I recently purchased a ThinkPad W530. Need help installing SSD + Ram

Hey so I recently purchased a W530 ThinkPad along with 16 GB Corsair Vengeance Ram and the Samsung 830 Series SSD (256 GB).

So how should I go about installing these items? Which should I install first? Is there anything I should look out for / be aware of? Any tips, guides or further reading is welcome, I am actually quite lost in the matter.

Thanks!

 

I'm not sure about how to take it apart and installing it would work unless you have easy access to both items on the bottom of the laptop. I'd install the ram first and test it, just to make sure it works before you go trying to reinstall windows on the new ssd; ram issues can cause any number of problems and you wouldn't know.

 

I agree with Blaze, install the RAM into the working system and test it overnight with MEMTEST (I usually test for at least 24 hours with new RAM).

With the RAM working properly, I would then create a recovery disk and/or a drivers/utilities backup disk from your current system.

Then I would download (legally) your version (home premium, Pro, etc.) of Windows 7 x64 bit SP1 and install it to a USB key with the MS approved USB boot creator:

See:
Microsoft Store Online

See:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/win...-7-download-links-just-like-vista-before.html


With all the above in place; I would now install the SSD into the computer.



Now, you have a couple of options:

1) If you were able to make a drivers/utilities disk, do a clean Win7 install and then install all the drivers.


or, if you're only able to make a recovery disk (and want all the 'junk' programs included with the factory install...) and/or don't want to download each driver seperately from Lenovo;


2) Still start with the Win7 x64 SP1 USB key to get to the advanced disk options. Then, create a partition and then format the SSD. This will ensure that you have a properly aligned SSD. At this point (after the formatting is completed), simply cancel the clean Win7 setup and insert the recovery DVD to install your O/S.


Hope this helps?

Good luck.

 

Okay so I have to install the RAM first. Does anyone else have any input or articles or how tos forme to read? I still feel pretty nervous.