Upgrading to SSD plan

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Sabicas

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Oct 20, 2011
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Ok here's my plane.

Clone my HD with daemon tools (somehow making it bootable?). Install SSD in optical caddy. Copy cloned image to SSD. Remove HD and install SSD in slot. Install HD in optical caddy. Boot from cloned image on SSD. Reformat HD in optical drive to maximize storage space.

This will be performed on a Dell E6400 laptop. Just ordered so just a semi clean OS (windows 7 home Premium). Also new Crucial M500 256 SSD.

Any tip, concerns or steps I'm missing.

Thanks
 
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H
If it were me, knowing what I know now, I would swap the HD for the SSD and do a clean install. First, however, you will need to go to the Dell support site and download all your drivers. Put them on a usb stick. Look for documentation on the sequence the the drivers need to be loaded after the fresh OS install, google/bing is your friend. Print it or put it on the usb drive with your drivers.

After that, when you're feeling confident, install the ssd, load the new OS, then the drivers. This all sounds daunting, at least it did to me at first, but all it really takes is time and a bit of patience. Go over everything in your mind and/or on paper until you feel comfortable and then give it a go.

BTW, my E6410 was a refurb also and was...
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halw

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Mar 25, 2011
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I recently installed an SSD in my Dell E6410. Prior to doing so, I checked the bios and found it set to 'Raid which also includes AHCI. Your E6400 may be set similarly but it never hurts to check.

FYI, my Dell came with W7 Pro x32. I did a freseh x64 install and memory upgrade prior to the ssd install.
 
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Sabicas

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Oct 20, 2011
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Thanks and.....

I too was considering updating to 64 bit OS. Just a little worried that I will not have all the proper drivers for everything. I beleive my new (refurb) laptop does not come with any driver discs. This could pose a problem, no?

Where in the order of things would it be best to convert to 64bit windows?

thanks again
 
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H

halw

Distinguished
Mar 25, 2011
28
0
18,540
If it were me, knowing what I know now, I would swap the HD for the SSD and do a clean install. First, however, you will need to go to the Dell support site and download all your drivers. Put them on a usb stick. Look for documentation on the sequence the the drivers need to be loaded after the fresh OS install, google/bing is your friend. Print it or put it on the usb drive with your drivers.

After that, when you're feeling confident, install the ssd, load the new OS, then the drivers. This all sounds daunting, at least it did to me at first, but all it really takes is time and a bit of patience. Go over everything in your mind and/or on paper until you feel comfortable and then give it a go.

BTW, my E6410 was a refurb also and was supposed to come with x64 but did not. Have also maxed out memory at 8Gb.
 
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