Windows 7 SSD Install -- "Backup Media"

[TheHighRoad]

Hello!

I purchased a Mushkin Callisto Deluxe 60GB SSD yesterday (still in shipping transit) and have a Western Digital Black 500GB hard drive with Windows 7 Professional 32-bit installed on it.

I am going to want to do a clean install of my Windows 7 onto my new SSD. I would just like to have a clear plan of action as to how to get windows installed without it complaining and having to spend hours trying to figure out what went wrong.

First of all I bought the Digital River Student Windows 7 upgrade promo during which time I upgraded from my Windows XP, and I ordered the Windows 7 backup media (product X15-60650-01). Is this disc bootable? Will it be able to install directly to my SSD with the aid of the "upgrade media clean install" work-around.

For reference, the exact disk (albeit the 64-bit version) is scanned by DocBrown here: http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/122640-ebay-purchase.html#post1057169

Do I first reformat the Western Digital Black HDD and then install Windows onto my SSD or do I install to the SSD (only drive plugged into SATA) and reformat the HDD after plugging it in while Windows is running off of the SSD?

I also have the HDD running on IDE mode something I never intended on doing, does anyone have the knowledge of when and how to change it over to SATA AHCI; as it needs to be reformatted anway?

Thanks!!!
TheHighRoad

 

[Dzomlija]

Hello!

I purchased a Mushkin Callisto Deluxe 60GB SSD yesterday (still in shipping transit) and have a Western Digital Black 500GB hard drive with Windows 7 Professional 32-bit installed on it.

I am going to want to do a clean install of my Windows 7 onto my new SSD. I would just like to have a clear plan of action as to how to get windows installed without it complaining and having to spend hours trying to figure out what went wrong.

First of all I bought the Digital River Student Windows 7 upgrade promo during which time I upgraded from my Windows XP, and I ordered the Windows 7 backup media (product X15-60650-01). Is this disc bootable? Will it be able to install directly to my SSD with the aid of the "upgrade media clean install" work-around.

For reference, the exact disk (albeit the 64-bit version) is scanned by DocBrown here: http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/122640-ebay-purchase.html#post1057169

Do I first reformat the Western Digital Black HDD and then install Windows onto my SSD or do I install to the SSD (only drive plugged into SATA) and reformat the HDD after plugging it in while Windows is running off of the SSD?

I also have the HDD running on IDE mode something I never intended on doing, does anyone have the knowledge of when and how to change it over to SATA AHCI; as it needs to be reformatted anway?

Thanks!!!
TheHighRoad

I'm not too certain of whether or not the DVD will be bootable, but I do think that it may be. If so, you can use the "Clean Install From Upgrade Media" media workaround to install directly to the SSD. The install process will take care of the partioning and formatting of the target drive for you.

Just be sure to change the SATA setting in your system BIOS from IDE to AHCI first...

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello TheHighRoad, welcome to Seven Forums!



Sounds like you have a good plan; it is suggested to enable AHCI before you start the install to the SSD though if you need to get back to the old install after you have reconnected it you will have to change back to IDE mode for it to boot, you can change back and forth between the two if needed.


Have a look at this tutorial at the link below for an out-line on the "Clean all" command (secure erase) an excellent method or over-writing old data on a HDD, just be sure to move the data you want to keep before you start. Running it this way, it will not allow the new Windows to be over-written when run from there.

Disk - Clean and Clean All with Diskpart Command

 

[TheHighRoad]

Thanks for the replies.

If I were to install the OS right on to my SSD, it would be in AHCI mode with the 500GB HDD disconnected. But since the format of the drive is in IDE (boot tables, right?), will it even be possible to reformat it so that I can set it up in AHCI and use it for storage?

Also is there a way to test if the backup DVD is bootable without having it start overwriting my harddrive? I cannot explore the disc in windows explorer.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello again.



You can boot the DVD and if you get to this screen you'll know it's bootable; then you can remove the DVD and restart the PC without concern of the install starting.

Also have a look at Step One in this tutorial for an alternative method to boot to diskpart to do a wipe that won't matter which mode the PC is in.

SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

click to enlarge

​

 

[TheHighRoad]

Thanks for your help Bare Foot Kid, I appreciate it.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

My pleasure, glad I could help!



I just realized I posted the wrong link, here's the correct one.

SSD / HDD : Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

 

[Case1]

"Just be sure to change the SATA setting in your system BIOS from IDE to AHCI first..."

I did not do this when I put Windows on my SSD drive. Did I mess up? I did activate the C drive (SSD) and made the D drive (HHD) inactive.

 

[Dzomlija]

"Just be sure to change the SATA setting in your system BIOS from IDE to AHCI first..."

I did not do this when I put Windows on my SSD drive. Did I mess up? I did activate the C drive (SSD) and made the D drive (HHD) inactive.

No, but if Windows was installed onto your SSD (or any other hard disk for that matter) with the bios settings on IDE compatibility, and you then set the bios to AHCI, then Windows will have a hissy-fit and will likely need to be re-installed.

This is why I said to first change your BIOS to AHCI mode before installing Windows.

 

[Case1]

Thanks a lot! Is there a difference or advantage in having the bios set to AHCI instead of IDT?

 

[TheHighRoad]

AHCI is apparently important for function and performance with SSDs, IDE is antiquated and probably shouldn't be used ever any more. The most important thing with SSDs I've read is to turn off defragmentation and use the TRIM command tool.

As a final note:

The Digital River DVD for Windows 7 is bootable, and the screen that Bare Foot Kid posted HERE appears.

 

[Dzomlija]

Thanks a lot! Is there a difference or advantage in having the bios set to AHCI instead of IDT?

You might want to look at this Wikipedia article: Advanced Host Controller Interface.


Me, I leave my sata drives on IDE mode, because if I have them set to AHCI, then for some obscure reason, they show up on the "Safe To Remove Hardware" icon in the system try, as though they where removable drives. Which technically they are, because SATA exists to allow to hot-plugging of hard drives. And with 10 hard disks installed, the "Safely Remove Hardware" menu can become a little cluttered, so by leaving my hard disks on IDE mode, I can at least clean-up said list.

 

[Case1]

Thanks a lot, I really appreciate it.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

"Just be sure to change the SATA setting in your system BIOS from IDE to AHCI first..."

I did not do this when I put Windows on my SSD drive. Did I mess up? I did activate the C drive (SSD) and made the D drive (HHD) inactive.

Hello Casey.

Have a look at this tutorial at the link below.

AHCI : Enable in Windows 7 / Vista

AHCI is apparently important for function and performance with SSDs, IDE is antiquated and probably shouldn't be used ever any more. The most important thing with SSDs I've read is to turn off defragmentation and use the TRIM command tool.

As a final note:

The Digital River DVD for Windows 7 is bootable, and the screen that Bare Foot Kid posted HERE appears.

Good to see that, you're just about ready eh.

The TRIM function is enabled by default in Windows 7 for SSDs that comply with the standard.

Did you notice I replaced the link in post #5 with the correct one, sorry 'bout that?

 

[gregrocker]

The Digital River install media is a standard retail Win7 installer.

They are all alike - only the Product key determines the version and whether it's retail or factory OEM.

 

[Case1]

"Just be sure to change the SATA setting in your system BIOS from IDE to AHCI first..."

I did not do this when I put Windows on my SSD drive. Did I mess up? I did activate the C drive (SSD) and made the D drive (HHD) inactive.

Hello Casey.

Have a look at this tutorial at the link below.

AHCI : Enable in Windows 7 / Vista

AHCI is apparently important for function and performance with SSDs, IDE is antiquated and probably shouldn't be used ever any more. The most important thing with SSDs I've read is to turn off defragmentation and use the TRIM command tool.

As a final note:

The Digital River DVD for Windows 7 is bootable, and the screen that Bare Foot Kid posted HERE appears.

Good to see that, you're just about ready eh.

The TRIM function is enabled by default in Windows 7 for SSDs that comply with the standard.

Did you notice I replaced the link in post #5 with the correct one, sorry 'bout that?

Whew! I think I am ready...so I can change from IDE to AHCI without having to erase the OS from the SSD drive and starting all over...this stuff boggles my mind sometimes lol. The TRIM thing has thrown me for a loop. What is TRIM? What differance will I notice having AHCI instead of IDE? Just curious.

Casey

ps. + rep to you Ted!

 

[TheHighRoad]

Hello again,

Things have gone well, and I now have everything running smoothly. But there's still a question I have.

1) I'm having a hard time understanding what's going on with the simple volumes, and primary partitions. The primary partition is my SSD, it contains Windows 7. My question revolves around the WD HDD simple volumes. After reformatting the hard drive completely (I just used disk management this time), it showed up as something like 466GB primary partition and 13.6GB unallocated. I moved the page file to the 466GB primary partition. Curious with the unallocated part, I chose to Expand the 466GB partition, some stupid error came up, and changed it to a simple volume. I then also changed the unallocated part to a simple volume. For some reason as well, the page file made its own little volume. Anyways, how is my set up going to effect me, and is there a better way to format it for better performance?

Thanks!

 

[SIW2]

You won't really be wanting a dynamic disk - complicates backup and restore process.

Change it back to basic disk if you have an app. that can do it.

No free ones currently available for that.

The earlier version Partition Wizard 4.2 could do it - if you can find that - you are in business.

 

[TheHighRoad]

Hello,

I did manage to locate Partition Wizard 4.2.2 and attempted to convert my dynamic disk to a basic partition. Here is what I get:

"...MiniTool Partition Wizard cannot convert any dynamic volume type except the simple or mirrored volume."

Yet, I am certain my drive is a simple volume as you can see on my screenshot. Any ideas?

 

[gregrocker]

I would move the data off the Dynamic Disk, delete the page file or move it to Win7.

Then convert it back to Basic: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/26829-convert-dynamic-disk-basic-disk.html