Unique Installation Question

Good Morning Everyone,

A newbie on this site, but an decently experienced PC user/'upgrader'.....I've installed additional HD's to an existing setup, and have clean installed many times on many machines. This is a bit different:

I have recently ordered a new Dell desktop with Windows 7 Home Premium 64 on a 1.5 Tb HD. When I configured the Desktop there was no option for a SSD/HD combo, so my only option was either to have one HD, or a RAID array with a Raptor drive.

I have not received the desktop yet, and am not expecting it to arrive for another two weeks, but I would like to accomplish something I'm hoping a few of you might be able to help me with:

1) I want to install a new 64GB (or maybe 80, or 124) SSD on the new system (prior to adding any new software, games, drivers, etc.), and use the factory-installed Windows 7 that will be on the installed 7200 rpm HD. How can I do this?

(I have read about reinstalling a factory OS using recovery disks and/or the recovery partition, but what about reinstalling the factory OS on a completely different HD?)

2) I've read about putting the OS, programs, and games on the SSD, but I don't want to spend more than ~$150 for a SSD, plus, with a 1.5TB HD, I'd be more than happy to have everything but the OS on that drive. Would putting just the OS on the SSD be a performance-minded thing to do? (In addition, I'd much rather have the OS on it's own drive in case of failure, corruption, etc.)

3) By backing up the new computer, and making a restore disk, will I retain all of the factory-installed programs?

....I've made my current Dell desktop last almost eight years with no problems I couldn't handle myself,....I'm hoping to make this next machine as relatively 'future-proof' as possible, as well as keeping it's performance quick and reliable.

Thanks in advance for your insight, help, and advice.

VegasJamie said:

Good Morning Everyone,

A newbie on this site, but an decently experienced PC user/'upgrader'.....I've installed additional HD's to an existing setup, and have clean installed many times on many machines. This is a bit different:

I have recently ordered a new Dell desktop with Windows 7 Home Premium 64 on a 1.5 Tb HD. When I configured the Desktop there was no option for a SSD/HD combo, so my only option was either to have one HD, or a RAID array with a Raptor drive.

I have not received the desktop yet, and am not expecting it to arrive for another two weeks, but I would like to accomplish something I'm hoping a few of you might be able to help me with:

1) I want to install a new 64GB (or maybe 80, or 124) SSD on the new system (prior to adding any new software, games, drivers, etc.), and use the factory-installed Windows 7 that will be on the installed 7200 rpm HD. How can I do this?

(I have read about reinstalling a factory OS using recovery disks and/or the recovery partition, but what about reinstalling the factory OS on a completely different HD?)

You can do a recovery reinstall on ANY disk, regardless of it being one you got from them or what not. Dell will also have you create a recovery disk through their little support program, so before you do anything hardware, boot up the computer, go through the little hoops it makes you go through, but definitely go through the Dell Support wizard, one of which will have you create a recovery disk for 2 dvds.

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.

2) I've read about putting the OS, programs, and games on the SSD, but I don't want to spend more than ~$150 for a SSD, plus, with a 1.5TB HD, I'd be more than happy to have everything but the OS on that drive. Would putting just the OS on the SSD be a performance-minded thing to do? (In addition, I'd much rather have the OS on it's own drive in case of failure, corruption, etc.)

Ideally, you want the OS on the SSD because of system necessities and processes. While you can put programs and games on there, that is more of dealing with disk access time. Programs you use heavily that take long load times due to read/writing to disk will be a bit faster on SSD.

I would not recommend putting games on SSD, while it means the load times should be technically reduced due to not having to deal with the disk's limitation from seek and RPM limitations, most games like to eat up disk space like candy, especially if you run a lot of games for a long time and don't uninstall them.

3) By backing up the new computer, and making a restore disk, will I retain all of the factory-installed programs?

....I've made my current Dell desktop last almost eight years with no problems I couldn't handle myself,....I'm hoping to make this next machine as relatively 'future-proof' as possible, as well as keeping it's performance quick and reliable.

Thanks in advance for your insight, help, and advice.

It should. However, you will find a few of us will say, "Screw the Factory installed programs." Some of them act quirky or just take up memory resources unnecessarily. Dell Datasafe, for example, will break after a while due to some update that makes it not want to work with the system properly, therefore become more of a nuisance and just take up resources like a basement living geek with no job.

Thanks for your responses.....greatly appreciated.

The reason for wanting to keep the factory image, hmmmm.... I thought I wanted to retain the drivers, and blu-ray/dvd burning programs that come with the computer..... ? (I know I will be able to get all drivers updated/installed once the system is running, but what about some of the other programs like McAfee (free for 3yrs), Roxio, etc. ? I know those may not be your programs of choice, but, if they're 'free' with the system, why not utilize them until I want to spend more on other programs...?)

I'm all for getting rid of unnecessary bloatware, I only want the things I need and will actually use.

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....

Another question: Is a 64GB SSD large enough for 'lifetime use' of Windows 7? I'd like to do this only once, and have the drive be large enough for future OS upgrades/installs/patches/fixes/service packs.....

If the 64 is indeed large enough, any recommendations for a solid performer in the $100-$150 range?

Thank you again for your help.

Crucial Real SSD is the way to go my friend it will max the 150.00 budget but worth every extra buck many times over !

Yes exactly...do a clean install if possible, no trim needed...mo betta !

Thanks for your help everyone, seems like the Crucial drive is the best option. Will I have to set the drives up in any special fashion, or can I just have one as master and one as slave?