Pls. Help me get Things in Right Order - Making New SSD Primary Drive

[Aderes Devorah]

Hi all

What is the best way (best order) to get my PC to run a new SSD as its primary drive?

Also, it'd be great if someone would mention when any settings need to be changed.

At the moment I boot into C: and have E: as back up.

So do I connect the SSD as a separate drive and install Windows 7 onto it?

Then do I set the other drives as slaves and get the PC to boot into the SSD?

And how is the slave thing done (if necessary)?

You get the idea...

Any help (perhaps a list) would be very much appreciated.

Best

AD

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Back up your data.

I'd probably make sure I had the Ethernet driver located and on a hard drive, CD, DVD, or USB stick before I began, so an Internet connection can be established when the install completes.

Decide where you want your data to ultimately reside--on the new SSD, on the old hard drive, whatever.

Disconnect the current hard drives.

Connect the SSD.

Install to the SSD by booting from your DVD drive with the installation disc. If you are offered the "AHCI" controller during the install, say yes.

Take a look in Windows Disk Management after the install to confirm you have a System Reserved and C partition of the expected sizes on the SSD.

Reconnect the old drive and restore data as necessary.

Reformat the old drive as necessary using Disk Management.

The master/slave thing is not used on recent PCs.

Windows will make a few necessary changes since it will recognize that you are now using an SSD.

You can check to confirm the necessary changes after you are done and correct them if necessary. Unlikely you will need to. Those things would include defragmentation set to "off" on the SSD, reasonable size for System Restore, and possibly turning off hibernation.

That's normally all you have to do. Installation is not much different than to a regular hard drive.

Update Windows and get anti-virus going.

The key point is to disconnect all hard drives other than the SSD before the installation.

 

[COMPUTIAC]

Is there any such thing as "Formatting" a new SSD ?

Have not heard of it so far, but wondering.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

It must be formatted, just like any drive, BUT-----that is done as part of the installation process by Windows. You don't have to specifically issue a "format" command or tell Windows to format anything.

 

[COMPUTIAC]

Great !

Thank's for the quick reply.

The new SSD will have a recovery partition on it. If I do not remove the OS from the "old" HDD, (to save as back-up sys.) what happens to the recovery partition on it ?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

The new SSD will have a recovery partition on it. If I do not remove the OS from the "old" HDD, (to save as back-up sys.) what happens to the recovery partition on it ?

What makes you think the new SSD will have recovery partition?

New drives of any type typically have nothing on them.

More details needed.

The typical way to have a "back-up sys" is to make an image of the new SSD installation and store that image on some other drive for possible restoration in case of a disaster. Or to rely on a Windows installation disk to do a clean install when needed.

If you intend to put the old drive in a closet rather than in your PC, then you can of course leave it as is. But, over time, that old installation will be outdated since it will no longer be receiving Windows Updates.

Typically, the old HD is re-used as a storage or backup drive in the new setup, alongside the SSD.

 

[COMPUTIAC]

The new SSD will have a recovery partition on it after the OS is installed on it, correct ?

Why can't I reboot with the old HDD, up-date it, then reboot back to the SSD ?

 

[Aderes Devorah]

Many thanks, ignatzatsonichttp://www.sevenforums.com/member.php?u=21149

As a provider of speedy, succinct and well laid out advice you are a rare and valuable beast indeed.

Have a great weekend.

AD

 

[gregrocker]

The best practices to get a perfect reinstall are here: Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

If your SSD becomes short on space, you can copy your active User folders to a HD, then rightclick each to add to the related Library - Include a Folder - Windows 7 Forums.
Then delete the content of each User folder on the SSD.

The only recovery partition needed is to save a WIn7 or other backup image of your completed install to one of the HD's to use in place of future reinstalls:
Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup
Macrium - Image your system
WD Acronis free cloning/imaging app
Seagate Acronis cloning/imaging free util

 

[ignatzatsonic]

The new SSD will have a recovery partition on it after the OS is installed on it, correct ?

Why can't I reboot with the old HDD, up-date it, then reboot back to the SSD ?

Wrong to your first question. A clean install does NOT include a recovery partition.

Recovery partitions are found on store-bought PCs such as HP or Dell because they are put there by HP or Dell. They are NOT part of an ordinary clean install.

As to your second question, I suppose you could do it, but why bother with such a clumsy and time-consuming method? You can restore an image of the SSD within 15 minutes or so with no updating. You can make a new image file every day if you want to, although most would regard that as excessive.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Many thanks, ignatzatsonichttp://www.sevenforums.com/member.php?u=21149

As a provider of speedy, succinct and well laid out advice you are a rare and valuable beast indeed.

Have a great weekend.

AD

Thanks Aderes.

One question: I notice you have an Overclockers UK PC.

Another guy from the UK on this forum is a newbie and is thinking about buying from Overclockers.

Do you find Overclockers to be reliable, trustworthy, etc?

Can you recommend any other online UK sources for parts and PCs other than Amazon UK and Ebuyer?

 

[COMPUTIAC]

The new SSD will have a recovery partition on it after the OS is installed on it, correct ?

Why can't I reboot with the old HDD, up-date it, then reboot back to the SSD ?

Wrong to your first question. A clean install does NOT include a recovery partition.

Recovery partitions are found on store-bought PCs such as HP or Dell because they are put there by HP or Dell. They are NOT part of an ordinary clean install.

As to your second question, I suppose you could do it, but why bother with such a clumsy and time-consuming method? You can restore an image of the SSD within 15 minutes or so with no updating. You can make a new image file every day if you want to, although most would regard that as excessive.

OK, now I understand about the recovery partitions.

First install clean OS on new SSD, make image of the SSD with Acronis, wipe old HDD and use for other programs instead of putting on the SSD.
Future back-ups go to External HDD.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

First install clean OS on new SSD, make image of the SSD with Acronis, wipe old HDD and use for other programs instead of putting on the SSD.
Future back-ups go to External HDD.

Couple of minor points:

Nearly everyone would tell you to install ALL programs on the SSD if they will fit. Otherwise, you are losing the primary advantage of the SSD---access time when loading programs. Games can go on a regular HD if they are too large to fit on the SSD, with no decline in performance.

Many would tell you to look at Macrium Reflect rather than Acronis. Maybe a little less confusing. But if you understand Acronis and have used it successfully, carry on.

Don't rely on images for your data backup. Do rely on images for your system backup unless you are perfectly willing to clean reinstall and configure instead of restoring an image.

 

[gregrocker]

Programs should be installed to the SSD to benefit from the improved speeds. Only if the SSD runs out of space for OS and Programs would I uninstall and then reinstall lesser-used Programs to the HD.

User Folders are best linked from the HD as I explained above, unless you have a large enough SSD that everything can fit on it.