Solved OS on SSD...

[inhaliburton]

Equipment:
A Gateway DX4860 i7 computer with 16 Gb of memory.

A Mushkin Chronos deluxe 240 Gb Solid State Drive that I installed internally after purchasing DX4860.

I installed the OS from the Gateway to the SSD by backing up the C: drive with Easeus Utility and restoring to the SSD.

Is this the correct method of installing Windows 7 to the SSSD since there are no Win 7 install CDs? Should I purchase a copy of Win 7 and install properly on the SSD?

When restarting computer with the SSD, I do hear disk noise from the HD, so not sure if OS on SSD is running.

It does restart a little quicker using the SSD rather than from the HD, but by much.

Another issue is, I was unable to install Phtoshop CS5 on the SSD. I tried several times, even telling it to install on the SSD ( F: drive ), but PS still ended up on the C: drive.

Thanks for your help and advice.

 

[seavixen32]

Welcome to Windows Seven Forums.

Please check this excellent tutorial.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/149969-ssd-install-transfer-operating-system.html

 

[ignatzatsonic]

See comments in bold below.

I installed the OS from the Gateway to the SSD by backing up the C: drive with Easeus Utility and restoring to the SSD.

Is this the correct method of installing Windows 7 to the SSSD since there are no Win 7 install CDs? Should I purchase a copy of Win 7 and install properly on the SSD?

That's one way to do it. I think you could also download Win 7 ISO, burn it to a DVD, install, and then activate with your existing Product Key.

When restarting computer with the SSD, I do hear disk noise from the HD, so not sure if OS on SSD is running.

Unplug the HD and see if you can boot.

It does restart a little quicker using the SSD rather than from the HD, but by much.

Boot times from an SSD are typically around 30 seconds, versus 50 seconds plus on an HD.

Another issue is, I was unable to install Phtoshop CS5 on the SSD. I tried several times, even telling it to install on the SSD ( F: drive ), but PS still ended up on the C: drive.

Something is goofy if the SSD is F, not C.

Did you unplug the HD before installing to the SSD? Although I don't think that would matter since you restored an image rather than installed from an installation disc.

 

[inhaliburton]

Thanks for both replies. I was doing okay until I read about that 100 mb partition and the ISO business.

The SSD won't boot with the HD unplugged.

No, I didn't unplug the HD before installing to the SSD.

Looks like I should format the SSD and do the ISO thing.

In the meantime, I'll read the tutorial again. I'm sure to have many questions as I grind through the process.

I appreciate the good advice here!

Regards, Paul.

 

[seavixen32]

You're very welcome, Paul.

Please post back if you run into problems and you're sure to get a reply.

Our members live in different parts of the world, so with the difference in time zones it's very rare for there to be no-one about.

 

[inhaliburton]

You're very welcome, Paul.

Please post back if you run into problems and you're sure to get a reply.

Our members live in different parts of the world, so with the difference in time zones it's very rare for there to be no-one about.

Thank you very much for your offer.

I'm going to go the easier route and purchase that suggested program to make my life easier.

I'm in the process of "wiping" the SSD drive.

I booted from the "Gateway" drive which is C:

The SSD is F.

What I want to end up with is the SSD (which is currently F): being the C: drive and the current C: Gateway drive (with Windows 7 on it) being perhaps D: I thought I had achieved this using EaseUS but, apparently not.

The reason being is I spoke with Adobe about not being able to install Photoshop CS5 on the SSD drive, which is now F. They told me that Photoshop likes being on the C: drive. Seems odd, but that's what they told me.

Regards, Paul.
Wellington, ON Canada

 

[inhaliburton]

Here's where I'm at:

I wiped the SSD.

I performed the following:

From Command Prompt:

Diskpart
List disk
Select disk n (where n is the number that was given for your SSD in List disk)
Create partition primary align=1024
Active
Exit

Verified info:
Partition 1.
Primary
Size 223 GB
Offset: 1024 kb

I have formatted the drive using Partition Wizard.

Question:

The SSD drive is now "Primary" and "Active." Is this okay?

I'm going to use Paragon Migrate OS to SSD 2.0 software.

What is my next step?

Do I have to create that 100 mb partition mentioned in the tutorial?

Thank you.

Paul.

 

[seavixen32]

Because the SSD drive is marked as Active it means that is where the Master Boot Record is stored so you don't need the 100 MB partition.

Just follow the instructions in the tutorial and Paragon Migrate to transfer your OS. You need to image the partition to an external source, and then pull the image onto the SSD.

 

[theog]

Clean the Drive using with Step One of this tutorial, using the CLEAN command,(no need to use CLEAN all)
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html
Do not partition or format.
Reinstall using the Acer Recovery Disks.

   Information

We always assume you have made your Recovery Disks using the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Media Creator app the first day you had your new PC.
& made the Startup Repair CD.
startup repair disc-create
​

Did you make the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Disks?
Using the Acer Empowering Technology > Acer eRecovery Management.



You can Order Acer recovery disks from here:
https://secure.tx.acer.com/RCDB/Main.aspx?brand=acer

 

[inhaliburton]

Because the SSD drive is marked as Active it means that is where the Master Boot Record is stored so you don't need the 100 MB partition.

Just follow the instructions in the tutorial and Paragon Migrate to transfer your OS. You need to image the partition to an external source, and then pull the image onto the SSD.

Here's what I did (as best I can remember) after my post last night:

I did format the SSD.

I had Parigon do its thing. However, at the end of the process there was an error message indicating that something didn't happen. Can't remember.

I initially disconnected the the Gateway drive and rebooted. Message I got, "Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected boot device and press key."

I rebooted with the internal Gateway drive. Now the SSD is not anywhere to be seen. Not in the boot menu, or in the BIOS.

Paul.

 

[inhaliburton]

Clean the Drive using with Step One of this tutorial, using the CLEAN command,(no need to use CLEAN all)
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html
Do not partition or format.
Reinstall using the Acer Recovery Disks.

   Information

We always assume you have made your Recovery Disks using the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Media Creator app the first day you had your new PC.
& made the Startup Repair CD.
startup repair disc-create
​

Did you make the OEM manufacturer's Recovery Disks?
Using the Acer Empowering Technology > Acer eRecovery Management.

View attachment 193596

You can Order Acer recovery disks from here:
https://secure.tx.acer.com/RCDB/Main.aspx?brand=acer

NO, I did not create recovery disks.

I did "diskpart," "list disk"
The SSD is not present.

Can you suggest a next step?

Regards, paul.

 

[theog]

I did "diskpart," "list disk"
The SSD is not present.

Make sure the Drive is showing BIOS.

 

[inhaliburton]

I did "diskpart," "list disk"
The SSD is not present.

Make sure the Drive is showing BIOS.

YES, it is finally showing in BIOS.

Previously, I disconnected the HD to see if it would boot from the SSD. It didn't. I reconnected the HD with the OS and the SSD disappeared everywhere, including BIOS. With a lot of jerking around it finally reappeared after moving the connection to the motherboard to another disk location.

Iit does NOT show up as a drive in Windows.

However, it does appear in the MiniTool Partition Wizard.

Can someone suggest a next step?

Regards, Paul.

 

[inhaliburton]

Update:

The SSD now appears as drive F: in Windows.

Windows boots exacting the same time from the HDD and SDD, namely 35 seconds.

I'm reluctant to disable the HDD again as I'm sure it will tell me to Reboot and Secect a Proper boot Device.

Information provided by Partition Wizard:

HDD:
Disk 1
PQSERVICE 14.00 gb, used 11.68 gb, NTFS, Type = Primary, Status = None

System Rerserved, 100.00 mb, Used 24.51 mb, NTFS, Type = Primary, Status = Active and Boot

C:Gateway, 544.01 gb, Used 48.11 gb, NTFS, Type = Primary, Status = System

E:Gateway (a partition I made): 1304. gb, NTFS, Type = Logical, Status = None


Disk 2:
*: 102.00 mb, Used = 0 b, File System = Unallocated, Type = Logical, Status = None

F:SSD 223.47 gb, Used = 34.62 gb, File System = NTFS, Type = Primary, Status = None

Sorry to be such a pain.

Does the data above seem normal?

Thank You.

Paul.

 

[theog]

I'm reluctant to disable the HDD again

Why are disabling the HDD, unplug the cable & plug in to SSD.
Than install with the Acer Recovery disk.

 

[inhaliburton]

I'm reluctant to disable the HDD again

Why are disabling the HDD, unplug the cable & plug in to SSD.
Than install with the Acer Recovery disk.

If the SSD has the Windows 7 OS on it, why won't it work? I read somewhere that is the procedure???

Am I misunderstanding something?

Thanks for your help.

Regards, Paul.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

A picture of your Windows Disk Management would help.

It appears from your post 14 that your boot files are on the HDD, in the "system reserved" partition, rather than on the SSD. For that reason, you won't be able to boot from the SSD alone. You need to get the boot files on the SSD.

I assume you are trying to use the Paragon application to transfer a working system from the HDD to the SSD?

 

[gregrocker]

Power down to unplug the HD, set SSD first to boot in BIOS setup,

Boot PW CD, rightclick Win7 partition to Resize, drag left grey border to the left to take up unallocated space, OK.

Next rightclick on Win7 partition, select Modify>Set to Active, OK.

Now click on the Disk # to highlight it, from Disk tab select Rebuild MBR, Apply all steps, reboot. This may preclude the need to run Startup Repair 3 separate times to write the System boot files to Win7.

If not boot into Win7 DVD Repair console to run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times until Win7 boots on its own and holds the System Active flags.

Power down to plug back in the HD, boot it if needed using one-time BIOS Boot Menu key given on first boot screen.

 

[inhaliburton]

Thanks again for the advice and help.

However, I am rethinking what I should do with the SSD.

Since it appears that the computer is booting from the HDD, and it's doing so in about 35 seconds (it isn't that I'm booting several times per day, or that 35 seconds seem like a long time to me), I'm wondering now if I should re-format the SSD starting afresh and instead of using much gb of precious disk space with an OS, use the SSD for programs I mostly use, such a Photoshop along with large NEF files that are being used at the time. These large files would likely load quicker and render faster than from the HDD.

Does this seem logical, or am I missing something.

Regards, Paul.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

You have a 240 GB SSD---much larger than 90% of SSD users on this forum.

I would put Windows 7 and all possible applications on the SSD. Why put anything but data on a spinning drive?

I'm always in favor of starting over with a clean install, but have you tried Gregrocker's recommendations in post 18??

As I said, a pic of Disk Management would help us visualize things, but all I can see "wrong" is that you have your boot files on the spinning drive, not on the SSD.