with newer arriving quickly via optional Windows Updates. Any drivers then missing in Device Manager can be found on the Support Downloads webpage for your model computer or device.

Install programs slowly over time to gauge performance after each. Don't let any programs write themselves into msconfig>Startup as they become freeloaders on your RAM/CPU and can spy on you. I only allow AV and gadgets.

Use a lightweight free AV like MS Security Essentials which works perfectly with Windows 7 Firewall.

When it is finished, clean and order the HD perfectly using state-of-the-art free CCleaner then Auslogics Disk and Registry defraggers monthly.

Then save a Win7 Backup image externally so you never have to reinstall again, just reimage the HD or replacement using DVD or Repair CD.

You've been given heaps of good advice. I'll just add that upgrade or not, the OEM OS will always be tied to that particular PC's motherboard. The upgrade unlocks features and it is only that upgrade/unlock capability that can be legally transferred to a different machine (according to MS themselves).