Help with installing an SSD on a new m17x

Newegg.com - Intel X25-V SSDSA2MP040G2R5 2.5" 40GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

That's the SSD I want to use, just a boot drive.

So I'm going to order an m17x with a 320GB HDD, and I want to stick this SSD in and put Windows 7 on it and a few other programs.

My question is, how will I go about doing this when I get my M17x?

Will this be how it works:

Simply stick the SSD in the second drive slot in the M17x

After this, how do I go about getting W7 onto this drive instead of the drive it will come on? How do I uninstall it from the HDD and then install on the SSD?


Help will be greatly appreciated

 

- you order 2 harddisks, else you wont get the 2nd drive bay (i ordered 2x 160gb raid)
- first, make sure everything works and is just fine using the supplied setup
- then you shut down & switch. (i switched to 128gb ssd and 500gb data)
- when you boot, enter setup and disable raid.
- then reboot again and it is just like reinstalling windows all over on a normal pc.
(unfortunately i couldnt restore a backup made on the old configuration, as it requested a harddrive that was bigger than my ssd

 

Wait, so I HAVE to do raid? The smallest offered is 2x 320GB HDDs in raid 0. So if I order this, I basically go in, and have to take out one of the 320GB HDDs and replace it with the SSD? Sorry, I am just REALLY confused now, I thought it was as easy as ordering on HDD in the system, and sticking in the second.

EDIT: Wait, are you saying that this is necessary in order to get another caddy in the system? I thought Dell shipped the M17x with two caddies regardless?

 

First get a flash drive and save all the wall paper and any thing else you want to save. Got my m17x with 1 ssd and second drive had caddy in it.
replace the Drive in it with your SSD and put the old drive into the mty bay then just to fresh install..only takes a few minutes, down load drivers from Dell site enjoy!

 

after installing the OS refer to the thread in my sig for tips and tricks.

 

well, in Holland, you dont get the 2nd bay if you dont order the 2nd drive (thats what they told me)

 

Why don't you get an ExpressCard SSD. That would keep your HDD bays available for hard drives. It would tie up your Express Card port, which I use for a camera memory card reader, but you can usually use a USB port for those sorts of things.


Edit: I just tried to find an expresscard ssd and didn't find any good ones. They might be limited to the speed of USB 2.0 which I think would take the fun out of having an ssd.

 

But in my case, I'm ordering the M17x with a normal HDD and then buying my own SSD, so when I do this, my HDD is alreading going to have W7 on it and then I need to get W7 on the SSD, so now what would happen, I'll have W7 on two drives or..?

 

No, No, Just do this order with the one 250 GB drive. The R2 comes with the second drive caddy. If it is not there just call them and ask for it.

Now, when you get it you take out the battery unscrew the two screws to take off the backplate. then you will see HDD 0 move that to HDD 1 then install the SSD in HDD 0. Put your windows CD in and start an install. You should see 2 drives click on drive 1, and select drive options delete Drive 1 and then click new, apply, and format it. Install windows on drive 0 (SSD which should be blank already do not format the SSD). done

 

Awesome! Thanks for the idiots guide lol, I need it. Hopefully everything works out.

 

Btw, my system shipped with only the 500GB 7200RPM Drive, It came with the secondary harddrive bracket, screws and SATA/Power adapter.

 

How long ago did you order and in what country?

 

My system came in last week and its in Canada.

 

Awesome. I'm in US but I doubt that makes a difference.

Just for reference, how do you like your system?

 

You might want to call alienware for hard drive Interposer mount. On my secondary hard drive. There a part that plugs into the hard drive. I know this becuse when my raid crash after getting the system I had to Order to hard drive and notice the Mount that I had to pull off the secondary hard drive. It called interposer. Page 18 on dell server manual. http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/Alw_M17xR2/en/SM/sm_en.pdf