Adding SSD to build: Best way to go about it?

[nawit]

Hi guys,

I just ordered a crucial M4 128 GB SSD for my build which already has Windows 7 on an HDD. I was wondering what the best way was to get Windows 7 onto it: clean install, or some sort of image taker. Do I need to reformat my HDD as well? Should I back up my important files onto an external hard drive?

Also, what raid config should my BIOS be on if I'm running OS on SSD with a few games and everything else on an HDD?

Any other tips/warnings when installing an SSD would be appreciated as well!

Thanks and happy holidays!

 

[AMD Radeon]

clean install + format only drive C on your previous HDD

you cant take image and put it to sdd because it will not add a bootloader to the ssd

 

[nawit]

So I should back up important files and clean my C drive and then install windows onto the SSD?

 

[AMD Radeon]

^ absolutely right

dont forget to set sata mode --> AHCI in BIOS

ssd should be in ahci mode

 

[nawit]

I have been reading things that say it is okay to just install Win 7 on the SSD and run the computer that way without clean installing the HDD.

Does that work as well? Any problems with that?

 

[AMD Radeon]

you will have unused old drive C on it

i dont recoomend clean format all the HDD, format only HDD drive C which contains old win 7

 

[nawit]

Well I only have 1 HDD. Should I still clean format then reinstall on SSD? Anyone have a guide to link me to installation of SSD?