Contact Forum Editor

Send an email to our Forum Editor:

PLEASE NOTE: Your name is used only to let the Forum Editor know who sent the message. Both your name and email address will not be used for any other purpose.

Beginners' Tech Help

It's free to register, to post a question or to start / join a discussion

View Forum Rules | Contact Forum Editor

 

How do I install an SSD drive to desktop

Gilly1am

Likes # 0

Posted November 14, 2012 at 12:22PM

Hi, I am new to messing about with a computer's innards and have decided to add an SSD drive to speed up boot & processes as plan to do alot of vdeo editing etc. Machine is 3y old & now running Win 7 Pro 64bit, processor i7 920, motherboard MSI x58 Pro 7522 which I understand has 3GB/sec SATA II, 6GGB DDR3 RAM, nvidea 260 graphics card. I have ordered a Crucial V4 (SATAII)256 GB SSD & intend to transfer my 100GB worth of C-drive OS & app's to the SSD whilst leaving all media files etc on separate HDD.

Crucial have tried to sell me a USB- SATA transfer kit which, given that it's USB, sounds very slow & havent ordered it as thought I could just plug the new SSD into a spare SATA in the desktop & use Acronis True image software to clone the C drive.... am I correct in thinking this is the best way to do the transfer, then go into BIOS & re-name the bootup drive? Also, I have read elsewhere that after transfering from HDD to SSD that the SSD files will need to be 're-aligned' -can anyone tell me what this is about & how to do it relatively painlessly!!

Thanks in anticipation of replies.

Like this post
woodchip

Likes # 0

Posted November 14, 2012 at 3:21PM

if you have acronis that may be the way to go, but you will need to remove the os from other drive unless you dual boot it. this would allow a second security system just in case so to speak. but you to do it the right steps

Like this post
Gilly1am

Likes # 0

Posted November 14, 2012 at 4:32PM

Thanks, was going to transfer all media files to second drive, keep this attached but remove original HDD with OS system on it.

Any ideas on this re-alignement of files (copied from HDD) that will be needed on the new SSD?

Like this post
woodchip

Likes # 0

Posted November 14, 2012 at 6:33PM

You cannot load Program Files only Photos and Docs etc can you move about. It depends on the Info you have on the Old Hard Drive, on how you want to Go. You could move all the above what is your personal files to External Media. Any Programs would need reloading to the new drive if you do not use Acronis to Image the Drive or Partition. After backing up the above you could delete them after checking your backup is ok, then see what sizes left for imaging for new drive

Like this post
woodchip

Likes # 0

Posted November 14, 2012 at 6:35PM

If it leaves enough room on the new drive for the Image to be loaded Acronis will as you if you want to resize Partition after booting with Acronis Rescue CD

Like this post

Reply to this topic

This thread has been locked.



Check out PC Advisor's other tech forums

Send to a friend

Email this article to a friend or colleague:

PLEASE NOTE: Your name is used only to let the recipient know who sent the story. Both your name and the recipient's name and address will not be used for any other purpose.