Looking for Help with a SSD install

[Papalarge]

Hi Guys
I am Upgrading to a SSD drive (64gb) for my OS.
This is what I have now;

• 1.5tb SATA II Hard drive
• P6T SE Asus Motherboard
• 6gb of Corsair memory
• 1000w Corsair PSU
• Intel 975i7 extreme CPU
• ATI Visiontek 4870 video card (upgrading to MSI GTX580)
• Windows 7, 64bit Cyberpower recovery disk.
• 2 old external Hard drives 1-300gb (has data on it) and a old hard drive 320gb that I am going to put in a case to use as a external hard drive for the system image.

This what I think I can do
1. Re-format the 320 hard drive (SATA).
2. Create a system image from Windows 7 on the old 320gb drive. I did a re-install of windows 7 last weekend, so at this point I have 54gb on the 1.5tb drive (I didn’t re-format the this drive). At this point I have a couple of questions.
a. I only have a few programs installed. I want the SSD for my OS, what other programs will be on the SSD and can I have my program files on the 1.5tb drive.
b. When I make the system image will I be able to choose which programs go on the drive?
c. Or is there a way of installing the OS from the recovery disk?
d. Will I be able to have my program file on the 1.5tb drive?
e. Since the SSD will have my OS on it can I change the letter from “C” drive to a different to stop any other programs from being installed on the SSD and taking up space?
3. Now at this point it gets a little sketchy, how do I get the OS on the SSD and what have I left out? I am still a novice (obviously).

 

[sygnus21]

Have a look at this post - http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/18229-show-us-your-ssd-performance-93.html#post1156363

Pay attention to this line....

Now if you want to make your life easy, spend $19.95 for this program: Paragon Migrate OS to SSD - Overview It does everything for you and you are done in 20 minutes. It is very easy to use - I tested it, worked perfectly.

My approval - http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/18229-show-us-your-ssd-performance-97.html#post1159271

Good luck

 

[gregrocker]

See the imaging option here: SSD - Install and transfer the Operating System

I would first create another partition to link your User folders into, thus removing them from the Win7 partition and image: User Profile - Change Default Location or User Folders - Change Default Location

Now clean up the Win7 partition and defrag before capturing the image with Acronis free premium cloning/imaging app if you have a WD or Seagate HD, or free Macrium Reflect. You can't use Win7 imaging as it will force you to include the User folders partition which are viewed as System files.
Seagate Acronis cloning free util
WD Acronis free cloning app
Macrium - Image your system

It is not recommended to move the Programs to another partition since they write keys to the Registry which integrate them into the OS and should remain a part of it's image.

However if you need space you can consider uninstalling some or all programs then direct their install to another partition by default with this registry edit: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/39689-program-files-directory-change-default-installs.html

 

[essenbe]

After you do the imaging of your new drive, be sure to check the alignment. If your alignment is off you will need the Paragon Alignment software that Sygnus21 referred to or you will have to do a clean install.

 

[whs]

What you are trying to do will not work for a number of reasons. Follow the advice of Sygnus and use the Paragon migration tool - will save you a lot of headaches. But if you want to educate yourself, read this: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/149969-ssd-install-transfer-operating-system.html

But if you insist to do it manually, I will be glad to help and assist you. It will be lengthy.

 

[sygnus21]

If your alignment is off you will need the Paragon Alignment software that Sygnus21 referred to or you will have to do a clean install.

Hi essenbe,

Appreciate the reference but it's actually this.... Paragon Migrate OS to SSD

Ready to upgrade to a new Solid State Drive (SSD)? Paragon’s Migrate OS to SSD is just what you need. Our handy intuitive wizard performs fast and safe Windows migrations to new storage devices (HDD or SSD) and even downsizes to smaller capacity drives, thanks to advanced new data exclusion capabilities. You can transfer a live system with no impact to your work, and have your partitions automatically aligned in the process if needed.

And yes, it'll also automatically align the drive as well

I used it as designed and had absolutely no problems, performance or otherwise. The whole process took less than 20 minutes.

 

[essenbe]

Sygnus21, I may have to get it. I did a secure erase and reimaged it with acronis. It worked perfect except the offset was 83. I had to start over again and do a clean install.

 

[whs]

Sygnus21, I may have to get it. I did a secure erase and reimaged it with acronis. It worked perfect except the offset was 83. I had to start over again and do a clean install.

Paragon Alignment Tool - Das Produkt

Sorry, here is the English version: http://www.paragon-software.com/home/partition-alignment/index.html

 

[essenbe]

Thanks WHS, that's what I wish I had, but didn't. I ended up doing things the old fashioned way- which I am quite used to.

 

[sygnus21]

To clarify....

The Paragon Migrate OS to SSD is what I used when I first set up my SSD as suggested by whs. In addition to migrating the OS from a spinner to SSD drive, it will also automatically align the SSD drive.

The Paragon Paragon Alignment Tool can be used to align hard drives even after you install the OS. I have used this tool as well and will say it also aligns mechanical drives as well. Nice tool to have.

 

[essenbe]

To clarify....

The Paragon Migrate OS to SSD is what I used when I first set up my SSD as suggested by whs. In addition to migrating the OS from a spinner to SSD drive, it will also automatically align the SSD drive.

The Paragon Paragon Alignment Tool can be used to align hard drives even after you install the OS. I have used this tool as well and will say it also aligns mechanical drives as well. Nice tool to have.

Which tool will restore and align from a backup image?

 

[sygnus21]

Neither one of those will do a backup or restore. Sorry

You should look at something like Acronis True Image 2011

 

[whs]

To clarify....

The Paragon Migrate OS to SSD is what I used when I first set up my SSD as suggested by whs. In addition to migrating the OS from a spinner to SSD drive, it will also automatically align the SSD drive.

The Paragon Paragon Alignment Tool can be used to align hard drives even after you install the OS. I have used this tool as well and will say it also aligns mechanical drives as well. Nice tool to have.

Which tool will restore and align from a backup image?

If you want to restore from an image, you have to create an active, primary, aligned partition yourself. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/113967-ssd-alignment.html?ltr=S

 

[essenbe]

WHS, I did but apparently Acronis changed it. The image was from an aligned partition also. I could not get the Macrium disk to operate without freezing, so I used Acronis. I took the image from the disk, did a secure erase, partitioned and aligned the disk, then restored the image I had just taken. That's what confounded me.

 

[whs]

Hmm, is there a 100MB partition involved or is the C partition active. And are you saying that Acronis changed the alignment.

I have not used Acronis in years - always use Macrium. I wonder why the recovery program froze. That never happened to me. Maybe you should burn a new CD.

 

[essenbe]

I have 2 disks that worked on my AMD computer. I assumed it may be the new technology on this P67 computer. To answer the first qiestion, there is no 100MB partition the C partition is active. Acronis had to change the alignment. I restored the image I had made 10 minutes before. I Then partitioned, aligned,formatted and made the partition active the after the secure erase and restored the image I had made 10 minutes before. I ended up with the drive aligned at 83. The image was aligned at 1024 and the erased drive was aligned at 1024, what happened in the middle must have been Acronis.

 

[whs]

This is really dumb. Maybe an Acronis expert has an answer. Ask SIW2 or Greg, they may know. Maybe there is some Acronis setting to get around that. It looks to me like Acronis is reusing the alignment that came from the HDD. Check whether there is a "do not align" option.

 

[sygnus21]

What version of Acronis are you using. It's my understanding ATI 2010 won't align a drive, whereas 2011 will. It's also been stated that if a drive is imaged while aligned, it will stay aligned when re-store the image - either version of Acronis.

I have ATI 2010 myself but have never tested this theory as I'll only restore an image if absolutely needed. That's me.

Anyway here's a few thread from Acronis forums on SSD's

- Solid State Drive Support in Acronis Products | Knowledge Base
- Restored image to new SSD - wrong alignment | Knowledge Base
- Is everyone exaggerating the steps for SSD alignment when upgrading to an SSD? | Knowledge Base
- Moving from one SSD, to a regular drive to another SSD | Knowledge Base

 

[essenbe]

I have the free versions from Seagate and Western Digital. I used the Seagate version in my restore. It does not have some of the options described in your links. I guess I will Just buy one of the Paragon programs you suggested yesterday. I have done this in the past with the free Macrium without any problem. I just could not get the Macrium disk to work this time so I used Acronis. It's OK though. I can usually figure a way around any problem.

 

[Papalarge]

Hi Guys
Thanks for all the input, I called where I bought the computer and found out that the disk that came with the rig will install windows 7 on any hard drive I put in this computer. If that is the case, where do I stand?
Thanks