Installing Windows 7 on a New SSD or HDD
On a modern (SATA etc) desktop machine...
For laptops or older machines ignore some of the steps.
This is the FRESH install guide, if you're looking to copy your old Windows onto your new drive you want this guide
Stage 1.
Preparing for install
Backing up your files and checking requirements
Downloading the latest SSD firmware and burning it to a disc, or copying it to a USB drive
Stage 2.
Updating the drive firmware
Skip this stage if your firmware is already up to date, or if you're using a HDD (which usually don't need F/W upgrades.)
Stage 3.
Disconnect other drives, and Enable AHCI in your BIOS.
Disconnecting your other storage devices first will ensure your boot sector and everything is all on your primary drive.
Enabling AHCI mode will improve performance on most SSDs, if Windows won't install or hangs during install, switch back to IDE mode.
Stage 4.
Setup Windows 7.
Stage 5.
Post setup.
with your Fresh copy of Windows 7
Edited by TheDreadedGMan - 12/17/10 at 6:48pm
On a modern (SATA etc) desktop machine...
For laptops or older machines ignore some of the steps.
This is the FRESH install guide, if you're looking to copy your old Windows onto your new drive you want this guide
Stage 1.
Preparing for install
Backing up your files and checking requirements
Downloading the latest SSD firmware and burning it to a disc, or copying it to a USB drive
- Backup your documents, email, saved games, pictures, music, movies, etc
- If you're installing onto a new SSD or HDD, then you can keep your old drive as a backup.. at least to start with
- Ensure you have a Windows 7 setup disc
- Ensure your DVD drive works, and can be booted from
- Download the latest firmware for the SSD (skip this step for HDDs, or if it's already updated) READ THE UPDATE INSTRUCTIONS, they vary depending on model of SSD
Firmware download pages:- ADATA
Service and Support page (click the Download link on the left) - Corsair
Support page, firmware in their forums - Crucial
Crucial FW and Tools (M225 and C300 downloads) - G.Skill
G.Skill firmware forums - Intel
Intel SSD FW and Tools - Kingston
Kingston also doesn't have an obvious download page, but here is their SSD Support page - Mushkin
Mushkin SSD forums (FW updates and such are in here) - OCZ
OCZ SSD Downloads
OCZ support forums (downloads and everything in here) - Super Talent
Super Talent UltraDrive FW and Tools (bottom of page)
- ADATA
- If the firmware is an ISO file, burn it to a blank disc (right-click and choose Open with > Windows Disc Image Burner)
- If the firmware is for a Sandforce or other drive that requires it to be run under Windows, usually 32-bit only
- Some firmware will only run in Windows, so you'll need a Windows setup disc or a recovery disc (you can download recovery discs here: http://cybernetnews.com/windows-7-recovery-disc/)
- In the case of firmware that needs to run in Windows, you'll probably want to copy it to a USB drive
Stage 2.
Updating the drive firmware
Skip this stage if your firmware is already up to date, or if you're using a HDD (which usually don't need F/W upgrades.)
- If you created a disc using an ISO file from the drive manufacturer, boot from it and follow the instructions and skip to step 3
- If the firmware is for a Sandforce or other drive that requires it to be run under 32-bit Windows:
- Boot from your Windows Setup or Recovery Disc (32-bit recommended)
- Open a Command Prompt (use the recovery options menu)
- Click the Repair link and wait for windows to find or not find your old install
- Choose the bottom option and click Next
- Click Cancel
- Click the Command Prompt link
- Click the Repair link and wait for windows to find or not find your old install
- Change to the disk you put the firmware on by typing it's letter (experiment until you find it)
- Type C:
- Type DIR
- if this is the drive type the name of the firmware updater
- if not, Type D: and DIR and check for the file
- repeat until you find the drive letter of your USB or CD that contains the firmware exe file
- Run the firmware updater by typing the name of the exe file.
- Follow the instructions to update your drive firmware
- Restart your machine
Stage 3.
Disconnect other drives, and Enable AHCI in your BIOS.
Disconnecting your other storage devices first will ensure your boot sector and everything is all on your primary drive.
Enabling AHCI mode will improve performance on most SSDs, if Windows won't install or hangs during install, switch back to IDE mode.
- Shutdown your PC and disconnect the SATA cables from all the drives except your DVD drive
- Find the first SATA port (port 0 or 1)
- Connect the new SSD / HDD to that port
- Double check only the new drive, and your DVD are connected
- Enter your PC's BIOS and enable AHCI mode
Stage 4.
Setup Windows 7.
- Change the boot order (if you need to) so you can boot from the DVD
- Some BIOSes will let you press a key to boot from a DVD without changing the boot order
- Boot the Windows 7 setup disc
- Choose your language, Time and currency format, and keyboard type, and click Next
- Click Install now, and wait for "Setup is starting..." (sometimes takes a "while" on some motherboards)
- Agree to the End-user License Agreement after you've read it
- Choose "Custom (advanced)" (the bottom option)
- Where do you want to install Windows
- If the drive contains any partitions
- Click the Drive options (advanced) link
- Choose to delete all the partitions until the drive only contains "unallocated space"
- Click the Drive options (advanced) link
- Click the unallocated space to select it, and click Next
- Wait for a while, make a coffee, text your mates etc
- Answer the post-install questions (network, user, and computer name setup etc)
Stage 5.
Post setup.
- Shutdown your computer
- Reconnect your other HDDs and storage devices to their SATA ports
- Re-enter the BIOS and make sure your Primary SSD or HDD is still the first boot device
- Boot into Windows and follow some of my other guides if you like
- Basic space saving tips: http://www.overclock.net/ssd/887334-...isk-space.html
- Move your media folders to a secondary drive (good for SSDs): http://www.overclock.net/ssd/761471-...s-folders.html
with your Fresh copy of Windows 7Edited by TheDreadedGMan - 12/17/10 at 6:48pm
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