Hardware upgrades questions!: upgrading RAM, CPU, GPU, SSD

Hey all,

I have a Sager np8170 that I am planning on upgrading. I'm not very experienced with upgrading, so I have some questions.

1) RAM: I'm planning on buying 2 sticks of 8gb corsair vengance 1600 ddr3 RAM (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E168...) to replace the slower 8gb sticks I have. However, I'm a bit confused as to the RAM configuration I currently have... If I recall correctly, I purchased the laptop with 8gb of ram. My laptop has 2 primary RAM slots which are user upgradable, and 2 "system" RAM slots which are under the keyboard and very difficult to upgrade. So, is there any need to upgrade those sticks as well if I just upgrade the ones in the primary bay?

2) GPU - I currently have a ATI 6990m, my second one after the first one fried on me after a year. I want to get a better card, possibly a 670m... but what worries me is the actual process of upgrading. I know how to install the GPU, but I dont know anything about BIOS upgrades or what not... will I have to upgrade BIOS for a new GPU? And suggestions on a good GPU under $400 would be great - I plan to play primarily BF3, COD, Arma 3, Skyrim.

3) CPU - I want to upgrade my CPU as well, currently I have a i7 2630m but I think I can find a better one now.... but my main concern is what upgrading the CPU entails. I know I need to re-apply thermal paste and so, but what else do I need to do? BIOS upgrade? Suggestions on a CPU would be great as well (anything better than the current one but not really expensive).

4) I bought an SSD, and Im gonna clone my HDD onto it, but I dont know much about the installation process/how this works. My HDD is full at 500gb, the SSD is 128gb. So what I think ill need to do is copy the entire hdd to an external back up, delete a lot of stuff on the HDD, clone it w/ the OS to the SSD? help would be appreciated.

Thanks!