Changing my windows 7 boot drive to my new SSD

[bdizzle11]

If this post should be in the windows 7 section then let me know and ill change it. So I just bought a new Agility 3 60gb SSD and want to make that my new boot drive. I have read so many threads and websites about this but I just cant find exactly what Im looking for. I want to just make that bootable without having to erase any of the stuff on my other hard drive. Its a 1tb with about 400gb's full. I need to know if its possible to just move the boot part and keep everything else working like drivers and all that. Is there any simple solution to that? Thanks for you help!

 

[buzznut]

Yeah, just do a fresh install of windows on the SSD. You can keep your programs on the old drive. Really, unless you want to deal with the headaches this is the easiest and best solution.

 

[bdizzle11]

When I originally installed windows it wa annoying to get all the drivers together. I'll have to reinstall those?

 

[bdizzle11]

Ok thanks for the help, so to be clear programs like chrome and steam games would have no problem starting? I'm assuming my desktop would be cleared an settings restored to default all like a fresh install? Seems like it will be pretty annoying but if that's the best option I'll go with it.

 

[wayneepalmer]

Be prepared for a whole lot of potential problems - lots of patience is a virtue on this project. I'm still running into little things after 5 months.

There are a couple really good "how-to's" here on Toms, you'll benefit by hunting them down and printing them out. Having more than one PC is also a big help.

I will tell you though: 60gb is awfully small for a boot drive so you may run into space issues in the not to distant future.

 

[bdizzle11]

isnt the boot section only like 20gb at max? How would I run into space issues? I have a couple PC's to work with so If there is an easier way with that help would be appreciated.

 

[pender21]

When I originally installed windows it wa annoying to get all the drivers together. I'll have to reinstall those?

Use Driverbackup and backup to a USB. Then in new W7 installation, install Driverbackup again and restore drivers from the usb flash drive.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/drvback/

Cloning only roks if the target drive is same or larger capacity than the source, in my experience. Also Windows shadow copy seemed to fail with the oem versions of W7 and would not boot when cloning the drive.

Avoid the headache and follow the buzz and do a fresh install.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

1st the size issue.....I have done many builds w/ 60 - 64 GB SSD's for peeps sure tghat 60 GB was enough that come back in 6 months because the boot drive is full. It is certainly possible to maintain a boot drive on a 60 GB drive but it is a bit of work. For one, lots of programs will allow you to install them to any drive / partition ..... but then they go ahead and stick oodles of GB's of files in "common files" folders on your boot drive. You have user files, temp files, page files, e-mail all defaulting to the boot drive so if you are not adept at managing them or relocating them, this could be problematic. For the enthusiast, usually not so much....for the casual user, well like I said, these are usually back on my test bench within 6 months.

Now the install issues......windows wont bust ya shoes about ya activation but there are issues to deal with:

A. Unplug the data cable to the HD and plug the SSD cable in where the HD data cable was.
B. Install Windows to the SSD, install all drives and windows updates.
C. Plug the HD back into the 2nd data port and reboot.

At this point you should be able to boot off the SSD or off the HD by selecting the device in the boot section of your BIOS. Your programs (on the HD) however, may have to be installed over themselves in order to set up the proper registry settings in the Windows OS on the SSD.\

This is made much easier if your had "refused to drink the kool-aid" and installed your programs to their own directories rather than C:\program files on the HD. Booting off the HD for example might have Reader in C:\Programfiles\adobe\reader .... to run reader when booting to the SSD, you'd want to re-install it to D:\Programfiles\adobe\reader as D:\is now your HD and that's where windows (on the SSD) will find all the reader files.

 

[pender21]

isnt the boot section only like 20gb at max? How would I run into space issues? I have a couple PC's to work with so If there is an easier way with that help would be appreciated.

Also remember that SSD performance deteriorates once the drive starts to become full - usually quite noticeable after 70% full. This is an issue with how the SSD controller reads and writes to flash. This is why larger capcity drives of the same model typically have higher performance (240GB Vertex3 is faster than 120GB Vertex3).


Also enable AHCI SATA in BIOS BEFORE!! you install Windows 7 for max performance.

 

[bdizzle11]

Best answer selected by bdizzle11.

 

[alken26]

If this post should be in the windows 7 section then let me know and ill change it. So I just bought a new Agility 3 60gb SSD and want to make that my new boot drive. I have read so many threads and websites about this but I just cant find exactly what Im looking for. I want to just make that bootable without having to erase any of the stuff on my other hard drive. Its a 1tb with about 400gb's full. I need to know if its possible to just move the boot part and keep everything else working like drivers and all that. Is there any simple solution to that? Thanks for you help!

Ok i'm easy you can move to proper forum thank you bdizzle 11

 

[alken26]

Yeah, just do a fresh install of windows on the SSD. You can keep your programs on the old drive. Really, unless you want to deal with the headaches this is the easiest and best solution.

thank you i will follow every one advice.