Brand new G74 with new SSD/OS install?

Hello all,

I have been trying to search for a nice step by step procedure to install my OS onto the new SSD I bought.

The SSD is http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820227550

and the laptop is http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834230100

I have not turned anything on yet and I have not installed the SSD quite yet. What I would like to accomplish is to have my whole OS installed onto the new SSD. I am not sure which programs come installed on the laptop and if they also should be moved to the new SSD or if they should be kept on the original HD. I would want to leave enough room on the SSD for WoW...

In addition I 'would like' (don't know if it's best or not) to perhaps, after getting the OS installed on the SSD, can I completely re-format the original HD or should I just leave it. Obviously I would leave it if there are programs that come pre-installed on the laptop that should not be moved to the SSD.

Basically I want a clean install of my OS onto the SSD and gain some information of what I should leave on the original HD if anything at all.

Please help and thanks for any advice or links to good instruction you could provide.

-Andrew

 

After OS installed on SSD just completely format the original HDD, all drivers and optional softwares can be reinstall from the drivers DVD.

 

Actually, I personally would not format the original HD but leave it intact, including its pre-installed OS.

My reasoning is that when the SSD fails (which it probably will, inevitably) and you have to send it back in for warranty repair, then you can simply have the laptop boot off of the original HD (just by a simple setting change in the BIOS).

I will break down the steps for you:

1) Obtain Windows 7 64-bit installation/ISO onto a bootable DVD or flash drive. You can do this with the laptop. Google either of these for more information, you can get the ISO legally and freely online.
1a) Obtain all drivers for the laptop that are important. Google this - there is a very nice page on ASUS ROG with lots of current drivers. Alternatively, go to the ASUS website. Transfer these drivers onto a SEPARATE flash drive (the bootable flash drive needs to be separate for safest practice).
2) Shut down laptop. Remove battery.
3) Remove rear cover screw (the very big one that uses a slot screwdriver). Pull it out gently - there are about 8 push tabs holding it in place, so you will hear about 8 snaps.
4) Remove screws of the spare HDD bracket (with the front end of the laptop facing towards you, it is the right one).
4) Use the black tape to lift up the HDD bracket.
5) The laptop box has a pink/clear bag with 4 screws, a ribbon cable, and a SATA connector. Take these out.
6) Use the 4 screws to screw the SSD into the bracket. The bracket clearly tells you which end the connection end of the SSD should be facing.
7) Now using the provided ribbon cable, connect it first to the SATA connector that is connected to the SSD. There is a flap that rotates out and serves as a clamp to hold down the ribbon cable. The ribbon cable has blue tape on each end to designate which end goes to the SSD, and which end goes to the MOBO. Don't remove the tape. Make sure the metal connector side of the ribbon cable faces the pins of the connectors.
8) Screw the bracket with the SSD back into its original slot.
9) Now the ribbon cable needs to be connect to the motherboard. There is a empty latch conspicuously close to the two harddrives, just about where the ribbon cable will be able to reach. They even bend the cable so that it goes to the right spot. The MOBO SATA connector is tricky. It does not rotate like a flap. Instead, you pull the black plastic part upwards, away from the MOBO. You don't actually remove it - it simply gets loosened to the point where you can then directly insert the ribbon cable into the connector slot (again, make sure the metal pins are touching the metal contacts of the ribbon). I can't remember which way it is, but you can see using a flashlight. Once the ribbon is in, push back down the black plastic part, and it will clamp the ribbon into the connector tight.
10) Now put the rear cover back on - it should snap at about 8 different places, including 2 around in center of the rear cover. Put the battery back into the laptop, and put the power cord back in.
11) Start up the laptop but press F2 as soon as possible to enter the BIOS.
12) In the boot up options page, set Boot Option #1 to DVD (if you are using DVD install) and Boot Option #2 as the SSD. If you are using a bootable flash drive instead, then go to the other option near the bottom where you designate disk bootup priority (once you are on this page, you should be able to see your USB flash drive as an option, e.g. USB DRIVER 0.0.0 or something like that). Make USB #1, SSD #2, original HDD #3. Save BIOS, exit.
13) It should then start Windows 7 installation. Amazingly, using a bootable flash drive and installing onto the SSD, this only takes MINUTES. Wow.
14) Once computer is up and running, you have to immediately obtain and install various drivers for the laptop, including ATK, video card, wireless card, touchpad, USB 3.0, etc. etc. If you have these already on a flash drive as I mentioned in 1a, just stick it in and install them from there. There will be lots of rebooting.
15) Finally, go to Windows Update and install their updates. There will be lots.
16) Download Intel Rapid Storage Technology (RST) drivers. Google this.
16a) Optional, but also download Intel's SSD Toolbox (great for letting you know SSD life and some other tuneups/fixes).
17) You are done.

Seriously, I was looking up for a guide myself but there was squat. Everybody is a genius, except for me, apparently! The MOBO SATA connector was the trickiest part for me - I've never seen anything like that!

 

Thanks for this detailed step by step!

I will finally have time to do this tonight after work, thanks again!

 

Thank you. Going to use this for my g53sx! Can I just use the driver cd that came with my laptop?

 

Edemauro, the driver CD may actually work, although there are a lot of updated drivers available (the CD typically has fairly old versions). In fact, almost every driver is updated. But the CD is definitely a good start, especially if you don't have the new drivers before hand.

Check to see whether the G53SX actually has a spare HDD bracket, connector and cable before you proceed, I'm not sure if it does. I also hear that the G53SX may be harder to upgrade, as you have to remove the keyboard among other things...so check up on the disassembly procedures.