Solid state disc - data transfer

[pfeldmann]

Just got a new machine running Windows 7 Home Premium.
Something got fouled up in the order - my fault - I wanted to add the solid drive, not replace the regualr drive, and I wound up with the machine having only a single hard drive, consisting of a 40 GB A-DATA S599 Series Gaming MLC Solid State Disk.

I managed to successfully install a second hard drive, but I'd like to transfer the OS and boot sectors to the regular HDD.

Can someone help explain how I can best accomplish this without turning my new computer into a paperweight?

-Pete

[ruirib]

Hi,

Ed Bott wrote a series of posts on the use of SSDs with Windows 7. The series started with an article, on the performance advantages of using an SSD. I would suggest that you given them a read. His suggestion is contrary to your wish, it seems to me - the obvious performance boost would be achieved by using the SSD as the system drive. He makes that case here.

HTH

[pfeldmann]

Thanks. I will read the series and try to become enlightened.
I'm afraid I am old enough to have a distrust for things "solid state". :-)

Sounds like a good idea . . .

[ruirib]

I think the new "solid state" things seem a bit more reliable than the classic ones . Solid state or not, a solid backup policy, based or including disk imaging, is always recommended and I am sure you have seen it's a recurrent topic on the Lounge. SSDs should be obviously included on that policy and that can mitigate any perceived risks associated with their use.

[Medico]

I agree with rui, leave the system on the ssd and use the second drive as a data drive, or perhaps partition it into 2 drives, one for data and a second for Images. I personally use an ext USB HD to store my Images, but a sufficiently large HD would allow you to store Images on your int HD as well. I find it's a good policy to have 2 copies of Images. You never know when an int HD or ext HD might unexpectantly fail.

[pfeldmann]

I can understand that a SSD can be faster than the classic hard drive. My concern with this system is that it has been mistakenly configured with only* a 40 GB SSD. The suggested articles recommend that a minimum of 60 GB is best for this use as a boot drive for Win 7. My original thought was to install a 1 TB conventional drive and use the 40 GB SSD for a hiigh speed temp directory for my work, which involves recording and graphics output.

So . . . at this point, I dunno.

-Peter

-----
* - I know the Ziff/Davis outfit pretty well, as I wrote for PC Magazine and PC Week in the 80s, when computing was wild and wooly. One of my first reviews was of an external HD for the IBM-PC; it came in a case the size of the PC itself, had a monster size data cable, and sported the unheard-of capacity of 5 Megabytes!

[Medico]

My Win 7 Ultimate system with all apps installed including Office 2010 Pro complete install and more apps than I have ever used previously is only about 25 GB. That would still leave 15 Gb in your case for system overhead. Also you could resort to installing apps in Programs folder on the D Drive. There is no rule that states the apps need to be on the C Drive. As long as you point to the D Drive the app path will remain intact and Windows should not care.

[ruirib]

I can understand that a SSD can be faster than the classic hard drive. My concern with this system is that it has been mistakenly configured with only* a 40 GB SSD. The suggested articles recommend that a minimum of 60 GB is best for this use as a boot drive for Win 7. My original thought was to install a 1 TB conventional drive and use the 40 GB SSD for a hiigh speed temp directory for my work, which involves recording and graphics output.

So . . . at this point, I dunno.

-Peter

-----
* - I know the Ziff/Davis outfit pretty well, as I wrote for PC Magazine and PC Week in the 80s, when computing was wild and wooly. One of my first reviews was of an external HD for the IBM-PC; it came in a case the size of the PC itself, had a monster size data cable, and sported the unheard-of capacity of 5 Megabytes!

Ed Bott suggests a minimum that varies from 30 GB to 60 GB. I guess it depends on what programs you will use.
I will admit that 40 GB would be a bit on the short side for me, but as Ted suggested, there would be ways to overcome that. It would be more work.
Of course, you can always stick with your original plan, the downside being that the advantages of using an SSD would be less obvious.

[pfeldmann]

Well, I've been beginning to alter the destination of my Win7 data folders, as per the suggestions in the referenced ZD Blog articles, so as to reduce the amount of space taken on the SSD. I also reduced the size of the paging file - following the suggestions.

Now, I've run into a snag. The system has gotten munged in some way. The indication is that, in attempting to add another (regular) user to the system, when inputing the user name, I continuously get an error message saying that certain special characters are not permitted in user names. Problem is I did not use any special characters, just regular letters.

So, I decide to go back, using system restore, to the earlier systemn state 24 hours ago. Except that the computer is now hung after rebooting, with the message "Restoring system registry". It's been doing that for more than an hour, and I am at a loss as to what to do next. I'm afraid to turn off the power, etc.

Any suggestions?

[pfeldmann]

Well, system restore just completed! <sigh>

However, I still cannot add a new user, since the system keeps telling me I am using illegal characters. I suppose this is a problem that will need to be moved to another forum section . . . .

[drcspy]

I have a 60gb ocz vertex2 ssd in my laptop which I currently have win7 ultimate installed with a few apps.......I'm using 20gb of that drive ...

[dlcampbe]

I plan to add an Intel 80GB SSD to my computer. After I disconnect the current HDD and do a clean install of Win 7 on the SSD, should I update the SSD firmware and then reinstall Win 7? Also, after installing the OS, updates and applications on the new 'C' drive and reconnecting my previous HDD, will Windows Easy Transfer be appropriate to replace data on the SSD?

[jwitalka]

Windows Easy Transfer is an excellant way to not only transfer data but also program configuration settings. Run EasyTransfer before you install the OS. Immediately after the OS install, run easy transfer again. Then reinstall your apps. That way, new program installs will pick up your old configuration data. As an example, Outlook Email settings will be transferred so you don't have to reconfigure. You might want to consider leaving most of your data on your old hard drive.

Jerry

[dlcampbe]

Windows Easy Transfer is an excellant way to not only transfer data but also program configuration settings. Run EasyTransfer before you install the OS. Immediately after the OS install, run easy transfer again. Then reinstall your apps. That way, new program installs will pick up your old configuration data. As an example, Outlook Email settings will be transferred so you don't have to reconfigure. You might want to consider leaving most of your data on your old hard drive.

Jerry

Thanks Jerry,

Another question, I have My Documents, Pictures, Videos, and Downloads directed to a HDD other than my current 'C' drive, will that be a problem with the new install of Win 7 on the SSD and the subsequent Easy Transfer?

[jwitalka]

I'm not sure what Easy Transfer will do about your redirected Documents, Pictures,and Videos but should pick up the redirected downloads. If Easy Transfer doesn't pick up your My documents folder, you can use this procedure to change the default. The same procedure should work for the other folders.

Jerry