Using SSD as boot drive in new build

DanUre · 11 May 2012 at 00:12

First build so go easy!

So just ordered all the stuff, and using a crucial m4 64gb as boot drive and a 500gb WD as the other. I just wanna use the SSD for the OS and a few regularly used programs but how do i go about doing this?

Do i simply just plug in the SSD to begin with, install OS and then add the 2nd HDD? Also is there anything else i need to know?

Thanks and apologies if this has been asked a thousand times!

Dan

Ollie1132 · 11 May 2012 at 00:14

That's pretty much it. Plug the HDD in after the OS has installed.

Surveyor · 11 May 2012 at 00:17

Sean's Windows 7 Install & Optimization Guide for SSDs & HDDs

Important points:

1) Set the SATA mode in the BIOS to AHCI before installing Windows

2) Disconnect your HDD until you've finished installing Windows on the SSD

craarc · 11 May 2012 at 00:42

yer simple

or keep an os on the other hdd and multi boot depending on what you do

so you can choose which drive to use

my multi boot is currently

win7 ssd
win7 64 hdd
win vista 64 hdd
win xp32 hdd
ubuntu 64 hdd

and soon its having

mac os lion hdd

soon as i can get the damn thing loaded..

but link to stuff from your ssd that you dont use often on a hdd and for gerneral stuff boot to it also

then only boot to your ssd when u need to as its a small one your getting

easy bcd if you want to multi boot its better than going thru bios tbh recomend it 100000000%

importedforyou · 11 May 2012 at 08:19

Enable ahci in bios before installing the OS on the ssd

craarc · 11 May 2012 at 12:05

importedforyou said:
Enable ahci in bios before installing the OS on the ssd

depends on your set up and how many os you have that

mine wont boot into other drives if i enable AHCI theres a lot of pro and against arguments still as to the benefit of that but on my system i cant boot into other drives with it. so i guess it depends

most will say its faster in AHCI mode tho

Phage · 11 May 2012 at 13:52

1) Change storage to AHCI in BIOS (dunno why you wouldn't be using this in the first place though)
2) Unplug old HDD, Plug in new SSD to first sata port
3) Install W7 64 to SSD from DVD or download as per above.
4) Install all important system drivers (chipset, graphics, Intel RST).
5) Open RST in system tray and check that disk data cache is enabled
6) Disable file content indexing (optionally turn it off completely) for SSD and double-check that Windows has correctly disabled scheduled defrags for SSD
7) Run WEI
8) Plug any other HDD in.