Change SSD/OS on Laptop

[Guest]

I want to change the SSD on my Toshiba Portege Z835 (it claims it has an SSD but the performance says otherwise...) which means I will have to change the OS too. So just to confirm this is possible: I get a copy of Win7, get it onto USB, install new SSD, boot from USB and I'm done?

Second part of my question is about hardware/drivers. Will most of the features/buttons/hardware still work after running Windows Update for drivers? Website to details http://us.toshiba.com/computers/laptops/portege/Z830/Z835-P330/

In particular I need these to work (pretty much everything):

SD card reader
Mic
Webcam
Wifi radio
keyboard backlight

FN keys would be helpful but aren't necessary.

Thanks in advance.

 

[abekl]

Good thing you are asking this question before you attempt this procedure. What you want to do is have all the drivers that you'll need all DLed and ready on a usb stick and ready to install before you start the whole upgrade mess.

Good thinking beforehand. It'll save you alot of headaches later on.

 

[noidea_77]

Your model has a SSD, if disc management says it has 128GB. There are no HDDs with this size anymore. Don't expect any better performance with a different SSD. If the performance is bad, it's not the SSD.

 

[Guest]

Good thing you are asking this question before you attempt this procedure. What you want to do is have all the drivers that you'll need all DLed and ready on a usb stick and ready to install before you start the whole upgrade mess.

Good thinking beforehand. It'll save you alot of headaches later on.

So I just manually dl as many drivers I can onto a separate USB and install them after the new OS is in place? Couldn't Windows Update pick these up and make life easier? Are there functions on the Portege that wouldn't work because of this SSD/OS change?

 

[tivatar]

If you have a way to attach both drives at the same time, or have an external with space close to the amount of used space on your old drive, you can use a program like Symantec Ghost to clone your drive and not worry about drivers, settings, or anything.

 

[geofelt]

All modern SSD's perform about the same.
To verify that you have a SSD, look in device manager, it should be identified there.
You may want to rerun the windows experience index.
With a SSD, the hard disk score will be in the sevens.

If you have a hard drive, buy a ssd with a laptop kit.
You then clone your hard drive to the new ssd which is attached via usb.
When you put the new ssd in, you are done.

Regardless, there should be no need for a new windows license.

 

[Brett928S2]

Hi

Repeating whats said above....YOURS IS AN SSD...

And if its slow YOU HAVE ANOTHER PROBLEM...

What precisely makes you think its slow ???

All the best Brett

 

[Guest]

I get an index of 6.7 for transfer rate. I was under the impression that just because a drive might be an SSD does not mean that it necessarily bests HDDs. And I will look into laptop kits.

 

[geofelt]

I get an index of 6.7 for transfer rate. I was under the impression that just because a drive might be an SSD does not mean that it necessarily bests HDDs. And I will look into laptop kits.

A SSD will be 50x faster in random i/o than a hard drive, and 2-3x faster in sequential.
An index of 6.7 is in the ssd range.
I doubt that you will do better by replacing it.

 

[RussK1]

Typically manufacturers don't use the best OEM SSD's and usually asynchronous .

Your Ultrabook has SATA 3 so if you do want to "upgrade" the SSD you can get something like the Crucial M4 that comes with a data transfer kit. Example HERE.

I recently got the 256GB Samsung 830 for my notebook and it's so fast the Windows animation doesn't even finish before it's booted into Windows... also scores 7.9.

I just reinstalled Windows but had all of the Drivers downloaded from the manufacturers website and ready on a USB thumb drive . Nevertheless, I could have used Acronis, EZ Gig, Paragon, etc to clone the drive but experience shows it's best to just reinstall.

For the people saying there's no noticable difference... bs. I can tell the difference between my 830 and 240GB Vertex 3. What makes me like the Vertex more is the fact I don't have to over-provision drive space to retain performance (although Samsung's Magician software is great and OCZ's sucks)

 

[RetiredChief]

For laptops prefer the m4 over the Samsung 830. The m4 draws about 1 Watt less during Reads and writes. The plextor m3 is even a little better on Power.
As to performance between m4 and 830, Can not tell any diff between the two in real life.
Laptop, i5-2410m. a 256 Gig M4 plus a 128 gig m4. Desktop, i5-2500K, samsung 256 gig 830 plus a 128 gig Samsung 830.
Also a pair of 120 gig Agility III (Ugh) for Spares.

Concur with recommendations for a clean install.
Doing a clone from SSD -> SSD is acceptable (do NOT recommend clone from HDD -> SSD) In OPs case, if performance an issue then a "Clean" registry may help.

If Current SSD Uses Async NAND (ie agility III) then moving up to either Sync NAND or toggle will give a small boost to performance for an OS + Program drive. There would be a bigger boost between the two types if it was a storge drive with Large files structures on it which would take advantage of the Higher Sequencial performance. NOTE High Sequencial performance for an OS + Program drive does not have that big of an effect - Seq Performance for OS drive is least important parameter.

That Said.
Personally, I would first verify that SSD is running optimally BEFORE Buying a new one.
Download AS SSD and open it (don't need to run Benchmark) Look at upper left and it will tell you:
.. Make and Model.
.. Firmware version - Probably not the lates, Recommend Updating to the latest.
.. Driver. Probably msahc. If pcide it will say BAD, But your wei score probably indicates it is not pcide. If laptop is an Intel (did not look up), the driver should be iaSTor.
.. Partition alignment = "OK" most likely does.

And lastly, when is the last time you check to see if your laptop was running the latest Bios version.

Bottom Line comments:
The cost my exceed the bennies ( ie noticable Performance increase in real life).
Bottom Line here is saving 5-> 10 Sec off of Boot time woth the $100 bucks, If YES then Go for It
What is the time that it takes laptop to go from "loading Operating system" to able to pen first program. M4 and Sansung 830 probably about 15 sec. Agility III maybe 20->25 sec. Program Loads not going to see a 30 mSec difference.


ADDED - You DO NOT need to purchase a NEW win 7. You have a valid lic.

 

[Guest]

ADDED - You DO NOT need to purchase a NEW win 7. You have a valid lic.

If I do get an m4 SDD and do a clean install, how do I "reuse" the license from the previously installed SSD?

Oh and apologies for straying off topic a bit; it wasn't my intention to talk solely about SSDs here (I actually was already thinking to get a 128GB Crucial m4 at the beginning).

 

[RussK1]

If I do get an m4 SDD and do a clean install, how do I "reuse" the license from the previously installed SSD?

Oh and apologies for straying off topic a bit; it wasn't my intention to talk solely about SSDs here (I actually was already thinking to get a 128GB Crucial m4 at the beginning).

COA should be on the bottom of the laptop with the key... after re-install (if that's what you decide to do) use this key when prompted.

If you clone the drive you have nothing to worry about and nothing will need to be done as far as Windows activation is concerned.

 

[Guest]

COA should be on the bottom of the laptop with the key... after re-install (if that's what you decide to do) use this key when prompted.

If you clone the drive you have nothing to worry about and nothing will need to be done as far as Windows activation is concerned.

Do I have to wipe the old drive first in order to reuse the key?

 

[RussK1]

Do I have to wipe the old drive first in order to reuse the key?

Nope... your golden it's YOUR key. Keep the other drive for backup, always a good idea.

 

[Guest]

Nope... your golden it's YOUR key. Keep the other drive for backup, always a good idea.

Got it. Thanks RussK1 and everyone else. I will get the m4 and probably do clean install.

 

[RussK1]

No problem... the M4 is sweet, you won't be disappointed.

**note to check the firmware of the drive before you install an OS on it.

 

[RetiredChief]

You can clone. I've used two programs:
1) freebe, easeUS
2) EZ Gig II, came with one of my SSDs. Program is free BUT requires a speacial USB -> Sata Adaptor.
3) Windows FREE backup located in control panel. Select control Panel, Then back up and restore. On left pane, select Create a system Image. Can store on an external HDD. when image is completed it will prompt you to create a bootable DVD. To restore Install new SSD and just pop this disk in (in fact you can barrow any Win 7 installation disk) selet repairt, then restore from Image.

For the Clean Install.
If you do NOT have a win 7 disk Just barrow one. Install win 7, just do Not input key when prompted. When Installation is complete Then let windows do it updates, load your drivers, Then Activate - At this time enter the key from the bottom of your laptop.
NOTE: If you barrow a "upgrade" disk, Select custom Install. Again do Not enter Key. Must do two additional steps, they are easy and are listed here (pg 2):
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/howtos/how_use_your_windows_7_upgrade_disk_fresh_pc?page=0,1

 

[RussK1]

Easeus is one I forgot to mention. I'm sure Crucial offers data migration software on their site if the drive doesn't come with it. (most do).

Windows installation .iso's can be found here~

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/software-os/w/microsoft_os/3316.2-1-microsoft-windows-7-official-iso-download-links-digital-river.aspx