How do I set up for installing a SSD

[Datman]

I watched a online video and was instructed to change the sata from native IDE to either raid or the 3rd option (can't remember) I choose the 3rd option and everything worked fine. Later in the day I wanted to restore an image and could no longer boot from cd in the bios. It took me a while to figure out that the change I made caused the issue.

I want to know the basic settings for a ssd drive .

If it is necessary to make that change how do I boot from cd?

 

[Golden]

Datman,

This will cover everything you need:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/113967-ssd-alignment.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/70822-ssd-tweaks-optimizations-windows-7-a.html

Regards,
Golden

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
these days W7 and W8 don't need any extra SSD alignment or fiddling around any more.

Proceed as follows

1) Backup your OS partition (and the small system partition if it exists) to external media or another partition on your computer. Use a program like Acronis or Macrium or whatever -.

2) Connect your SSD to a USB slot via a SATA==>USB adapter (if you buy the SAMSUNG or some other makes this cable will be included -- screenshot enclosed).

3) Restore the OS image to the SSD - and the system small partition if that was on the original backup image . Shouldn't take more than around 15 - 20 mins.

4) open computer and connect SSD to SATA connector -- same principle whether Laptop or desktop.

5) Get into BIOS and set boot device as SSD . You don't have to remove the old disk on a desktop -- even if all the bays are full there's always some space to put an SSD -- it's small, no vibrations as no moving parts so you don't even have to bolt it down so you can stick it anywhere there's space - but keep it away from a GPU (Graphics card) if you have a separate one of those as these can get VERY HOT).

6) Simply boot -- job done.

Cheers jimbo

(SATA==>USB connector)

 

[essenbe]

Your sata controller should be in AHCI mode. That should have nothing to do with booting from DVD. You can either use the one time boot option ( I don't know which key it is for your board) or in BIOS>Boot options, set the DVD as 1st boot device and SSD as second. You should get a brief message asking if you want to boot from DVD. You will only have a few seconds to push any key. Other than that, it could be a bad disk or bad iso or bad burn. The sata mode should not affect booting from CD/DVD.

 

[Datman]

Your sata controller should be in AHCI mode. That should have nothing to do with booting from DVD. .

It does. I just reset it to AVCI, that is where it was before. When I rebooted I no longer get the option to boot from cd. I have a gigabyte ga-970a-ud3 mobo. in the bios there is another option for me to change sata ports 4&5 to IDE. Would I want to keep both dvd drives in ports 4&5 and leave it set to IDE?


Also presently there is no SSD option in the boot priority. Will that change when I add the drive? It should come today.

 

[essenbe]

That would be a good option, it only matters for the SSD to be in AHCI mode. The SSD will run in IDE but it will not give you the best performance. I was not aware that DVD drives would not run in AHCI though, guess I learned something else today.

 

[TVeblen]

Hi there
these days W7 and W8 don't need any extra SSD alignment or fiddling around any more.

Curious about that Jimbo. Are you saying it is no longer necessary to align a new SSD?
Why?

(I just bought my first one)

 

[essenbe]

I am assuming he is saying the installer will align it if you let it. SSDs still need to be aligned. I do it myself, then install. No 100MB partition and I know it is done right (OCD).

 

[Datman]

well it seems stuck at 47% with the cloning. This is where I mess up I get impatient with windows. I never know when to go away for 3 day and let it finish or cancil it and start over. I always cancil and it gets ugly from there.

It took about 30 seconds to get to 47% hasn't moved at all in 10 min

 

[LittleJay]

Hi there
these days W7 and W8 don't need any extra SSD alignment or fiddling around any more.

Curious about that Jimbo. Are you saying it is no longer necessary to align a new SSD?
Why?

(I just bought my first one)

I use disk management in Windows to format and partition my SSDs when I first get them and that way I know they will be properly aligned. I would use diskpart, but I can never remember how to do it that way!

 

[Datman]

)[/QUOTE]

I use disk management in Windows to format and partition my SSDs when I first get them and that way I know they will be properly aligned. I would use diskpart, but I can never remember how to do it that way! [/QUOTE]

I did that but added no partition and fro 2nd time it get stuck at 47%

 

[essenbe]

Diskpart
list disk
select disk # (where # is the number assigned to the disk)
clean
create partition primary align=1024
select partition 1
format fs=ntfs quick
active
exit
exit

It looks like this

 

[Datman]

I formated it like other have done but I need the data migration software that was on the drive. I guess I go to samsung

 

[Datman]

Diskpart
list disk
select disk # (where # is the number assigned to the disk)
clean
create partition primary align=1024
select partition 1
format fs=ntfs quick
active
exit
exit

It looks like this
View attachment 250725

is this done in the bios?

 

[essenbe]

It can be done from an elevated command prompt inside Windows or from the Install disk. At the 1st screen, do not select your language, hold down Shift and press F10. When finished type exit hit return, type exit again and hit return and you will be back at the same language screen. Then complete the install. You will get no 100MB partition, which means no Bit Locker. At the install screen, do not format the disk under advanced options, just install. It should be done with bios in AHCI mode and the SSD the only drive connected for a clean install.

Elevated command prompt. Click start, type cmd in the search box, on the cmd option that appears, right click it and select 'run as administrator.

 

[essenbe]

If you have a Samsung SSD, the cloning software is usually Norton Ghost and should be on the DVD sent with the disk, or you can download it here
Samsung Semiconductors Global Site

 

[Datman]

I was able to figure all that out but it still fails at 47%. I did it from cmd. To do it from the disk, do I use the w7 disk?

what was a healthy 111.79g becomes unallocated

 

[essenbe]

Yes, Windows 7 Installation disk. When you type clean, it should be unallocated. Then you are creating a partition and formatting it. It should then be a Primary partition. After finishing (after you type activeand it completes that) type list partition again, it should show a partition with an offset of 1024 (offset is the alignment).

You may consider a clean install. If you are stalling out on the data migration it is most likely the migration software. Norton Ghost is not the easiest software to use. I use Paragon Migrate. It's $19.95, but is almost fool proof and has never failed me. You can also read this. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/149969-ssd-install-transfer-operating-system.html

 

[whs]

Hi there
these days W7 and W8 don't need any extra SSD alignment or fiddling around any more.

Curious about that Jimbo. Are you saying it is no longer necessary to align a new SSD?
Why?

(I just bought my first one)

No need to align when you install win7 or win8. The installer will do the alignment. In all other cases you still need to align.

 

[essenbe]

WHS, maybe you can help here. I know very little about Norton Ghost. You do and you wrote the tutorial I linked to about transfering the OS.