Adding an SSD

[Davefromcamp]

I have been watching all the you tube videos and reading posts and bought into the hype. I'm adding an ssd to my desktop computer. I want to have a boot drive with my apps the (OCZ Agility 2 OCZSSD2-2AGTE60G 2.5" 60GB SATA II MLC) and then my 1.5TB WD drive for videos music and all the other files. I am even more excited when I saw a video on you tube that alt-tab between game and desktop was significantly faster. I don't have a ton of $$ so I'm making a hybrid.

Question
Do I have to run a fresh install of Win 7 on the SSD? OR can I copy and paste the windows, program files and program files (x86) folders to the ssd? Would that work? I don't want to install EVERYTHING all over again. Has anyone ran into this? Or is there a way to copy the folders after windows 7 installs? Any help would be sweet, like shortcuts etc.

ASUS P7P55D Pro, Core i7 860 8.0 gb ram (all 7.5 WEI score except my hard drive a 5.9) Home build.

Thanks!

 

[mark_k]

Did you do any research on this buy using Google?
What did your find?

I would do a clean install of the OS on the SSD
make sure you dont have any other HDD connected when you do the install.
Do NOT use default IDE mode, Set controller to AHCI

 

[jitpublisher]

You cannot copy and paste your OS from 1 drive to another.
In your situation, you can move all your storage, things like music, movies, pictures, raw data etc, to another drive, or back it all up somewhere. Leave only what you want on the SSD on your current drive, then get a program like Acronis True Image, and you clone, or mirror your current drive to the SSD and then your SSD becomes your new "c" drive. Your current drive becomes a secondary drive.
Acronis makes this very easy to do.

 

[Zenthar]

Preferably install from scratch, but if it's too much trouble you can use the clone procedure jitpublisher suggested. I also suggest you do any firmware upgrades before you install anything.

If you choose the clone option, make sure you enable AHCI before you clone the OS partition, there are ways to enable AHCI after Win 7 installation; I can provide a link, but I only have it at home.

 

[Davefromcamp]

Research using google? Was it a bad buy? I don't know what you were getting at. I read a lot of reviews on new egg etc., I went with reviews and then cost based on speed, this ssd was slightly over 100 and had enough room for my os and programs. Also a second generation thought some bugs would be worked out. OCZ agility 2 seemed like an ok buy. I did you google, who doesn't! Most of the posts are for laptops.

AHCI I did see multiple times thanks for the reminder. Do I have to reinstall all my programs too? I feel like I do this every 6 months . Would cloning be inferior to clean install? I get what you are saying. Win 7 has a boot partition, is there a way to avoid this on the ssd to save space?

thanks for the replies. @above Links would help I would appreciate it.

 

[Davefromcamp]

How do I get firware updates on before I install an os?!? Do i connect it install firmware then disconnect my old 7200 hd and then install on ssd? (after ahci change)

Also I have a Jmicron sata port on my motherboard do I connect it to this sata port. I never have figured out what this 'extra' sata port is unique for.

 

[Zenthar]

The firmware update procedure depends on the drive, some will have Windows applications to do it, some will make you create a bootable CD/DVD/USB. Mine was through a bootable USB key so I just connected the drive without removing my original OS, booted and flashed the FW.

 

[mark_k]

gOOGLE?

At least read the sticky on the top of this list. There is some good stuff there and all the quesitons you have been asking are answered there. At least read first then ask questions "Do I have to reinsatll my programs"? No just cut and paste them on to your drive like in the DOS days.....

 

[Zenthar]

Here is the link on how to enable AHCI after Win 7 initial installation (if AHCI was not enabled in the BIOS during installation it's disabled in Windows and simply enabling it in the BIOS after will cause Win7 not to boot).

Here is a link on cloning your OS to your SSD. Since one of your HDD is a WD, you can use their version of Acronis True Image for free.

 

[Davefromcamp]

@mark_k sorry I must be blind and confused. The sticky at the top of the page? all I see are adds... I will get the drives in by the end of the week and try this.

@Zenthar thanks for the links. My plan is going to install win 7, again, then copy programs over. Hopefully they didn't install files in the windows folder.

 

[Zenthar]

Copying installed programs probably won't work, I used the cloning method and it worked just fine.

 

[Davefromcamp]

So I just Manned up and re-installed everything. to anyone that reads this I did a properties on my program files, program files (x86), and windows folders and it totaled maybe 36gigs. So I bought a 60 gb ssd but only have ~8gb left. I put all my music, docs, etc on my other drive. There is a hidden folder in users called appdata in win 7 and it was about 2 gigs. but still much over and don't know why. Would I have got a 80 gb? prob not because of pricing. BTW These are very fast. I am no longer sad to reboot. Switching between graphical intense video games and my desktop is almost instant instead of 5-10 sec. I have a 7.2 WE graphics card. This is now my lowest value. So thanks to you guys for the help

 

[Davefromcamp]

Best answer selected by davefromcamp.