Asus 17.3" N76VM - Is SSD installation possible?

Asus 17.3" N76VM-V2G-T1105V - i7 3610QM/8GB/750GB NVIDIA GeForce GT630M: 90NALC555H13B4VL133Y - Komplett.ie

This laptop has a single 750gb 7200rpm harddrive, making it slightly different to other Asus N76 laptops. My question is regarding the possibility installation of an additional storage drive.


I know the N76VZ had two drives making it possible to add an SSD from previous research on this forum, but does the N76VM have a second drive? I can't find the answer on any hardware specs forum. I would intend to use the SSD as the primary hard drive.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/asus/686797-quick-n76vz-ds1-ssd-installation-tutorial.html

 

I have just bought the same notebook, and all the n76vm have two hdd bays, in this case one is empty. I am just in the process of trying to install the OS on an ssd.... [I did not manage a clean install, some problems with uefi or efi that I have not figured out yet!]

 

Any Luck installing a clean windows 8 on the SSD.

I purchased a N76VZ last week and I can't get a clean install of windows 8 on a Samsung 840pro.
I keep running into issues with the image installation, meaning I need the same copy as the one installed on the laptop which seems to be a windows8 core.
I have been on he phone to Microsoft and Asus for a few days and none can help. Asus says they can't/wont help and Microsoft Don't seem to know there is a problem and Don't have access to a download to a windows 8 core iso.

Any one know where I can get one?

 

Are you running into the SLIC lock? If you try to re-install any version of Windows, and the key doesn't match what's inserted into the SLIC from factory, then it's not going to take. This is an ongoing problem on a lot of Asus ultrabooks, in particular.

Check out MifuneT's thread on a workaround or contact him personally for help: http://forum.notebookreview.com/asus/698920-installing-windows-8-pro-over-standard-oem-your-new-win8-certified-notebook.html

 

A quick update.
Yesterday I had some success.
While on the asus Site I came across the FAQ and found a topic on how to boot from other media usb dvdrom etc.

1. I had to set launch CSM to enable which disabled fast boot.

2. Secure boot control set to disable.

From there I was able to do a clean install on windows 8 pro x64 from a dvd iso using the BDROM. I had downloaded a copy that was an AIO. After the installation it asked for the serial number which I had and now it's working fine.

I went back into the bios and enabled fast boot and secure boot but then I don't get the option to boot into the new installation. So for now I have them both disabled.

It's not an ideal way to do things as it really shouldn't be this difficult, but it's working.

Hope others can have success as well
Regards
Bud

 

Just saw your thread right before reading this post. Thanks for the follow up! How are you liking Windows 8?

 

All good mate, I've been running windows 8 on a couple of desktops some release and find it good. Sometimes it pisses me off lol but generally is been great.