Installing SSD into HDD. new r4, need help

Hi,
first I am the biggest rookie in gaming stuff so I literally will need someone to make me through this.

Mine is the r4 with 1TB RAID 0 (2x 500GB) 7200RPM.

Can I install a 256 SSD and make it my boot drive? will I need to remove one of the hardrives? Is it compatible? anyone know a video of the steps?

here are my specs:

Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3720QM processor (6MB Cache, up to 3.6GHz w/ Turbo Boost 2.0)
16GB Dual Channel DDR3 at 1600MHz (4DIMMS)
2GB GDDR5 NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 675M
1TB RAID 0 (2x 500GB SATA 3B/s 7,200 RPM)
17.3-inch WideFHD 1920 x 1080 120Hz NVIDIA 3D Vision Bundle
Killer™ Wireless-N 1103 a/g/n 3x3 MIMO for Gaming & Video and Bluetooth 4.0
Slot-Loading Dual Layer Blu-ray Reader (BR-ROM, DVD+-RW, CD-RW)

 

Yes.

Yes, unless your SSD is an mSATA, or you install it as a USB or eSATA drive.

Kind of depends on the model & brand...but in nearly all cases, Yes.

Alienware m17x 3D Installing SSD Drive and Reinstalling Back Cover - YouTube

 

Thanks, how about my OS and all the programs? how do I save those and not loose anything?

 

If you take out both RAID discs and set them aside, then there is no data loss since you won't be doing anything to them. If you want to run your current RAID 0 array on the system WITH the SSD, that's a bit more tricky. Don't quote me on this...but my theory is this: take out both of your current HDD's, install only your SSD into Bay 0, clean install windows, drivers, programs, etc. Then shut down, and install one of the RAID disks in HDD Bay 1, and the other on your eSATA port. THEORETICALLY the system should recognize the RAID array as both discs are plugged in via SATA.

 

too technical for me bro. break it down a little slower

 

You have an external SATA port on the side of the laptop (hence the name eSATA). You can use this to hook up a SATA hard drive externally. But it takes a special cable (eSATA to SATA) and you need to also get a power adapter to plug the hard drive into a power outlet. Neither the cable or power adapter should be more than $30.
You would do this if you want to run your SSD AND your RAID 0 array.
Since your hard drives are configured to RAID 0, both need to be plugged in to the laptop in order to get at the files on them. In order to run both your SSD and your RAID 0 array my suggestion is to TRY this:

1. Uninstall (physically remove) both hard drives from the laptop.

2. Install your SSD in the HDD 0 slot of your laptop (the number is marked on the hard drive caddy.

3. Clean install Windows 7, your drivers, and programs.

4. Install one of you hard drives into the HDD 1 slot of your laptop.

5. Take the (eSATA to SATA) cable and plug the SATA end into the other hard drive. Plug hhe eSATA end of the cable into the eSATA port of your laptop. Plug the power adapter into the hard drive and wall outlet (and turn the power adapter on).

6. Turn back on your system and see if Windows recognizes the RAID 0 array. If it doesn't you may need to change a few setting in the BIOS.

That's it in a nutshell. Again, this is only a theory, but as long as you don't physically damage your RAID hard drives, or reformat them, you run no risk of losing the data on them.

 

I agree with this THEORETICALLY.

No worries though it will either see your array and should mount you old partition, and if it doesn't it won't break the data unless you tell it to purge the data on one of the drives.

 

I suggested this for someone else who wants to use their RAID array and SSD. Cavalry EN-CADA2B. You can run a RAID 0 or RAID 1 array to your R4 via eSATA. You do have to modify the enclosure though. I had to drill four screw holes on the top side of the enclosure so that the two 2.5" HDD could be securely screwed to the frame. The enclosure's meant for 3.5" HDDs.