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Post by aarog5606 on Jun 5, 2010 19:31:10 GMT
I would like to install this - www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167018 and still use my Seagate 500gb 7200 rpm HDD im using now. After reading alot on how to go about installing a SSD drive, now im more confused than ever. I have a Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P motherboard with intel ICH10R sata controller. Ive found that when setting up in BIOS that you can use either the typical IDE mode or AHCI(advanced host controller interface) mode. Using AHCI seems to be a better way to go but you need to create a startup disk for floppy drive. I dont have a floppy drive... so im going to use IDE mode. There was not much drop in performance using IDE mode. You also need a controller to use a SSD. I have not figured out what this is for or if its a program or a piece of hardware. Poul? hopefully you can explain this? Edit - Found out what the controller is.... It is the sata controller, on my Gigabyte motherboard, its the ICH10 sata 3.0. After i back up everything i have currently on the Seagate onto my external drive, i need to remove Windows7. Can i uninstall Windows or do i have to wipe out the drive and reformat it? This is something i havent looked into yet. As far as hooking up the connectors and setting BIOS options, its pretty simple with the manual. I know not everyone has a manual for thier motherboard, so as i do this, hopefully i can come up with a step by step procedure for installing a SSD drive, which im hoping Poul will help with
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Post by TheGreenMonster (PC) on Jun 5, 2010 20:41:15 GMT
I would like to install this - www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167018 and still use my Seagate 500gb 7200 rpm HDD im using now. After reading alot on how to go about installing a SSD drive, now im more confused than ever. I have a Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P motherboard with intel ICH10R sata controller. Ive found that when setting up in BIOS that you can use either the typical IDE mode or AHCI(advanced host controller interface) mode. Using AHCI seems to be a better way to go but you need to create a startup disk for floppy drive. I dont have a floppy drive... so im going to use IDE mode. There was not much drop in performance using IDE mode. You also need a controller to use a SSD. I have not figured out what this is for or if its a program or a piece of hardware. Poul? hopefully you can explain this? Edit - Found out what the controller is.... It is the sata controller, on my Gigabyte motherboard, its the ICH10 sata 3.0. After i back up everything i have currently on the Seagate onto my external drive, i need to remove Windows7. Can i uninstall Windows or do i have to wipe out the drive and reformat it? This is something i havent looked into yet. As far as hooking up the connectors and setting BIOS options, its pretty simple with the manual. I know not everyone has a manual for thier motherboard, so as i do this, hopefully i can come up with a step by step procedure for installing a SSD drive, which im hoping Poul will help with Slow down,,, I'll let Poul expalin the SSD drive too,, as far as your Seagate drive just disconnect it, and remove it from your PC. You don't uninstall Windows. if the SSD need a controller card then that goes into one of your PCI slots... and the SSD connects too that controller card... edit,,, when they first came out with SATA drive's back in 2004 I think,,, they also required a controller card
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Post by Grnkjr0 on Jun 5, 2010 21:00:33 GMT
Hey Aaron I will help in any way I can - tomorrow. Now I am looking at naked girls at the net What do you have on your main HD since you are thinking about moving your OS onto the SSD and avoid a clean installation. I do think a clean installation would be better, but let me look into that if you decide to move it. This one has a drive bay adapter - otherwise you need to use sticky tape. Poul www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167023
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Post by TheGreenMonster (PC) on Jun 5, 2010 21:04:24 GMT
Poul can tell you what SSD & controller card to buy, they may come in a package deal... leave the seagate drive entack don NOT format it... in case the SSD doesn't work with your PC you can go back to it till you figure it out. You may need to upgrade your PC Bios version.
Step 1
1. shut off your PC 2. Install the controller card into one of your PCI slots. 3. Install the SSD drive into one of your drive bay ports. 4. Remove the Seagate drive. 5. Make sure all cabling is connected 6. Boot your PC with the Windows CD in the CDRom drive, and try to install Windows like the time before. The PC should boot and see the new controller card install. You might need to have the CD that came with the controller card on the first boot. edit Poul link shows that SSD drive is a SATA drive and might not require a controller card...
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Post by aarog5606 on Jun 5, 2010 21:29:57 GMT
Sunny, i dont need a controller card.... My motherboard has ICH10 sata controller. This had me confused at first, but i think i understand it now. I was thinking of doing a clean install, so Windows7 will detect and configure the drives as Poul explained to me earlier. I have everything i need backed up already on a external backup drive. Poul, what is the sticky tape for?? You have your cheetos and fork? hehe
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Post by TheGreenMonster (PC) on Jun 5, 2010 22:04:59 GMT
Sunny, i dont need a controller card.... My motherboard has ICH10 sata controller. This had me confused at first, but i think i understand it now. I was thinking of doing a clean install, so Windows7 will detect and configure the drives as Poul explained to me earlier. I have everything i need backed up already on a external backup drive. Poul, what is the sticky tape for?? You have your cheetos and fork? hehe Oh good, Yes I agree you should perform a clean install with Windows 7, After you get Windows installed on the SSD drive then you can reconnect that Seagate drive and use it as your D:\ drive, after you format it.....
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Post by TheGreenMonster (PC) on Jun 6, 2010 2:29:17 GMT
Aaron why don't you run some HD benchmarks on your PC before installing the new SSD drive.. So we can compare the performance differance,,, before and after...
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Post by Grnkjr0 on Jun 6, 2010 4:40:00 GMT
The sticky tape is to have the SSD stick to your case - now you do not want it laying around and vibrate now do you That SSD I linked comes with a installation kit that contains a 3.5" desktop drive bay adapter to 2.5" SSD adapter bracket and screws. You will need something like that if you do not want to use sticky tape - but sticky tape works fine - I use it for my SSD Are you sure you do not want the OCZ Vertex 2 SSD that has the new Sandforce1200 controller? It is the fastest SSD on the market within reason of course - money - and outperforms the Intel X-25. Read this review and see why you REALLY want a OCZ Vertex 2 www.myce.com/review/ocz-vertex-2-100gb-ssd-review-30021/Introduction-1/Edit; It is a bit expensive at 154$ after rebate at newegg for only 50 GB, but that would be all you need for OS and lets say 1-2 games. Here is the sum up:
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Post by Grnkjr0 on Jun 6, 2010 9:35:41 GMT
Hey Aaron I posted for some help on the matter since I want a 2nd opinion before giving you advice here. I can easily tell you what to do, but if things fail you will try to ram me whenever we play online - so for that not to happen I asked for a experts help. Funny thing after doing some reading where people debating whether having your SSD in IDE or in AHCI mode meant anything performance wise - I checked to see if changing mine made a difference. I have mine set to IDE upon installation and still I am not sure why back then - but it gave me performance like it was supposed to with up to 250 Mb in read and 70 Mb in write. I just changed it to AHCI mode and the difference is quite amazing. Now it is not possible to change to AHCI if you installed in IDE mode - but there is a work around on the net. I did that and look at the difference Poul In IDE mode In AHCI mode
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Post by Bandit (PC/PS3/4) on Jun 6, 2010 10:00:18 GMT
I'm not much into SSD's yet but i've read an article somewhere that to get the most out of an SSD, one would be best off to put two of them in RAID for maximum performance.. So maybe it's worth considering getting two of these instead? www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167025Goodluck, Bandit
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Post by Grnkjr0 on Jun 6, 2010 12:58:05 GMT
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Post by aarog5606 on Jun 6, 2010 13:30:19 GMT
Hmmm, well you guys have given me more to think about.
I would like to do this as cheap as possible, so if i screw something up, i wont be out too much money. I think im going to stick with the X-25M for now. I can get it for a good price compared to others and i can take it back and get another one the same day, if something isnt right.
Would like to have 2 running in RAID for best performance, but that costs a little more and i havent used RAID before. It would be something else that i can screw up. As some of you know, i have a bad habit of jumping into things without knowing all the info i need. Im trying not to do that this time!
Poul, since you used AHCI mode, did you have to make a floppy disk? I would like to go with AHCI and i can get a floppy(A) drive if i need to. I have one in my old pc. I even have a few old floppy discs!
The only thing im not sure how to do now is formatting the Seagate. Do i do it before i install the SSD? or can i do it after i install the SSD and Windows7?
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Post by aarog5606 on Jun 6, 2010 13:43:52 GMT
Well, after watching the video, this will be a piece of cake! Thanks Poul! I wont need a floppy disc.
Now, i just need to find out how and when to format the Seagate?
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Post by Grnkjr0 on Jun 6, 2010 13:49:43 GMT
Hey Aaron
Did you see the video I linked on how to do this? The guy is installing Windows 7 onto a SSD coming from Vista on a HD like yours. It is actually that easy as shown in the video. Why a floppy disk - for what? The change from IDE to AHCI is done in BIOS and you just save and exit. The firmware you are thinking of is for those who bought a SSD with no TRIM supported in it yet. Your Intel X-25 M 80 Gb should be with the TRIM software, since you have not even bought the SSD yet, unless the store where you would buy this SSD has a huge stock inventory - which I highly doubt.
In the video the guys just plug in the SSD - unplugs the HD and then he powers on the machine and press delete and then get into BIOS and throws in the Windows 7 DVD. Now like in the video change boot priority and set to AHCI mode and then you are done - almost. Then comes the hard part waiting for all the drivers and stuff and the PC to reboot 2-3 times - but you know what time that can take from when you 1st installed it.
What are your concerns here Aaron? It is not like your PC would not be able to boot - worst case scenario is that you loose your OS - well you are trying to do a frest installation of that.
I read how to change from IDE to AHCI when all ready installed the SSD and Windows 7 in IDE mode on the net - this is how:
"So, how to enable AHCI if you already install Windows Vista/Windows 7 using IDE interface.
1. Exit all Windows-based programs. 2. Click Start, type regedit in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER. 3. If you receive the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue. 4. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Msahci
5. In the right pane, right-click Start in the Name column, and then click Modify. 6. In the Value data box, type 0, and then click OK. 7. On the File menu, click Exit to close Registry Editor
Restart and go into the BIOS and make the changes from IDE to AHCI and restart and away you go."
You do not need to worry anything about that since you are doing a fresh installation.
Poul
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Post by aarog5606 on Jun 6, 2010 13:57:02 GMT
Im pretty confident about doing this now Poul. I just reread the motherboard manual, which said to make a floppy disk, but that was if i used XP, didnt realise that before. Oops... So, im going to head to Fort Wayne to get me a new SSD.
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