Setting up Samsung 830

Nuclear Fusion · 29 Aug 2012 at 08:45

I've just ordered a Samsung 830 128Gb and was wondering what the best way to set it up was. Obviously I will be using one of the Sata 6Gb/s ports, but would it be best to use of of the ones running off the Intel chipset or the AS Media controller? Also, I'm planning on unplugging my old drives, then simply reinstalling windows onto the SSD (AHCI mode right?). Will I need to reinstall all the drivers as well? I've got a 7950 on the way, and decided it would be nice to install it on a new install of Windows. I'm assuming that documents and games on my current HDD will still work fine on the new install? Thanks

EDIT: Also, would using Norton Ghost instead be a better idea?

Nuclear Fusion · 29 Aug 2012 at 17:33

Surveyor · 29 Aug 2012 at 17:47

but would it be best to use of of the ones running off the Intel chipset or the AS Media controller?

Intel.

AHCI mode right?

Yes.

Will I need to reinstall all the drivers as well?

Yes as you're doing a fresh Windows installation.

I'm assuming that documents and games on my current HDD will still work fine on the new install?

Documents yes, games I doubt it as it'll mess up the installation.

I'll leave it to someone else to advise about cloning as I've never had to do it.

Nuclear Fusion · 29 Aug 2012 at 17:49

Ok thanks, sounds simple enough (I hope), I'll probably just do a nice fresh windows install for my new 7950 (which arrives tommorow

)

Nelly · 29 Aug 2012 at 17:50

Nuclear Fusion said:
I've just ordered a Samsung 830 128Gb and was wondering what the best way to set it up was. Obviously I will be using one of the Sata 6Gb/s ports, but would it be best to use of of the ones running off the Intel chipset or the AS Media controller?

Intel Chipset.

Nuclear Fusion said:
Also, I'm planning on unplugging my old drives, then simply reinstalling windows onto the SSD (AHCI mode right?). Will I need to reinstall all the drivers as well?

Yes that is fine, you will also need to reinstall all the drivers, I would download all the latest ones.

Nuclear Fusion said:
I've got a 7950 on the way, and decided it would be nice to install it on a new install of Windows. I'm assuming that documents and games on my current HDD will still work fine on the new install?

EDIT: Also, would using Norton Ghost instead be a better idea?

Documents will work fine, not sure about games, you can always transfer saved game profiles over as that is all I did, check google. I woudn't bother using Norton Ghost, I didn't.

PorkPieCat · 29 Aug 2012 at 20:07

yeah sell ghost instead, apparently it fetches quite a bit. some games work, some games don't - i find it best to start fresh and transfer just saves as nelly says

Nuclear Fusion · 29 Aug 2012 at 20:14

Ahh ok, might sell it then- shame I can't use the MM yet though

PorkPieCat · 29 Aug 2012 at 20:27

lol i feel the same. only a few hundred posts to go eh

Nuclear Fusion · 29 Aug 2012 at 22:16

Well you need 1000+ posts, so we're around a third of the way there

Nuclear Fusion · 31 Aug 2012 at 21:37

I was just wondering with regards to cloning the OS from my current hard drive to the SSD: if I cloned the OS to the SSD and left everything else behind, would all my drivers/games work fine if I boot from the SSD? If so, would I delete the windows folder off my current hard drive or leave it on there? Thanks

MagicBoy · 31 Aug 2012 at 21:43

Backup your documents, settings, save games etc then do a clean install on the SSD.

Ghost clones entire partitions/disks not the individuals folders. You can't just clone the Windows folder over and hope to that your applications and games will run off the hard drive. It'll break all sorts of stuff behind the scenes in Windows.

Nuclear Fusion · 31 Aug 2012 at 21:46

Ahh I see, so basically I'll just backup all the important stuff, then reinstall on the SSD?

MagicBoy · 31 Aug 2012 at 21:50

Yep.

It's somewhat easier nowadays as most things live in the Users folder and look at the Libraries. The days of hunting down savegame files in obscure directories and backing up .ini files are pretty much gone.

Nuclear Fusion · 31 Aug 2012 at 21:55

MagicBoy said:
Yep.

It's somewhat easier nowadays as most things live in the Users folder and look at the Libraries. The days of hunting down savegame files in obscure directories and backing up .ini files are pretty much gone.

Ahh ok, so pretty much the Users folder is all I have to worry about. If not, replaying games is no real hardship I suppose. Reinstalling drivers and games will be a bit time consuming, but hopefully the faster boot times will make up for it

MagicBoy · 31 Aug 2012 at 22:00

I physically fitted the SSD and installed Windows 7, SP1 and all the drivers in about 40 minutes the other week. Took longer to install a couple of games from DVD.

Nuclear Fusion · 31 Aug 2012 at 22:06

Ahh, yeah some games do take a long time...
Are drivers still installed onto the HDD? Sorry for all the questions, I just want to make sure I don't mess it all up

MagicBoy · 31 Aug 2012 at 22:08

Yeah.

Technically the driver itself will install into the Windows folder - you don't get an option. If there are applications/utilities that come with the installer then you may get the options to chose the location. Nothing wrong with putting them in the usual Program Files folder.

Nuclear Fusion · 31 Aug 2012 at 22:17

So would it be best to back up my users file and then format my HDD, then just reinstall windows onto the SSD? Would I make a programs folder on both the SSD and HDD so I can decide which games to install on the HDD and SSD?

Nuclear Fusion · 1 Sep 2012 at 11:17

When I reinstall Windows onto the SSD and format the HDD (after backing up users folder) where would all the program files folders and users etc. be? Would they also be on the SSD? I'm assuming Windows makes the folders automatically when installing, so could I simply move everything other than the windows folder to the formatted HDD, leaving just the windows folder on the SSD?