Hard Drive Replacement for PC

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I hope you are not going to put Windows on a WD Black when you now have an SSD.

You don't need a dock if you intend to have 3 internal drives: SSD for Windows; WD Black for data; WD Black for data backup.

If you intend to have an external drive, then yes, you'd probably use a dock.

None of them are what I'd call durable or heavy duty, so don't expect them to last 10 years.

Some connect by USB 2; some by USB 3, some by eSATA, some by a combination. You'd need one that matched whatever ports you happen to have on your case.

I use a Rosewill RX-DUS 100 that has USB 2 and eSATA ports.

Other brands include Thermaltake and Sabrent. Make sure you get one that will accept standard 3.5 inch hard drives.

You might consider getting Blues instead of Blacks. They are cheaper and don't have as long a warranty, but you aren't likely to notice the speed difference if you put Windows and apps on the SSD.

I'm thinking he is intending to use the SSD he just received for his OS and programs, one of the WDs for his internal data drive, and an external dock for his backup drive. I personally like the WD Blacks for their longer warranty but I agree a Black is overkill for a backup drive. I would suggest getting two Greens instead of a Black for the backups. It is much safer to have two identical backups so, if one backup drive should fail (it happens), he will have another one to fall back on.

@ OP. Orico makes some nice docks. Just peruse Newegg's or Amazon's selections and choose one you like the looks of that gets good reviews.

 

[mjf]

I agree with LF - I'm using 2TB WD Greens for backup. If you buy a dock I'd get a name brand and definitely USB 3. I can image ~50 GB on my SSD to a 2TB Green in ~7-8 Minutes. I'd agree they aren't meant to last forever and at ~$30 each I'd have a couple.

 

[dazzlenet]

I am back! Sorry to leave the thread so abruptly but I got sick, was hospitalized for 6 days, rested at home for what has seemed like forever - and am now ready to get my PC running again!

I ordered the WD BLACK SERIES WD1003FZEX 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive this morning. Should arrive by Friday.

For now, I need someone to give me a link to a docking station to purchase for backups. Or, can I just purchase another one (or 2???) of the WD 1TB Blue or Green Hard Drives & put them inside my PC along with the new SSD (still in package/haven't opened it yet) & the WD 1TB Black Drive on order? I am finding the the WD Blue & WD Green Hard Drives are very close in price, so I should order the Blue, correct?

Do I need to make sure that the backup drives are also 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s?

Thanks for all the posts. I am deeply grateful!

 

[GokAy]

Get a green for backups and use the black inside PC. If your mobo has E-SATA ports and you can find an E-SATA/USB 3.0 external dock that would be golden. Otherwise get one with USB 3.0 at least.

 

[dazzlenet]

E-SATA/USB 3.0 external dock

I am fairly sure my mobo has E-Sata ports. Can you post a link to an example or a recommended one of what you are talking about exactly? I have never even looked at a docking station. .
.
If the WD Green is only 50 cents less than the WD Blue, do you still suggest the Green for backups?

THANKS!!!

 

[GokAy]

I just checked your mobo and it doesn't have E-SATA. It is still possible your case has one at front panel. It looks somewhat similar to an USB port.

Hmm, seems I am a bit wrong with WD color codes, glad you asked the difference
What does the WD color scheme mean?
Go with the blue.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Yes, the Blue is superior to the Green and, if you can get it for only 50¢ more than the same size Green, by all means, get it.

This is an excellent dock. The dock works off either e-SATA (at SATA II speeds) or USB 3.0. To use it for backups, I would suggest keeping it alongside or on top of your computer and turn it on only when you have a HDD in the dock (it would not a good idea to keep a HDD in the dock except when updating a backup). Also, Anker provides excellent product support.

 

[Berton]

And if into drive cloning/copying try this:
Thermaltake - U.S.A. - BlacX Duet HDD Docking Station - ST0014U
Got mine from Amazon for less than $50US.

 

[dazzlenet]

Installing Drives

Do I install the SSD drive first & get the computer running? Or, do I need to install both the SSD & WD Hard Drive and then try to get it running to do a fresh install of Windows?

Also, do I just use the one small "cord" to connect the SSD - the cord that was hooked up to my old hard drive & is still connected to the mother board? How does the other drive connect?

THANKS!

 

[GokAy]

Only SSD and CD-DVD while clean installing. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html
If you don't have a 2nd SATA cable, use DVD drive's cable?

 

[dazzlenet]

OK, so I connect the larger cable from the power supply & the smaller cable from the mother board to the SSD, right? I rec'd a DVD with the SSD - so I am assuming I put it in when my computer comes on. I have another small cable that I took out of an old computer. Is this all I will need when I connect the hard drive?

I downloaded an ISO file to a flash drive to install Windows 7. I hope my computer recognizes the flash drive!

 

[GokAy]

HDD/SSD and DVD all need a data cable and a power cable. These are all fool-proof, only one way of plugging in and different sizes.

First clean install your OS with SSD and DVD connected.
Then if you need to attach HDD, remove cables from DVD and plug into HDD.

(Assuming all are SATA drives)

 

[dazzlenet]

I installed the SSD, hooked up the monitor, keyboard & mouse, then booted computer. Screen message:

Reboot & Select proper Boot device or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key.

I went into BIOS & changed the boot order to 1- CD/DVD & 2- SSD Drive (which showed on the screen!) then put the CD/DVD in that came with the SAMSUNG SSD & rebooted. I got the same message again. NOW WHAT?

I have a feeling this is going to be a pain.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I installed the SSD, hooked up the monitor, keyboard & mouse, then booted computer. Screen message:

Reboot & Select proper Boot device or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key.

I went into BIOS & changed the boot order to 1- CD/DVD & 2- SSD Drive (which showed on the screen!) then put the CD/DVD in that came with the SAMSUNG SSD & rebooted. I got the same message again. NOW WHAT?

I have a feeling this is going to be a pain.

If you want to install Windows to that SSD, you should NOT need that Samsung SSD.

You say you downloaded a Windows ISO to a flash drive. Can you boot from that flash drive? If not, burn the ISO to a DVD and boot from that. One way or another, you have to have something the PC can boot from to install Windows.

And you will need a 25 character "Product Key" to activate the new Windows installation. Otherwise, the install won't work for long.

Make sure only the SSD and the bootable device (DVD or flash drive) are connected when you begin the install.

 

[dazzlenet]

If you want to install Windows to that SSD, you should NOT need that Samsung SSD.

You say you downloaded a Windows ISO to a flash drive. Can you boot from that flash drive? If not, burn the ISO to a DVD and boot from that. One way or another, you have to have something the PC can boot from to install Windows.

And you will need a 25 character "Product Key" to activate the new Windows installation. Otherwise, the install won't work for long.

Make sure only the SSD and the bootable device (DVD or flash drive) are connected when you begin the install.[/QUOTE]

Thank you for the info. I am going to try this tonight.

 

[dazzlenet]

Windows Installed on SDD

OKAY! I finally got Windows 7 installed on my new Samsung SSD 850 EVO. Now I just gotta learn how to connect my other drive - WD 1.0TB SATA. Am not sure I have the right cables to add the 2nd drive. Also, how do I set Windows to start on the SSD & put all my info on the WD harddrive?

 

[GokAy]

You only need 1 SATA power cable and 1 SATA data cable. Your current PSU should have (most likely) a spare power cable. If not, you can get a multiplier or a molex to SATA power converter for real cheap.



Also buy a SATA data cable (the red ones will do just fine), you may even have one laying inside your motherboard box if you have kept it.

Then only adjust the BIOS hard disk boot order to start from the SSD.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

put all my info on the WD harddrive?

What exactly does that mean?

 

[GokAy]

I was under the impression that using it for data files (music/documents/videos, etc.).

 

[dazzlenet]

You only need 1 SATA power cable and 1 SATA data cable. Your current PSU should have (most likely) a spare power cable. If not, you can get a multiplier or a molex to SATA power converter for real cheap.

View attachment 369111

Also buy a SATA data cable (the red ones will do just fine), you may even have one laying inside your motherboard box if you have kept it.

Then only adjust the BIOS hard disk boot order to start from the SSD.

I do have an extra SATA cable I took out of an older PC. I don't see an extra SATA power cable. Also, my motherboard has 2 slots for drives & my CD player is plugged into one & my SSD is plugged into the other. My motherboard manual states it has 6 (six) Sata ports. Two are covered with something white. Now what?