Setting up SSD for Windows

[bigmck]

So thats different to the Product ID that I see when I right click on mt computer and the number is something loke xxxxx-OEMxxxxxx ?

Yes, that is different. Can you find the sticker? == When I installed my SSD, I input the Key and a window popuped up that I needed to call Microsoft. It gave me a number and I called them. It was a recording and they asked some questions. The robot gave me a different number to input, which I did. Everything was fine then. You may or may not have to call. It is no big deal if you do.

 

[themaverick]

Yep got it 5x goups of letter s and numbers mixed.

 

[bigmck]

I added something to my message above about calling in. Read it in case you missed it

 

[themaverick]

Yep got it thanks for all the help.

 

[themaverick]

Totally baffed. Have got this: OCZ AGT3-25SAT3-120G Agility 3 120GB SATA III 2.5 inch SSD

Then had to order a 3.5 ins tray a the review I read somewhere that saidf they came shippd with one wqas incorrect (Imentioned his to Amazonand they sent me another SSD, so I now have the hassle of sending hat back to tem but thats anther story).

So a week later I got the tray, thenh I discovered I needed one of these:

SATA 3 6GB LOCKING Straight SATA Plug Cable Lead 45cm

Before I go in and take the whole thing apart an lose interent, can anyone tellme if I need anything else?

I would guess there must be two cables attched as pe old HDD's.

Why O why cant thy just tell you all this when you buy te SSD without it taking weeks to gaher al the bits (amidst BSOD's 2/3 times a day(

 

[kbrady1979]

Before I go in and take the whole thing apart an lose interent, can anyone tellme if I need anything else?

I would guess there must be two cables attched as pe old HDD's.

Why O why cant thy just tell you all this when you buy te SSD without it taking weeks to gaher al the bits (amidst BSOD's 2/3 times a day(

Well, in a desktop, you can get by without the 3.5" drive adapter. You can literally mount an SSD anywhere, and by any means. I know people who use double-sided sticky tape and mount them to the bottom of the case, or on the other side of the motherboard tray. SSD's don't need the stability a HDD needs. As long as you don't pick your case up and shake it, you could hook the SSD up and lay it in the bottom with nothing attached to it.

You are right, the SSD needs the same cabling as a regular old HDD. A SATA power cable, and a SATA data cable.

As far as the last part of that statement........that is really on you. A quick google search of SSD installation would have probably resulted in thousands of hits that would have shown you step by step instructions on how to tackle this process. That being said, if an SSD installation is an upgrade beyond your experience, you could have asked on these forums before you dove into it head first..........would have saved you a lot of grief. Not trying to be smart or hateful by any means, just sayin.

 

[themaverick]

Thanks very much nd no ofence taken - I al;ways dive in quickly and hate readinginstructions!

Aren't there differnet types of power cable though? sata - sat? sta-molex, sata - usb - how do I know which to get?

 

[Hopalong X]

This is one listed on your Amazon Agility page.> http://www.amazon.co.uk/SATA-LOCKING-Speed-Drive-Cable/dp/B004HTFDDE/ref=pd_sim_computers_2

This power cable is Molex on one end and has plugs for two HDD/SSD.> http://www.amazon.co.uk/Molex-to-2-SATA-Internal-Power-Splitter-Cable/dp/B0002GRUV4/ref=pd_sim_ce_4
One Molex provides plenty of power for two SSD/HDD.
Wish I had found this when I bought my cables.

The are a lot of other brands but this may help get you started for what you want.

 

[themaverick]

Installed ssd and up and running in 30 mins! However - various problems. Windows detects my video card as generic, and apart from it being NVidia I have no idea which model it is - how can I find out? The NVida website just says it doesnt recognise it as one of theirs.

Similarly with the sound drivers - how can I detecxt the model and get the right drivera?

I did download all the drivers for my Dell Inspiron 580 Desktop beforehand and ran them all, but the above is the problem I have.

 

[DeaconFrost]

Run Windows Update and it will find out the video card and download the Nvidia drivers. For future reference, most users would know the model of the vidoe card off the top of their head. It always pays to know what you have in front of you. For sound driver, try running Windows Update as well, if you can't find either video or audio from Dell.

 

[themaverick]

OK have run that and rebooted but still got the problem.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Go to Dell support site and enter your "service tag" number.

That should lead you to relevant drivers and all other available downloads for that specific machine.

If you have already done that, you could try drivers from the hardware manufacturer, such as Realtek for audio, Intel for video, or whatever you are using.

If none of the above work and Windows Update does not help, I suspect you have a configuration issue rather than a driver issue per se.

 

[themaverick]

Have done that and when I run the Nvidia driver software it doesnt detect the nvidia graphic card

 

[themaverick]

Beginning to think reinstalling windows will be the easiest option. I read somewhere that the drivers (motherboard, chipset etc etc|) should be installed in a particular order, whicl;st I ran them in the order I had them in a folder.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Chipset driver is typically the first one you should install, although I'm sure there are tens of millions of PCs out there running well with no chipset driver or with drivers installed in random order.

 

[bigmck]

Installed ssd and up and running in 30 mins! However - various problems. Windows detects my video card as generic, and apart from it being NVidia I have no idea which model it is - how can I find out? The NVida website just says it doesnt recognise it as one of theirs.

Similarly with the sound drivers - how can I detecxt the model and get the right drivera?

I did download all the drivers for my Dell Inspiron 580 Desktop beforehand and ran them all, but the above is the problem I have.

If everything is working OK, I wouldn't worry about it. Windows has almost all drivers on the Win CD. They might not be the Nvidia or other brand drivers, but they work OK. I didn't have to install any on mine. Everything was on Windows disk.

 

[themaverick]

Finally after a second re-install, then all the windows updates before the drivers, I'm up and running - thanks.

 

[themaverick]

I suppose I could now delete the recovery partition and the windows files form the old HD?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I suppose I could now delete the recovery partition and the windows files form the old HD?

Yep. Most people continue to use old HDDs for storage or backup.