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adding a SSD for the first time

Post Date: 2014-05-02
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Tboy72 View Drop Down
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Posts: 90 		  Quote Tboy72 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Topic: adding a SSD for the first time
    Posted: 02 May 2014 at 7:31pm
I have decided that it really is time to go with a SSD. The model I want to go with is SAMSUNG 840 Pro Series MZ-7PD256BW 2.5" 256GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD).

Right now I have a pretty decent rig. I just upgraded the GPU and replaced my ram. It's listed below in my signature. I have a 500 GB HDD that came with the system about 4 years ago. I don't have any problems with it but I know I would benefit from using a SSD. I believe 256 GB would really be enough.

My question: can I install the SSD and put the OS on it and maybe Microsoft office and my games, and also use my HDD for saving documents and pics or videos?

How do I do this. I know so little about SSDs. How do you cool them? do you even need to cool them? How do I use the SSD and a HDD?

thanks so much for the help.

Edited by Tboy72 - 02 May 2014 at 7:31pm
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Roykirk View Drop Down
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Posts: 951 		  Quote Roykirk Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 02 May 2014 at 10:35pm
That's pretty much the exact setup I have on my last two laptops: 256GB SSD or mSATA for OS and apps/games, and 750GB platter drive for data storage and some other games.  It would definitely work out even easier for you with a desktop system.

For Windows 7 or 8, you'd want to redirect your User Libaries and Documents folders to use the second hard drive, and there are plenty of articles on the web that show you how to do that.  It's the way I set it up on my last two systems.
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Posts: 20391 		  Quote bprat22 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 03 May 2014 at 4:48am
Adding an SSD is usually pretty straight forward. Put the Windows OS disc in your DVD drive. Power down, mount the SSD and connect Sata power and then Sata data cable from drive to empty Sata port on mobo. Disconnect your HDD with OS on it from mobo temporarily.   Reboot and the Win OS disc should boot. Follow info on screen to Install OS to the new SSD.   Reboot , confirm everything is good. Shutdown, reconnect your old drive and that's it.

No separate cooling needed. Case airflow will take of it.

Have fun.

Edited by bprat22 - 03 May 2014 at 4:52am
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Tboy72 View Drop Down
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Posts: 90 		  Quote Tboy72 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 03 May 2014 at 6:56am
Originally posted by bprat22

Adding an SSD is usually pretty straight forward. Put the Windows OS disc in your DVD drive. Power down, mount the SSD and connect Sata power and then Sata data cable from drive to empty Sata port on mobo. Disconnect your HDD with OS on it from mobo temporarily.   Reboot and the Win OS disc should boot. Follow info on screen to Install OS to the new SSD.   Reboot , confirm everything is good. Shutdown, reconnect your old drive and that's it.

No separate cooling needed. Case airflow will take of it.

Have fun.



Thanks. That does sound pretty straight forward. Do you delete the OS from the HDD after it is installed on the SSD?

Edited by Tboy72 - 03 May 2014 at 6:57am
Core i7 930 3.8GHz OC
EVGA X58 LE Edition SLI
12 GB DDR3 1600MHz Corsair Dominator
SanDisk Extreme Pro SSD
GeForce GTX 760
Noctua Dual 120mm High Performace Cooler
Creative Sound Blaster Z SBX S card
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bprat22 View Drop Down
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Posts: 20391 		  Quote bprat22 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 03 May 2014 at 7:26am
You can re- format, wipe clean the old drive, or just leave it be.    Just me, but I would leave the OS on the old drive.  Doesn't take up a lot of space, percentage wise, and is a backup drive to boot to if the SSD ever dies, after telling Bios which one is first.    Or, just wipe it to prevent any potential conflicts, path problems, etc.  .   I've left the old one as-is and had no issues but others might disagree. 

Important to temporarily disconnect the old drive when first booting with the new SSD with the OS on it so Windows knows which drive is in priority. 


Edited by bprat22 - 03 May 2014 at 7:40am
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Tboy72 View Drop Down
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Posts: 90 		  Quote Tboy72 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 03 May 2014 at 8:30am
Originally posted by bprat22



You can re- format, wipe clean the old drive, or just leave it be.    Just me, but I would leave the OS on the old drive.  Doesn't take up a lot of space, percentage wise, and is a backup drive to boot to if the SSD ever dies, after telling Bios which one is first.    Or, just wipe it to prevent any potential conflicts, path problems, etc.  .   I've left the old one as-is and had no issues but others might disagree.  Important to temporarily disconnect the old drive when first booting with the new SSD with the OS on it so Windows knows which drive is in priority. 


Thanks for your clear and detailed instructions. I really appreciate it.

Core i7 930 3.8GHz OC
EVGA X58 LE Edition SLI
12 GB DDR3 1600MHz Corsair Dominator
SanDisk Extreme Pro SSD
GeForce GTX 760
Noctua Dual 120mm High Performace Cooler
Creative Sound Blaster Z SBX S card
Back to Top
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