SSD install what is involved?

Welcome to TenForums @The Bairn



Hope this answers your question without making it to complex. It might sound like a lot, once into it is not as bad as it reads. Always test SSD before taking any action on HDD.

First the physical.

You obviously need to open case and install. Some cases have mounts for SSD, others and older ones don't. As such you will need an adapter from 3 1/2 to 2 1/2. Sometimes cabling can be a small issue. Some suppliers use very specific cable lengths but a small extension can get you over hump. Maybe you need a new SATA cable, maybe. Generally getting the old out and new in is not an ordeal but some cases are tight and opening panels can be a pain. Others are quite accommodating.

There is of course the period when you are preparing the SSD. Are you going to do that externally in an enclosure or with a cable or internally and you need power and a SATA cable such that both drives can be operational. Maybe you plan to run both as a regular configuration so then plan for this.


Now to the software and some of this is going to be dependent on the size of SSD you buy. In other words if you have a 1TB HDD that has a lot of data and you planning for an SSD that is only 500GB then plans change.

There are really two methods, clean install or clone.

Clean install is easy and you can get your machine up and running quite quickly. ( assuming no significant driver issues)

Of course there is third party software installation (productivity, music, photo, games). For some this is painless, others a real chore.

Then you need to gain access to your data. When I do a clean install I copy my data out to external and leave HDD intact. Once running you can copy your data to SSD, assuming you bought same size. If SSD smaller you will need HDD and you can plan its transition. Getting game data back is something to explore with each game and not being a gamer I can't get into details. Others here likely can.

It is always a good idea to plan for an SSD that is not full, everyone will have an opinion, I plan for 25% empty.

The cloning method is the other way. Some SSD's come with cloning or provide access to cloning software. Samsung as an example. Others you will need to install software and do the clone. Macrium Reflect is free and can be used. Again size of SSD plays into the hows. With Macrium you can clone and some have suggested just restoring a backup to SSD.


Normally what I do is back up all my data to an external drive or refresh a backup in service. I then use Macrium to backup HDD as is. I then remove HDD, install SSD and clean install and copy data back. If using HDD as data drive I wipe it and restore data. (Then use tutorial to point to data on HDD)

For a number of clients, and with prices dropping, I have been able to buy a drive of sufficent size to clone their HDD without need for data considerations. I usually buy Samsung and have had good success with their cloning tool

These are just high level "what's involved" and other will likely have different points of view.

As a matter of interest were you planning on buying an SSD of equal size? Would you want to go with SSD for programs and HDD for data?

I likely have made this sound crazy complex as I read it. Hopefully not. Really just trying to cover way to many paths. It would help if you answered those two questions, size and end game configuration.

Let's see what others have to say.


Ken

Caledonia Ken laid it out pretty well. Having done this many times I’d add that you should definitely buy a brand name SSD like Samsung. If you don’t already use Macrium Reflect to create external backup now is the time to start. Restoring a backup image to the new SSD will allow you to keep all you programs and data and make the whole process much easier. However, this will require an external storage device and an additional expense that you might not be ready for. But your doing the right thing by planning and investigating options.