Installing used SSD into Primary Slot for AW 17_ Please Help!

So I have an AW 17 with the standard 700GB hdd, and have a spare used Samsung PM800 SSD that I would like to make as my bootable hard drive on the 17. Basically trying to make the current primary 700gb the secondary, and the used ssd the primary....
I have 2 questions I need help with (I'm doing this today).

1.) What steps do I need to go through to format/wipe clean the used ssd (I know it's a different process than a normal hdd)?
2.) What steps are necessary to put the OS and all the factory installed programs onto the ssd while erasing them on the current 700GB hdd?

I really am hesitant to go through this process without getting sound advice from the forum first. The last thing I want is to mess up my brand new awesome computer. I really just want all the programs etc exactly the same, but just on the ssd to get that performance boost. I hope to finish this up today.

Many thanks for your help!

 

If you are using windows 7 then it should have come with an OS disc and a drivers disc, that's really all you need. Install the SSD into the HDD bay in the computer, or swap the bays if you want and put the SSD where the HDD is and put the HDD in the empty spot. Load into the windows 7 dvd, just delete all partitions on both drives to completely wipe them, choose the SSD as the drive you wish to install windows onto and it will format it and install windows, then once in windows you can format your HDD through there and you're set. Then you just need to reinstall all the drivers which are on the resource DVD.

Of course if you have windows 8 I believe this is a bit different because they don't give you any discs or anything to do this with so I'm not positive what your process would have to be.

 

First thing you should do: make a backup of your current HDD using AlienRespawn to either a USB or DVD before wiping it.

1. You insert the Windows disc and proceed to erase all partitions as you normally would.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...er-install-order-guide-alienware-systems.html
http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...ook-feel-after-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

More helpful guides: http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware/651352-resource-index-links-helpful-threads-posts.html

 

Ran into a problem.....
When I installed Windows 7 on the hard drive I used a different Win7 disc that came with a previous AW. I didn't have the original 17 disc with me, and figured all the win7 discs were the same.
However, during installation it did not prompt me to enter in the product key.... Now I'm super worried Windows used the product key that came with my other AW (is it a problem for 2 PCs to run the same key??). Or, does it automatically use the product key at the bottom of the laptop when installing the OS? I really hope the latter is the case, and that it used the key that came with the laptop automatically? Which is likely the case, and what should I do?????
I'm kinda freaking out about this. Thanks for your help!

(is there an easy way to see which product key is being used?)

 

You can see if it is registered by going into system properties. I doubt it's an issue, but it may be.

 

It won't use the same key, that's for sure. As Dre said, you'll see it (and have the option of registering) in the system properties.

For future reference (and for anyone else reading this) ABR is a handy tool for situations like this.

 

The win 7 disk you used from Alienware will work it will detect the key on your system. Would of been best to do a back up or clone as stated less problems.
And you keep the recovery partition as if you fresh install you lose all that.