How to install new OS on SSD

Smudge's_Lot

I have a Dell Studio XPS 435 MT running Vista.....that I have just installed a Crucial BX300 SSD in, all fits and connects OK, but I bought a Win 7 Home premium USB from Fleabay, and wanted to know how to go about installing it on the SSD.

My intention is to disconnect the primary HDD with Vista on it, reconfigure the BIOS to RAID and also, make the USB drive the first bootable drive, and go from there...

Does that sound right?

Don't really want to clone the HDD as will keep it anyway with all my data on, but use Win 7 from the SSD rather than Vista on the HDD. That should achieve a clean install shouldn't it?

Thanks in advance!!!

were

Disconnect the drive from the pc. and replace it with the ssd. Google this model as it may work without turning on raid in the bios. Also read through Dell bios upgrades as they might be new dive tyoes and fixes there.

Put the old drive in the usb. usb is slow. Or is the installation on usb?

To boot from usb there is normally one key you can press that gives you a boot menu.

Once all is installed and working then you can reintroduce the old disk - it is a safer way

Smudge's_Lot

Win 7 is indeed just on a USB drive.
So if I just swop the SATA cables over from the HDD to the SSD and disconnect the HDD, obviously the SSD will now be the primary drive.
So if I start the computer up, will I be able to install straight from the USB?

If USB is so slow, should I transfer the contents onto a DVDRW to use in the optical drive?

Not many bios updates on DELL website for a 2009 machine!

I believe that once installed that windows 7 will offer an option to ensure Trim is on the SSD?

were

Smudge's_Lot wrote: »

Win 7 is indeed just on a USB drive.
So if I just swop the SATA cables over from the HDD to the SSD and disconnect the HDD, obviously the SSD will now be the primary drive.

yup, you will probably get an error complaining about booting or not drive not formatted being a new disk.

So if I start the computer up, will I be able to install straight from the USB?

Maybe? on early systems booting from usb was no supported/recognised in the bios, so you may need a DVD. Most work.

If USB is so slow, should I transfer the contents onto a DVDRW to use in the optical drive?

for a one off it is not worth it. That age of system will probably only support usb2. If you need a permanent connection then you may want to buy a usb 3 card and hope the bios supports the card.

Not many bios updates on DELL website for a 2009 machine!

I believe that once installed that windows 7 will offer an option to ensure Trim is on the SSD?

Windows 7 does support SSD but would check this is active after doing all the updates via google

A.Penny.Saved

It is AHCI you need to enable in the Bios if it is not already enabled. Swapping it afterwards is difficult but can be done. Therefore make sure you have it set the way that is most advantageous.

Are there options to boot from USB on your PC? There are CD images which can enable USB booting but that adds a slow CD access.

If you insert the USB flash drive into a USB port and then enter the Bios, usually the [DEL] key but might be different on a DELL.

toshi

Hitting F12 during the dell screen to boot from the USB stick ?

AlwaysHere

How are you getting on?

Smudge's_Lot

Not done yet, as got studying to do and am sure the constant beeps would distract me, so will try next week when I have the time.
There was an update to the BIOS on the Dell web site, and in the Boot menu, there is a USB option, and the Crucial SSD also shows despite not changing the BIOS settings to RAID yet....so, fingers crossed, it should be ok next week, will let all know!

Smudge's_Lot

All done and really easy!!
Fully backed up my HDD, then disconnected it's power and SATA cable and connected both to the SSD. Started the computer, hit F2 to make the change to RAID for the SSD, then selected the Removable Device to boot first, (ie, the USB drive with Win 7 on it) and then off it went.
All went really smoothly.
I now have Win 7 Home Prem SP1 installed, though updates did take a couple of hours (over 240 updates..) My Vista had stopped updating a few years ago,(and well before MS stopped support!) so nice to know that updates work! Then I bought Office 2016 and that's gone on too!
Considering another SSD soon, and possibly a USB3.0 PCI-E card for the back of the machine.

Thanks for all the advice. Anybody else thinking of it, give it a go, or message me if you need to!
Cheers, Happy New Year!!

Smudge's_Lot

So the computer is all running well, but I am getting a screen pop up for approx 2 secs after the Dell start screen (optionsF2 etc) but before the Starting Windows screen. All works ok, but was curious about the screen.
It says
"Intel Matrix Storage Manager option ROM v8.5.0.1020 ICH10rR wRAID5
RAID Volumes:
None defined

It then lists the SSD and my old HDD with serial number and size but the "Type/Status" shows in green "Non-RAID Disk"

Press CTRL I to enter config utility.

I did this just before today and it shows options to convert the disks to RAID. Seeing as everything is OK, should I leave it as is? Or convert the disks to RAID?

molerat

Not gone to W10 ? Still available for free apparently.