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how to reinstall os to ssd?

16K views 81 replies 12 participants last post by  tw33k 
#1 ·
Im new to the realm of SSD's. I want to reinstall win7 from 32bit to 64bit on my SSD. Ive done a lot of reading about how to reformat and re-install os on an ssd with sandforce and trim such as the one i own. Very confusing:confused:

1. Use HDDErase before re-installing OS?

OR

2. Quick format during Windows 7 re-install?

From what Ive gathered so far, quick format during re-install will be sufficient and will not degrade the ssd's performance because it has TRIM support. Am I understanding this correctly?
 
#2 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by piranhamoose;11846237
Im new to the realm of SSD's. I want to reinstall win7 from 32bit to 64bit on my SSD. Ive done a lot of reading about how to reformat and re-install os on an ssd with sandforce and trim such as the one i own. Very confusing:confused:

1. Use HDDErase before re-installing OS?

OR

2. Quick format during Windows 7 re-install?

From what Ive gathered so far, quick format during re-install will be sufficient and will not degrade the ssd's performance because it has TRIM support. Am I understanding this correctly?
I personally feel it's best to keep it simple with these modern SSDs:
  1. Make sure AHCI mode is enabled in the BIOS
  2. Boot from the Windows 7 DVD
  3. When it asks you where you want to install Windows, select the SSD and click the blue text that says "Drive options (advanced)"
  4. This pops down some advanced options. From here, just click Format, and then Next.
Of course, formatting does not touch any of the data. All it does is that it replaces the MFT with a fresh one in the specified format (behind the scenes, the Windows 7 installer always specifies the NTFS format). So, it's like replacing the Table of Contents in a book with a blank one. Well, somewhat. The contents of the book remain the same, except now there's no longer an easy way to navigate the book. If we were not smart human beings, but just dumb computers, then we'd look at that blank Table of Contents and say that it's just a book full of blank pages.

I don't know about anyone else, but I personally feel that the only good time to use something that actually erases the data itself is like when selling the SSD to some random stranger on eBay.
redface.gif
 
#3 ·
Hdderase will put the ssd back in factory specs. So if it was slow when you had it then i would run it and bring it back to health like it is suppose to be.
 
#4 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by TwoCables;11846340
I personally feel it's best to keep it simple with these modern SSDs:
  1. Make sure AHCI mode is enabled in the BIOS
  2. Boot from the Windows 7 DVD
  3. When it asks you where you want to install Windows, select the SSD and click the blue text that says "Drive options (advanced)"
  4. This pops down some advanced options. From here, just click Format, and then Next.
Of course, formatting does not touch any of the data. All it does is that it replaces the MFT with a fresh one in the specified format (behind the scenes, the Windows 7 installer always specifies the NTFS format). So, it's like replacing the Table of Contents in a book with a blank one. Well, somewhat. The contents of the book remain the same, except now there's no longer an easy way to navigate the book. If we were not smart human beings, but just dumb computers, then we'd look at that blank Table of Contents and say that it's just a book full of blank pages.

I don't know about anyone else, but I personally feel that the only good time to use something that actually erases the data itself is like when selling the SSD to some random stranger on eBay.
redface.gif
so, just doing a quick format during a re-install will not decrease performance of ssd with sandforce and trim support?
 
#5 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by piranhamoose;11848430
so, just doing a quick format during a re-install will not decrease performance of ssd with sandforce and trim support?
Yes, it will decrease performance, you should Secure Erase with HDDErase or something else that can issue the SE command. Might as well start fresh with new OS install.
 
#9 ·
I use Parted Magic to erase its's a doddle. DL Parted Magic image burn to a disc, boot to that and a couple of clicks later its done, the actual erase is good too it takes like a second! If you are re-installing windows you may just as well take five mins to secure erase the SSD as is suggested by the manufacturers.....just doing the windows quick format i dunno its like cleaning the car but leaving all the astrays in it full, all the fish n chip papers, drink cans, news papers/mags n other rubbish in the car n wondering why it aint clean lol....
 
#12 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by moonmanas;11849396
I use Parted Magic to erase its's a doddle. DL Parted Magic image burn to a disc, boot to that and a couple of clicks later its done, the actual erase is good too it takes like a second! If you are re-installing windows you may just as well take five mins to secure erase the SSD as is suggested by the manufacturers.....just doing the windows quick format i dunno its like cleaning the car but leaving all the astrays in it full, all the fish n chip papers, drink cans, news papers/mags n other rubbish in the car n wondering why it aint clean lol....
How can all of the data be erased in just 1 second? The actual standard format itself takes just 1 second or so, so I don't understand. I thought that actually erasing all of the data on a drive takes much longer than just 1 second.

Plus, the standard format doesn't touch any of the data. It just replaces the MFT with a fresh one in the specified format, which is why it's called "formatting".
 
#13 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by TwoCables;11849450
How can all of the data be erased in just 1 second? The actual standard format itself takes just 1 second or so, so I don't understand. I thought that actually erasing all of the data on a drive takes much longer than just 1 second.

Plus, the standard format doesn't touch any of the data. It just replaces the MFT with a fresh one in the specified format, which is why it's called "formatting".
Secure erasing an ssd back to factory clean state takes litrallly a second, theres no moving parts, its told to erase so as far as i know thats what it does no hunting about, it just wipes the drive, zap its gone.
 
#14 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by moonmanas;11849507
Secure erasing an ssd back to factory clean state takes litrallly a second, theres no moving parts, its told to erase so as far as i know thats what it does no hunting about, it just wipes the drive, zap its gone.
I know there are no moving parts, but I still find it hard to believe that it's actually erasing all of the data. I mean, doesn't that mean it's taking all of the 1s and 0s and turning them in to 0s?
 
#15 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by TwoCables;11849525
I know there are no moving parts, but I still find it hard to believe that it's actually erasing all of the data. I mean, doesn't that mean it's taking all of the 1s and 0s and turning them in to 0s?
Yes thats EXACTLY what it does, probably quicker than a second.....
 
#17 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by $ilent;11849566
yeah i formatted the drive then hdderased it after
I see u got 2 in raid, i had great fun yesterday doing that for first time how does this atto bench llok? funny its writng quicker than reading....
 
#18 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by moonmanas;11849396
I use Parted Magic to erase its's a doddle. DL Parted Magic image burn to a disc, boot to that and a couple of clicks later its done, the actual erase is good too it takes like a second! If you are re-installing windows you may just as well take five mins to secure erase the SSD as is suggested by the manufacturers.....just doing the windows quick format i dunno its like cleaning the car but leaving all the astrays in it full, all the fish n chip papers, drink cans, news papers/mags n other rubbish in the car n wondering why it aint clean lol....
Thanks moon! +1 rep!

I just finished reading up on Parted Magic, it seems much simpler than HDDErase (no need to disconnect and reconnect cables to the drive to initiate secure erase). I will secure erase via parted magic, followed by re-installing OS tomorrow:)

Also, after much reading, the reason why secure erasing an ssd takes only seconds, is because all that's needed is an electrical "zap" to erase data.
 
#21 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by moonmanas;11849749
Hi Piranhamoose, yeah it couldnt be much easier than Parted Magic, even i did it! Several times now. Whats, Rep anyways lol.
+1 rep for you for helping me out. I was getting ready to open up my pc using hdderase, but after i read about parted magic...... no need:) i guess im lazy like that.
 
#22 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by TwoCables;11849778
Are you asking for Rep?
No im asking what it is? I have no idea...

Ok see ur post now i know what Rep is, thanks

Also I think u can do the parted magic thing from a usb stick even easier than burning images! Reminds me must get another one.....
 
#23 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by moonmanas;11849827
No im asking what it is? I have no idea...
rep=reputation...... # of reps = # of people youve helped out:thumb:
 
#25 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by moonmanas;11849623
I see u got 2 in raid, i had great fun yesterday doing that for first time how does this atto bench llok? funny its writng quicker than reading....
not too shabby! heres my atto result

capture2222.png
 
#26 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by piranhamoose;11849804
+1 rep for you for helping me out. I was getting ready to open up my pc using hdderase, but after i read about parted magic...... no need:) i guess im lazy like that.
AAh think u may need to open it to just have the ssd and optical drive forthe Parted Magic disc, Also I read somewhere, OCZ site I think, that its good idea to just have the ssd attached when u install windows, something about data thats going to ssd also ALSO GOING TO OTHER DRIVES, the boot something or other, something anyways ;-)
 
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