Installing SSD question!

300BlindSuns

Honorable
Feb 17, 2013
22
0
10,510
So I'm about to buy a Samsung 128GB SSD and I don't have much experience installing any storage devices...

So from what I hear, you unplug the currently installed HDD, plug-up the new SSD, and install windows from there, after some faffing about with the boot-order of course.

However I have a few more detailed questions; I already have Windows 7 on my HDD, should I format (and back-up) the HDD drive before I install windows on the SSD? Or should I simply just install windows on the SSD, then clean out the HDD after the OS on the SSD? What would be easier? And yes, I would like to format my HDD.

And also - this is a tad off subject but it has me concerned. When I attempted to install a second HDD into my PC, the boot time was at least 3 minutes - it seemed as if the boot-order cycle was either looping or failed all together, having me go into the BIOS and manually choose it every time.

Should I be concerned about this?? How can I fix it? I've since then given up in installing a second HDD...
 
I would suggest backing up the hard drive first, then removing it from the system. Install the SSD, install Windows 7, then install the hard drive, partition and format it. Last, I would restore the data to the hard drive (users folders).

The configuration I use in my comptuer is SSD, data hard drive, and backup hard drive (I use syncBack Free). All of my data exists on the data drive, and nightly I run a backup of my computer to the second drive, as well as my wife's computer to the backup drive.

You might also want to consider doing an image of the SSD with all the updates installed....just in case you need it...and store it on the backup drive.