Upgrading to SSD

[agentile]

MB: Asus Z87-K
PSU: CX600

Hello everyone,

I would like to add a Samsung 850 EVO 250GB to my setup. But I require a little guidance. As I understand it to power the SSD I can use the spare molex port that my case fans are daisy chain linked to and then just attach a Sata cable to my Sata III MB slot. Where do I go from here?

I have a 1TB (700GB used) HDD with Windows 10 installed, games and movies etc. Is it possible to clone Windows install to the SSD? Would I need to wipe it and install a fresh Windows 10 on the SSD? I would like to make my SSD the main HD with Windows 10 and a select few games installed on and keep my original HDD for additional storage. Is that possible?

If anyone could walk me through this I would greatly appreciate it. This forum has been incredible thus far and I have learnt a lot about OC and installing case fans. Next step is an SSD!

 

[SBMfromLA]

This has been discussed many times by many people. Yes, you can clone your HDD but most experts recommend AGAINST doing that... You may run into optimization problems or even BSOD problems down the road...

You have a HDD already.. so I'll give you one method that is quick and easy and allows you to save your data files:

1. Create a temporary partition on your HDD first that's large enough to hold all the data you want to save.

2. MOVE everything you want to copy to that new partition.

3. UNPLUG your old HDD (so NEW bootloader is written onto SSD instead of appending to your HDD)

4. Go to BIOS and change interface from IDE (old HDD) to AHCI (SSD) - most people forget this

5. Get to screen to Install Windows... once that's done you can plug back the old HDD

6. DELETE old Windows O/S Partition on HDD and EXPAND temporary where data is store...

Now you're done... that's a rough draft of one method... and the one I would use... it's quick and simple... and pretty much guarantee you won't run into any problems.

 

[SBMfromLA]

I forgot to add... before you do anything.. uninstall/delete any old stuff first to make sure you have enough room... then DEFRAG the drive to pack the data closer together.

 

[USAFRet]

You have a 1TB drive, with 700GB used.
You have a new 250GB SSD.

You can't fit 700lbs of potatoes into a 250lb bag.
And you can't pick and choose which potatoes go into the new bag. The AI is not there yet.

It don't work like that.

 

[USAFRet]

So...you will need to either:
Reduce the total used space to below 200GB, and then maybe do the clone thing
or
A clean install of the OS on the new drive.

 

[SBMfromLA]

You have a 1TB drive, with 700GB used.
You have a new 250GB SSD.

You can't fit 700lbs of potatoes into a 250lb bag.
And you can't pick and choose which potatoes go into the new bag. The AI is not there yet.

It don't work like that.

I'm assuming that a huge majority of that space is from game installs, which he could easily reinstall after connecting his new SSD. All he has to do is put them back onto his old HDD.. so there's no problem at all.

 

[USAFRet]

You have a 1TB drive, with 700GB used.
You have a new 250GB SSD.

You can't fit 700lbs of potatoes into a 250lb bag.
And you can't pick and choose which potatoes go into the new bag. The AI is not there yet.

It don't work like that.

I'm assuming that a huge majority of that space is from game installs, which he could easily reinstall after connecting his new SSD. All he has to do is put them back onto his old HDD.. so there's no problem at all.

As mentioned in my subsequent post:
"Reduce the total used space to below 200GB..."

 

[agentile]

Thanks for the responses SBMfromLA. It's pretty much all games and a vast library of movies. The games and programs can be easily reinstalled. I would assume I need to make a Windows 10 ISO? Excited to see how much of a difference the SSD makes.

 

[SBMfromLA]

Thanks for the responses SBMfromLA. It's pretty much all games and a vast library of movies. The games and programs can be easily reinstalled. I would assume I need to make a Windows 10 ISO? Excited to see how much of a difference the SSD makes.

I'm on my 3rd SSD... so I know all the tricks. I have my system setup rather nicely:

Drive C - 250GB SSD (OS, Browser, Drivers, File/Disk Utilities)
Drive D - 600 GB HDD (Games, Desktop Wallpaper, Screensaver Photos, Misc. Old Programs)
Drive E - 2TB (Backup Program Copies, Archives, Photos, Music, Photos)
Drive F - 600GB (DOWNLOADS only, Image Backups)

 

[agentile]

Update. It's all installed and running after a bit of a debacle. I didn't have any power cables to go in to the SSD, at least not ones I could easily find. Scan used these black cables that run from the PSU and every few inches have a Sata connector, tucked away. I eventually found them and was in business. Till I realized I didn't have the right Sata cable (with the bent attachment) as there isn't much room for a standard one to fit in the right side of my case, so back to PC World I went lol!

After I finally got it all plugged in I decided the hell with it and wiped every HD and started from fresh with a clean install. I must admit, the speed at which it starts and shuts down makes me giggle.