Transferring OS to the New SSD

Ok, so I just got my Samsung 830 128GB SSD in the mail along with the caddy. Could anyone share with me the process of transferring the OS to the new SSD, safely without destroying or losing any important information that can ruin my computer. I know there are tons of websites that teach you to do this, but the majority of the ASUS gaming laptop community has experience with SSD's. I just got one for my G73JH-BST7, and I want to learn from you guys since you guys got it pretty well, down. So if you guys could help me step by step or maybe give me a reliable source that teaches me how to do it, I would greatly appreciate it! So excited to run my first ever SSD.

 

To be completely honest, I would back up everything you want to keep on an external drive and then completely remove your first Hdd. Then do a clean install on your Ssd. Fewer problems or issues that way. Then install the Samsung Ssd Magician software and run the optimizations. Also make sure you boot in Ahci mode.

After windows is working, put your Hdd back in, reformat it, and transfer programs and files that you don't want on the Ssd to the Hdd.

That's what I did for my Samsung 830 128GB and everything works great.

 

Hey Smellon, what did you mean by a clean install on my SSD, do i keep my external hard drive in and transfer it over to my SSD? Is that the clean install? I am a bit confused on what AHCI food. Does it matter what compartment my SSD is in when I am put the OS on it as well?

 

Oh apologies.

A clean install just means to use the Windows CD or Windows bootable ISO on a usb stick to format the drive and install Windows on the drive (it is "clean" because there are no files on the drive other than the operating system).
AHCI is a setting found in the BIOS as you start up your laptop. You can usually access the bios by pressing F2 as your laptop boots up. Ssd's perform better with AHCI (as do most Hdd's).
It shouldn't matter whether your external Hdd is plugged in or not. Just be careful you don't accidentally format it or install Windows on it.

No, the compartment does not matter.

Basically a run-down of what I would do:
1. Copy music/games/important files to an external backup. Test your Windows CD or Bootable usb stick (make sure you can boot into them and they work).
2. Install the Ssd. (Before disassembling, unplug your battery).
3. Boot into Windows Installer using either CD or USB stick (Usb stick is preferable), format your old internal Hdd, and install Windows on the new Ssd. (If your laptop tries to boot into one of the formatted Ssd or Hdd, you can press F2 to boot into the BIOS and force booting from the USB stick or CD drive and then run the Windows Installer or Startup Repair).
4. Boot into Windows on the Ssd, let Windows Update download the essentials.
5. Instal Samsung Ssd Magician and run the Optimizations.
6. Either put old files from the external backup on the Ssd or Hdd.

Edit: I'm probably making it sound more complicated than it is. Really it took about 30 mins - 1 hour and most of that time was assembly/disassembly because I was really careful. As long as your files are backed up and you have a Windows Usb stick or CD, you can't mess it up beyond repair.

 

How do I exactly put Windows on a USB stick? I have USB, but how do I get it on there, and for the HDD I wanted to keep all my files on it, and just move some things over like specific games only, should I re-download the game onto the SSD once it is installed, or can I just copy and paste the files over from the HDD? I just wanted to move specific things only over to the SSD. Just to clarify for the steps you mentioned above will install your OS onto the new SSD correct?

 

Here is a guide for pretty much everything.

Above will tell you how to make a Bootable Windows Usb Drive.

Yes, just make sure that when you're installing Windows you have the right drive selected.

There's a lot of stuff in that guide but Windows 7 along with Samsung Ssd Magician automates most of it so you don't even have to worry about it.

 

I have a problem, I do not have the Windows 7 Installation CD's, I did buy this computer off of someone and it did not come with these discs. I saw the ISO's things not sure if that is reliable, but what should I do from here, and I do not have any discs to burn it on at the moment at school.

 

You can download the full, legal iso from here

And yes, they are reliable. I used the English 64-bit one. With the Iso (make sure you use 64-bit), you can either burn a CD or make a USB disk. I prefer the Usb stick and how to do this is outlined in the guide but it's very simple. For some reason though, I sometimes had to go into my bios and force it to boot the Usb drive and make sure it was a higher boot priority than my other hard drive.

You should still have a sticker on the bottom of your laptop that says your Windows key, but it can also be found using other programs like this which I have used at one point.

 

Just wanted to give you some pictures of what I meant by setting the SATA Configuration to AHCI, and the boot menu (labeled as "boot override"). All of this is through the Bios which you access by pressing F2 (repeatedly) during powering on.

You can see that I installed my Ssd where my first Hdd was and moved the Hdd to the second bay. The Usb stick I used as my Windows Installed is "Sandisk Cruzer."

 

Thanks, smellon this is a great guide, I really appreciate it man, and one last question before I get started on this stuff, do I need to redo a FLASH to update my BIOS and VBIOS again? I remember doing that was scary when I first got this computer. Hopefully I do not have too.

 

One more quick question on this guide it specifically said on a bullet before doing this is:

- Make sure you have all your drivers for your motherboard and other hardware.

Not sure how to complete this step, how do I go about at it. Is all my functional F1, F2, F3 keys going to work still when I press the Fn and stuff, I am not sure what they mean by these drivers, can I re-download these drivers online, cause I do not have any discs that came with my ASUS G73JH-BST7 I believe. Well, actually I might have left it at home cause I am currently at school.

Bad news actually, my second bay SATA Port 4 does not detect the Samsung 830 SSD, but when I switch the Samsung 830 SSD into where the original HDD was it detects both the SSD, and HDD. Is there a reason why, it is not detectable on the SATA Port 4 for the SSD.

So confused, because the problem is that the HDD with the caddy does not fit in the SATA Port 4, I have to take the caddy off of the HDD to fit into the SATA Port 4. Not sure if anyone knows about it.

 

No, you will not have to reflash the vbios, and more than likely you won't need to flash your bios either. All of the Function keys will still work since you are not modifying your bios. Things like Power4Gear and the backlit keyboard though may only work again once you reinstall the atkpackage and other keyboard software from Asus. These are not essential though and can wait until Windows Update picks up the more essential things.

That is very strange. As long as the two drives are secure, there should not be a difference. As to why it will not detect in that port though, I honestly have no idea. Especially since they both work when the ssd is in port 3.

 

Oh crap, am I guaranteed to get my backlit keyboard to work again? I really don't want to lose that option, of not having a backlit keyboard anymore.

As for the SATA Port situation I guess I will leave my SSD in the port where my HDD is and my HDD in the second caddy spot. Kind of weirded out about this problem hopefully it won't affect anything in the future. Well for the 2 caddy's I use now they are not screwed in, only the actual HDD and SSD are screwed into the caddy, but the caddy itself is not screwed into the computer, so it is kind of just hanging there while plugged in the SATA Port. I hope that is ok.

 

Hi,

To get the backlit keyboard to work on fresh Windows 7 just install "Chipset" and "Keyboard" drivers from Drivers, Apps, and How-to's
Other drivers installed will be already based on what hardware you have.

You might also have to use keyboard shortcuts to turn the backlit on after installing drivers.

Br,
Cross

 

Wait does that mean I have to start a shortcut EVERY TIME I turn my computer on to just to have a backlit keyboard?

 

I dont think so. All I had to do was reinstall the Asus keyboard software and power4gear and everything worked like the day I got my laptop.

 

Smellon, thanks for all of the help I got OS on the SSD, but the problem now is for my function buttons like F1, F2, and stuff the Fn button does not work, I do not see the pop up of the volume speaker when I increase the volume, with the huge pie chart ring. Is there a way I can recover all of these functions, not sure where to look for these updates to fix this. Thanks Smellon, really appreciate it.

 

nevermind I got it Smellon, thanks so much man. Just trying to update drivers and junk, but I guess everything is good. Although I am having trouble debating where to store stuff, now cause on the HDD it is different when I save things or install them, I have to make a fresh file/folder in the HDD. It is a little confusing, but I guess I will get use to it.