adding bootable SSD to a m17xr4 with 7500HD+32GB msata

Hello everyone and thanks for reading and helping with this thread

i already own the following configuration

"Intel® Core™ i7-3740QM
NVIDIA® GTX 680M
16 384 Mo (2x8Go) à 1 600 MHz
750GB 7,200 RPM + 32GB mSATA Caching SSD
Wide FHD 44 cm(17.3") (1920 x 1 080) WLED
Blu-ray ROM combo
Killer Wireless-N 1103 a/g/n 3x3 MIMO with Bluetooth 4.0
Microsoft Windows® 7 Édition Familiale Premium , 64 bit , Français"

i would like to add a new SSD 128Gb probably the OCZ vertex 4 or the OCZ vector 256Gb to use for OS win7 and the programm files maily games and some office work from time to time
and keep the 750GB +32mGB msata caching for multimedia archive

is the process difficult to achieve? without a new clean install?

Great thanks

 

lol 7500HD sry i meant 750GB...

 

Pretty easy but you'll need a fresh install. Put in the new drive into the pare bay. Go into the bios and change the boot order ove to the new SSD. Install windows

The caching will remain on the original drive and will now be an accelerated data drive. And you get a rollback plan if the install gives probs, just swap back the boot order.

Once you are happy you can format the original.

Make sure you use the AW windows DVD or you'll need to load the intel disk drivers manually during the install. You'll know if the wrong disk driver has been selected as the install with either hang further down the road, or it will BSOD on first start up.

Good Luck

 

thanks Micky

I hate new OS install, so there is no alternative?
Like cloning the disk (750Gb) on the new SSD and changing then the boot order .
I heard that it is not obvious to clone a disk unto a smaller one (750Gb with less than 250gb used) on new SSD (250Gb)

i hoped that it was doable ...
can someone confirm please ?
thanks

Steve

 

I have seen it done and there is only one reason I saw that pushed me in the direction of a re-install (Yes, and a little pain). That was that the windows install 'sees' it is going onto an SSD and optimises as such. Don't know the truth of this but I went with it.

I know you can use something like partition Magic to backup a partition and restore it to a diferent size/drive partition, but I have only used them with multiple build roll-outs . Should work.

M

Edit: This ( Best Free Partition Manager Freeware and free partition magic for Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Vista and Windows XP 32 bit & 64 bit. MiniTool Free Partition Manager Software Home Edition.) looks like all you'll need but never tried this one...

 

You could clone the current drive into the SSD with Norton Ghost or so but we always recommend to do a fresh install, here is how you do that.