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After the OS Transfer to SSD Questions.

Last response: in Storage
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Hey guys, so i just got a new SSD (Corsair Force series GT 90gb) for boot + apps and got the OS (Windows7 64bit) set up now but i have a few questions/issues I'm trying to work out.

1. Can i simply switch my drivers to the SSD or do i have to re-install all of the drivers?
2. I cant seem to access my HDD after the transfer, how can i set it up to just use it as a storage device for the computer?
3. Can settings and all that be salvaged from the OS on my HDD and brought to the SSD OS or do i just need to re-do all of that as well?
4. After i get all of this situated, what do i do about the OS on the HDD? Do i just leave it or is it safe for me to get rid of it and is there a proper way of discarding it?

Thanks for the help everyone.

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Storage Expert

1) Cloning an SSD -> a SSD is fine. When Going from a HDD -> SSD I do NOT recomend cloning (xfering from one to the other - For some it seems to work, for other Ouch. Recommend a Clean install.

When cloning HDD -> SSD
.. you must first insure that the HDD was set up using AHCI, if it was sata, or IDE you should switch it to ahci. The Bios should be set to AHCI for the SSD.
.. Clean install will enable Win 7 Trim, Unk when doing a clone
.. Clean install will PROPERLT align the partitions (creates a 100 mb system partiton) again unk when doing a clone.
.. Does Not clean out and provide a NEW/Fresh windows registry.

For installing windows 7:
1) Disconnect HDD, and connect SSD.
2) Enter BIOS and verify, or Change, to AHCI
3) Install windows 7 on SSD.
4) Set Boot priority to SSD in Bios
5) reconnect HDD NOTE untill you delete the OS from the HDD you should be able to boot to either the SSD or the HDD.
Also you can copy your OLD favorities to SSD.

After windows is installed.
.. Disable Hibernation (saves An amount of Disk space equal to your ram, about 4 gigs.
.. Mange your Page file (Vircual memory). Set Min and max to same value, try 1024 mb. In a pinch, with only a small performance hit, this can be moved to the HDD.
.. Disable Restore points, or as a minium limit the Disk space. This "folder" can grow to a large size over time.
.. Move My Documents folder to HDD.
.. Set Internet temp files and downloads to HDD

Once you are happy with windows 7 on SSD you may get rid of OS on HDD - How to depends on How the OS was installed and if you partitioned it for an OS and for Your data (My Recomendation).
.. If HDD is just one big AS* partition, you will need to back up all your data, reformate the HDD and put YOUR data back on.
.. If the recommended method, a seperate partition for OS, then just reformat it.
TIP:
After windows is installed, windows updates completed, drivers and programs loaded verify all is working good - then activate - and USE Windows backup to perform an image of your SSD (located in control Panel!! at any time and for what ever reason you will be able to restore your system to this state in 10 to 15 Min.
NO re-install OS, No wait to download and install windows updates, no reload drivers and programs. Just pop in a windows Installation disk (or use the "restore disk" that once the image is completed you will be prompted to make). Just select repair, restore from image and 10 min later you boot to the exact same state as when you created the image.

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Storage Expert

Drivers and programs are NEVER "moved over", they must be reinstalled as the install process writes to the Registry. Without the registry entries, window 7 has NO idea what to do.

What about setting up the HDD as a the storage device?
I mean i see it in My Computer but when i try to open lets say Reason, i cant open it from the HDD.
How do i set it so i can have everything easily accessable?

Assuming you don't need any data from the HDD, Use disk management to allocate, partition and format the drive.

start\computer\right-click\manage\choose disk management\right-click on drive in question, follow choices.

RetiredChief said:
1) Cloning an SSD -> a SSD is fine. When Going from a HDD -> SSD I do NOT recomend cloning (xfering from one to the other - For some it seems to work, for other Ouch. Recommend a Clean install.

...

Once you are happy with windows 7 on SSD you may get rid of OS on HDD - How to depends on How the OS was installed and if you partitioned it for an OS and for Your data (My Recomendation).
.. If HDD is just one big AS* partition, you will need to back up all your data, reformate the HDD and put YOUR data back on.
.. If the recommended method, a seperate partition for OS, then just reformat it.


I'm following the above steps for my new Samsung 830 120GB SSD (ie clean install from HDD). I have a question, my HDD is one giant partition, can you explain in similar step-by-step form how to go about removing Windows 7 from the HDD? Is the only option to back up the data using another drive? Could I create a new partition on the HDD to back up the data I want and then reformat the original partition? If this doesn't work, is there any other work-around? (Is deleting the original OS on the HDD even worth the hassle? Is the only benefit saving space on the drive?)

Thanks in advance!

-Gods
Storage Expert

1) You should really start your own thread as you will get more responses.

2) As long as you do not need the space, your OK.
.. You can always boot to the old OS on the HDD should something happen to the OS on the other Drive.
.. When going from a single partition to multiple partitions it is always recommended that you back up the Drive - hense if you back up the drive, problem solved.

There are two ways to do this.
A) You can use windows Disk manager and Shrink the "Volume" (partition). This is generall fairly easy. You would shrink the volume, then partition the NOW free space and move Your files over. The ONLY problem is that Your old windows may have stuck a Hidden file (The hibernation file) at the edge of the partition and you can not shrink until you delete this file - Can be deleted, Just goole "deleted Hiberantion file"
B) There are 3rd party disk utilities that will do this.
See:
Under windows - http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/resize-a-p...
a 3rd party:
http://www.partition-tool.com/easeus-partition-manager/...
Also:
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&gs_nf=1&cp=12&gs_id=10&xhr...
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