How do you switch from normal HDD to SSD ?

[sojuhasu]

Today's SSD capacity is tantalizingly close but I think is not yet enough for most people to just clone over their whole partition to the new SSD.

I have been thinking a little bit about buying an SSD. My current set up is :

1 TB Samsung Spinpoint F3 as main drive (Windows, Program Files and Games)
1.5 TB WD Caviar Green for data

Realistically, the most I can buy right now is a mainstream 120-180 GB SSD.

But I have :
Windows folder which is 20 GB
Program Files x86 - 100 GB
Games - 225 GB

How do you switch to SSD in this kind of situation ? If this were *NIXes, I would just mount or symlink everything that I deem important enough to get speed boost to the SSD. But how do you do it for Windows 7 ?

 

[SandEagle]

i regret getting a 128GB SSD. Too small. Looking at a USB 3.0 external SSD now. If you can afford it, go for a 256GB SSD

 

[Anteaus]

I personally can't justify the cost. I'm not afraid to spend a little money for performance, but I would need at least 500GB to make it useful for me but thats 500-600 dollars just for a drive. While the performance boost would be extremely nice, all that the money will buy me is faster load times and if I'm spending $500 on drives, I'm buying another 6-8 TB of storage space for backup purposes.

SSD is a cool tech and I hope the price keeps coming down though. Once I can get a single 500GB SSD for less than $200, I'm jumping in.

 

[paperwastage]

on my desktop, I have a 96GB V+100.. 60GB windows 7, 30gb linux

all games(steam) installed on my HDD

its enough to install windows 7 x64, office, web stuff, some other programs

if you use like Photoshop and other Media/rendering stuff that takes a lot of space, then I'd say you are out of luck... spend more money on a 128,160,256gb ssd, or use ssd-cache

How do you switch to SSD in this kind of situation ? If this were *NIXes, I would just mount or symlink everything that I deem important enough to get speed boost to the SSD. But how do you do it for Windows 7 ?

you can symlink on windows 7

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/16226/complete-guide-to-symbolic-links-symlinks-on-windows-or-linux/

 

[TakeNoPrisoners]

SSD's are made to compliment a traditional HDD system. You are supposed to install windows and some programs on the SSD and leave the majority of the files on the traditional HDD.

Often used programs go on the SSD every time.

Just plug in the SSD, install windows on it, and transfer files over from your other hard drives as you need them.

No need to unplug your old HDDs.

 

[MRGOOCH]

SSD's are made to compliment a traditional HDD system. You are supposed to install windows and some programs on the SSD and leave the majority of the files on the traditional HDD.

Often used programs go on the SSD every time.

Just plug in the SSD, install windows on it, and transfer files over from your other hard drives as you need them.

No need to unplug your old HDDs.

I only have an Upgrade disk for Win 7. How would I install to a new drive?

 

[VirtualLarry]

I only have an Upgrade disk for Win 7. How would I install to a new drive?

Do the double-install trick. Install once to the SSD/new drive, when prompted to enter the key, uncheck the "click to auto-activate online", and click Next. It will then install in 30-day trial mode.

Then, once Windows 7 is installed, then insert the Upgrade disc when inside Win7. Select to Upgrade. Let it finish.

Then input your license key and tell it to activate.

 

[MRGOOCH]

Would it matter that my original is on an old non SATA drive?

 

[jhansman]

if you use like Photoshop and other Media/rendering stuff that takes a lot of space, then I'd say you are out of luck... spend more money on a 128,160,256gb ssd, or use ssd-cache

Not really. I have Win 7, PS5 , Lightroom 3, and a few other small apps on my 64GB M4 boot drive, and just about 50% free space. That said, my next SSD will be at least 128GB.

 

[kbp]

Not really. I have Win 7, PS5 , Lightroom 3, and a few other small apps on my 64GB M4 boot drive, and just about 50% free space. That said, my next SSD will be at least 128GB.

or buy another 64GB and RAID them