Help with SSD Windows Boot?

[ParkersYoutube]

Help! So I just built my first computer and i have a 2TB HD and a 128gb SSD. I got the SSD late so I installed Windows on the 2TB HD. But when I got the SSD in the mail, I hooked it up, went to boot options, then booted the computer from the SSD. Does this mean Windows 7 is on the SSD? If not how do i get it on there and will I loose all my stuff? Thanks!

 

[boosted1g]

It is best to do a fresh install of windows on to the ssd.

There are utilities though to make an image of your hard drive and copy it.
If you got a samsung SSD they come with a utility for this.
For easiest process you can get this software: http://www.paragon-software.com/technologies/components/migrate-OS-to-SSD/
Otherwise you can also use Macrium Reflect Free to clone the drive.

You will also need to change your SATA type on your motherbaord Bios to AHCI.
From windows perform this registry change: http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=313676
Reboot PC and enter bios, change sata type for the controller your hdd/ssd drive is on to AHCI
Reboot and if you booted successfully you are good to go.

 

[ParkersYoutube]

Wait, If I do a fresh boot of Windows 7 on the SSD, when I come to the main desktop screen, won't my HDD be in My Computer with everything on it???
If not, how do I just Clean Swipe my Entire Computer?

 

[Solandri]

I installed Windows on the 2TB HD. But when I got the SSD in the mail, I hooked it up, went to boot options, then booted the computer from the SSD. Does this mean Windows 7 is on the SSD?

Your SSD was blank. You told the computer to boot off of it. It tried to boot off the SSD, but couldn't because it was blank. It then went to the secondary boot devices and found your HDD, and successfully booted off it. So you were booting off the HDD, not the SSD.

You can clone your current HDD to the SSD. But then you have to configure Windows to optimize it for a SSD. Since this is a relatively new system, it's better just to reinstall on the SSD. Windows will detect it's a SSD, and configure itself properly to run on a SSD.

When you do the reinstall, be sure to remove/detach the HDD first. Make sure the SSD is the only drive in the system (aside from the DVD drive you're using to install). This will prevent a rare misconfiguration where the computer boots off of one drive, but the OS it boots is on another drive. And if you ever remove or replace the "second" drive, suddenly Windows cannot boot.

You can reattach the HDD after you've installed on the SSD.