Install SSD to laptop, erase main drive..

Hi all, I recently purchased an SSD for my Gateway FX 7805u laptop and would like to install it as my main windows 7 boot drive. However, I still have the OEM 320 gig drive that came with the laptop and it currently is installed as the boot drive. My question is, would it be possible to install the ssd in the second drive bay and install win 7 and totally erase the original drive and use it as a storage drive? If possible, whats the best way to do this? Or, more specifically, the easiest way. I do have Win 7 disk. Thanks for all the help.

 

I don't have any experience with your laptop but it should be pretty straightforward. Once you manage to physically install SSD drive boot with the win 7 CD already in the drive and go to your boot menu and choose cd. Once in the win 7 install program you can choose to wipe the OEM drive (make sure to back up anything important before hand). Then choose to install on the SSD.

 

Yes, but don't format the oem drive until you have every thing working on the new drive. Search there if you have to find drivers. I just use acronis and clone one to the other, swap, and boot right up.

 

First take the 320 out.. because the bay that the 320 gig occupies is the main bay. put the SSd in the 320's place and put the 320 gig in the 2nd bay. when you install a fresh copy of windows it should ask you to put it on the 320 or the ssd. format both drives right then. install windows on the ssd of course. After you get everything set up, right click on my computer, click manage, then go to disk management. right click on the 320, then follow the directions to format the 320 for windows use. Once you format it, it will show up as an extra hard drive. But be sure to go into your bios first and set the SATA to ACHI, not raid. ACHI is better for the ssd.

 

If you do this, you will lose everything you have not backed up. Format after you are done and have what you need transferred.

 

Ok, got ssd installed, not to mention new 8 gigs of ram. Notice small speed jump but nothing that "screams". Any other settings I need to really see the speed from the ssd? Its a corsair 128 gig.

 

I've included a snapshot of both drives in my 7805. The SSD is faster perhaps I was expecting too much?

 

An SSD's strength is it's access times, try opening multiple files at once and see how fast it compares to a mechanical drive =)

 

Probably the SSD...............

 

I am using a OCZ Vertex2 60GB as OEM (Windows 7 64). There is a very noticable increase in performance (loading times, both of system and games) compared to mechanical drives.
On the Vertex, there is only the OEM, and LOTRO plus one or the other necessity. All other stuff goes to the second HD.
My read times peak at 232 MB, which is fine for a Vertrex, don't know what is fine for your Corsair.
Don't quite know what you expected of your SSD.

Also Windows 7 is tuned for SSD's and does most of the correct adjustments for the use of a SSD, I always do some additional tweaks:
All at your own risk (and whatever is going to be said to these tweaks, I never had any problems with applying these and I am running on an SSD for the last 2 years):
- disable superfetch
- disable prefetch
- disable system restore
- minimise pagefile to 200/200
- disable hybernation
- disable defragmentation

Best,
E*

 

The "disable system restore" part worries me. I have had to do a couple system restores and they saved my neck. If you disable that feature then you can't restore to a previous good system.

 

No. Personally I have it disabled but I also use windows 7 create image to back up the os drive on the second hard drive..............

 

Please, it's no "MUST DO", it's a "may do".
I personally had no need for it in over 2 years, others certainly might have.

Best,
E*