Questions on installing SSD

[mar2010]

I would like to install an SSD into my computer and have some questions about the install procedure. Different tutorials give different pathways and I want to know more about each method.

1. Backup harddrive – this part is self explanatory
2. Physically install SSD – not too complicated.
3. Get the OS onto the SSD – some questions here,
A) Clone the C disk partition onto the SSD using free cloning software. Software is free but have to pare down the C partition to the bare minimum, cause the cloning takes the whole partition
B) Clone only the OS onto the SSD using Paragon Migrate OS to SSD. Costs $20, but don't have to clean out my hard drive.
C) Fresh install of OS onto SSD using Windows boot disk. Have to find my windows boot disk and may have to call microsoft. Get a fresh clean install of OS, which I suppose has to be patched with Service Pack 1. Avoids problems with hidden system files or registry issues from the old hard drive.
4. Go into bios, declare SSD has bootable drive.
5. Copy game of the month onto SSD.

What happens to the old harddrive? Does it magically still work, and the partitions just get renamed D and E? Or do I need to go into bios, set some switches or something? Some tutorials mentioned reformatting. Is that required? Do the answers change based on pathway A, B, or C?

If I do option C do I need a windows system recovery disk?

My DVD drive is external, so I need to tell the BIOS to activate the USB drive first?

The SSD is a Crucial M550 256GB.

My system is MSI 870 G45 Mobo, Athlon II X3 Rana Processor, 4 GB memory, 1 Terabyte hard drive (partitioned into C and D drives) GTX 750Ti graphics card. Windows 7 Home Premium, Service Pack 1.

 

[clutchc]

Too many questions and too many directions to venture off into for one post. Let's start with the basics. If possible, always do a clean install of Win7 on the SSD. If you have the product key, you can simply re-activate it once installed. Here is a good guide to follow: http://www.overclock.net/t/1156654/seans-windows-7-install-optimization-guide-for-ssds-hdds
(click open links as you go)

Once the SSD is physically installed, enter BIOS and set the SSD as the first hard drive. Then set the boot order any way you want: DVD first, SSD first, flash drive first, etc. Then follow the guide.

I'm assuming you have a Win7 installation DVD. If not, you can download a .ISO file here and burn yourself one. http://www.mydigitallife.info/official-windows-7-sp1-iso-from-digital-river/

 

[mar2010]

Thanks I'll follow that tutorial. Reading some of the other posts here about problems with SSD install, the answer much of the time seems to be 'do a fresh install', so I'll try that.

 

[clutchc]

Thanks I'll follow that tutorial. Reading some of the other posts here about problems with SSD install, the answer much of the time seems to be 'do a fresh install', so I'll try that.

Probably the best solution.
But I have cloned a couple HDDs to SSDs before. Not a big deal using EaseUs: http://www.easeus.com/disk-copy/home-edition/
You just have to get familiar with it. I sometimes forget to have it copy the boot sector.
If you end up going that route here is a guide to follow: http://www.howtogeek.com/97242/how-to-migrate-windows-7-to-a-solid-state-drive/

 

[g90814]

Macrium Reflect is also great for cloning. You just have to resize some of the partitions you are moving.

 

[mar2010]

I tried to clone the OS and this did not work. The BIOS would not recognize either the SSD or the HDD. Booting from an install disk allowed me to wipe the SSD.

Tried again with a fresh install of windows 7. Seemed to be working. Installed Panda Free Antivirus. Used Easeus Partition Manager Free to Format the old HDD. Started getting BSOD when trying to install games. Uninstalled Panda Free antivirus. Still kept getting a BSOD.

Watched Walkind Dead on Amazon (installed MS Silverlight) without incident.

Tried to install a game again - marvel heroes- and after a bit got another BSOD. The blue screen said something about a terminated thread.

Not sure what is going on.

Edit: The event viewer says that a Peer Name Resolution Protocol is not working. It also said Panda Services could not find a file it needed. I ran the uninstall and windows does not detect an antivirus but the panda files are still on the computer. MSConfig shows two panda services were getting started at startup. I unchecked them, and checked the event viewer. Still getting that message about Peer Name Resoultion Protocol.

Should I manually download the SP1 update and run it. hoping it will magically fix these issues?

 

[clutchc]

Wait. You don't have SP1 installed for Win7?
Btw, I don't know how attached you are to Panda for your anti virus, but you may want to consider uninstalling it and going with Microsoft Securities Essentials instead. I have been using it on my builds and the builds I do for others for years. it is completely transparent to Win7 and works flawlessly for me. I use it in conjunction with Malwarebytes.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security-essentials-download
https://www.malwarebytes.org/