Connect the ssd to the old motherboard. How to get the most out of your SSD - Quick Start Guide
They are rapidly gaining popularity. More and more users are deciding to try an SSD drive and install an operating system on it. But most people do not have experience working with this type of drive. Therefore, on thematic forums they are often interested in how to connect an SSD drive to a computer. In this material we will look at the process of connecting SSD drives to a desktop computer.
Firstly, the process of connecting an SSD drive to a computer is not fundamentally different from. Therefore, if you know how to connect hard drives, then you will not have any difficulties connecting an SSD. The only difficulty is how to fix the SSD drive inside the case, but more on that a little later.
Step No. 1. Prepare your computer for connecting an SSD drive.
Before you start connecting the SSD drive, you must completely turn off the power to the computer. To do this, disconnect the cable that leads to the power outlet. Then disconnect the remaining cables and remove the side covers of the system unit. As a rule, they are fixed with four screws at the back of the system unit.
Step No. 2. Installing an SSD drive.
An SSD drive is a completely electronic device. Unlike hard drives, it has no moving parts and therefore does not create vibration or noise. Therefore, the SSD drive can be installed anywhere in the system unit.
Your task is to choose a place where the SSD drive can be conveniently fixed so that it does not dangle inside the computer. Otherwise, when you move your computer or the next time you service your computer, the SSD drive may hit other computer components and damage them.
The simplest and at the same time reliable option is in the hard drive bay. But, since the hard drive bay is designed for 3.5-inch devices, and the SSD drive is made in a 2.5-inch form factor, we will need a special sled (mount). Quite often, these sleds come complete with the drive itself. If they are not available, you can purchase them separately.
The SSD drive is attached to the carrier using 4 screws that are screwed into the bottom of the carrier. After this, the slides themselves are inserted into the system unit into the bay for 3.5-inch hard drives and secured with 4 screws.
As a result
Step No. 3. Connect the SSD drive to the computer.
After securing the slide inside the system unit, you can begin connecting cables to the SSD drive. Solid-state drives are connected in the same way as modern hard drives, that is, using two.
A wide SATA cable is power supply; it connects to the computer's power supply. A narrow SATA cable is a data cable; it connects to the motherboard.
If it supports SATA 3.0, then the SSD drive is best connected to SATA 3.0 ports. SATA 3.0 ports provide significantly higher data transfer speeds, allowing you to get the most out of your SSD drive.
On the motherboard, the SATA 3.0 ports are marked in a different color. Read the instructions for your motherboard so as not to confuse anything.
One of the first interfaces was the side connectors used in computers (Atari, Commodore) and game consoles (NES, Pegasus). They were connected to cartridges, that is, storage media with permanently recorded software that could not be changed.
The side connectors used by manufacturers came in a variety of widths and lengths. It was difficult to talk about any standard and compatibility.
With the growing popularity of PC-class computers, standardized side connectors appeared, which, however, were not used for connecting storage media for many years.
ATA and SATA interfaces
The main storage medium has become hard drives, which use magnetic media to store information. To connect them to a computer, the ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment) interface is used, which provides a throughput of up to 133 Mb/s.
Photo source: abooth202 / CC BY-ND Its successor is the SATA standard. Currently, it is the most popular interface in desktop computers and laptops. To connect the drive, two wires are used - for data transfer and power. The interface has gone through three updates. First, that is, SATA-1 provides a throughput of 150 Mb/s. SATA 2 allows you to reach 300 Mb/s, while SATA 3 – 600 Mb/s.
The progressive miniaturization of devices has led to the need to create additional variants of the SATA standard. One of them is eSATA, that is, the version used to connect external hard drives to a computer. Currently, it is increasingly being replaced by USB 3.0 connectors due to the greater capabilities and popularity of the latter.
PCI Express, that is, a return to side connectors
Currently, the PCI Express connector is increasingly being used, which allows you to bypass the limitation of the SATA III interface, and, at the same time, is available on older devices.
The data transfer rate in this case exceeds 1 Gb/sec. PCI Express is also more energy efficient than SATA. This type of interface is only used on desktop computers.
PCI Express slots come in different lengths. Cards connected to it use only a certain number of channels. Therefore, a device with two channels can be connected to a slot that has four, eight, or even sixteen channels.
Latest version of PCI Express 3.0 interface. Compatible with devices of previous generations. The advantage is two-way transmission, due to which data is transmitted simultaneously in two directions.
M.2 standard – for the sake of mobility
The M.2 connector was designed as a successor to the mSATA standard. It takes up less space and allows data transfer rates of up to 1 Gb/sec.
It was originally intended for laptops, but is also gaining popularity in the case of desktop computers.
The standard can use a SATA or PCI Express controller. In the case of the second solution, the drive uses all the capabilities of the PCI Express controller using a compact M. 2 connector. Before purchasing a hard drive, you should make sure which controller supports the M. 2 connector on the motherboard.
Which solution to choose
For hard drives, the capabilities of the SATA III interface are still sufficient, but for SSD media, this standard limits their potential. Currently, the most promising solution is a hard drive that uses a PCI Express controller with an M. 2 connector. If this is not available, a good solution is to use an M. 2. solid-state drive with a built-in adapter for the PCI Express connector.
In the future, solutions using the DDR3 interface may become popular. A prototype of such a device was presented by Sandisk, model ULLtraDIMM. Thanks to this solution, I/O controllers are effectively used, and response times reach 5 ms when writing and 150 microseconds when reading.
Improvements to popular solutions will also appear on the market in the near future. The PCI Express 5.0 standard is ready to offer twice the bandwidth compared to its predecessor. Work is also underway on a new generation of the M. 2 connector, which will provide data transfer speeds of 7.9 Gb/s.
One thing is for sure, SSD drives are the future of storage media, the best years of which are yet to come.
To install and configure an SSD storage drive, you need to study the features of this type of drive that may affect these processes. One of its main characteristics is the limited number of cycles, both writing and reading, performed simultaneously. This is a fundamental difference from HDD that you need to know if you want to extend its service life. Therefore, before answering the question of how to connect an SSD, you should think about ways to optimize those operating systems that support this type of drive - Windows 7 and Windows 8. Using these methods, you can reduce the number of operations associated with writing and, as a result, , use your SSD much longer.
Installation and testing
To install the drive, remove it from the box and remove the side panel from the system unit. 
To avoid erasing another drive, remove power from the installed media. After that, connect the SSD to the motherboard parallel to the side cover. 
Then reinstall the panel and turn on the computer.
To prevent problems loading the OS or running the disk, there are some things you should do before installing the OS. The first is to check the firmware version of your drive. Programs such as AIDA64 or SSDLife will help you do this. However, before doing this, go to the BIOS and switch to AHCI mode. After this change, you can go to the manufacturer’s website and check for a newer version, which will need to be installed if necessary.
To configure Windows to work with an SSD, you must also disable unnecessary services. This can be done by temporarily disabling the hard drives.
Configuring Boot Options
In BIOS downloads, find Hard Disc Drives and select your SSD first in the list. 
In the Boot Device Priority parameter number 1, set the CD/DVD drive. After this, insert a boot disk such as Acronis BootCD and press the F10 button to save the settings and restart the computer. When you turn on your PC, select Acronis Disk Director 
Highlight the desired SSD drive and initialize it by selecting "MBR" and the base type. Select it again and create a volume with the following parameters:
- size – default;
- unallocated space before/after the volume – 0 bytes and 1 MB, respectively;
- file system – NTFS;
- automatic cluster size;
- label – C (nothing);
- type – active/main.
Features of SSD settings
Services such as Prefetch and Superfetch need to be disabled. If your drive is correctly recognized by your computer, this may happen automatically.
However, it is best to make sure of this. To do this, open the registry editor by clicking the “Start” - “Run” - regedit buttons. You will see the line “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SYSTEM CurrentControlSet Control Session Manager Memory Management PrefetchParameters”, for which you need to set “EnablePrefetcher = dword:00000000” and “EnableSuperfetch = dword:0000000”.
After this, you should disable automatic hard drive defragmentation, which reduces the life of your SSD. This is done by opening Disk Defragmenter. Click "Start" and then select "All Programs", "Accessories", "System Tools" and "Disk Defragmenter". A window will open in front of you in which you need to disable scheduled disk defragmentation. 
After installation, return to the BIOS and select the drive as the primary boot device. After this, you can use your computer to its full potential and, thanks to the use of an SSD, its technical resources will increase significantly.
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How to install SSD on laptop and PC? Several reliable ways
The installation of solid-state drives by default on laptops and computers has only recently begun, and a device purchased just 1-2 years ago is most likely equipped with a regular SATA HDD. This option is also not bad - especially if the SATA III interface is used, but conventional hard drives are not capable of providing maximum performance.
A user who wants to speed up access to information will need:
- purchase an SSD with a suitable capacity and price (a 60–128 GB device is sufficient for working with documents and basic programs; for more resource-intensive tasks, you should consider purchasing a 500–1000 GB device);
- enable AHCI mode to work with high-speed drives (if this has not been done before);
- disassemble the computer and install a solid state drive. For a laptop, you may need to remove the old HDD (for further installation using an adapter and a CD drive). Desktop PCs usually have enough space for an SSD.
As a result, the user receives:
- Increasing the speed of working with data;
- Reduced energy consumption and weight (important for laptops);
- No need to defragment the disk.
The standard size of a solid state drive is 2.5 inches. 3.5-inch versions were also produced, but due to the fact that they were most often installed on laptops, only the smallest drives remained (including 1.8-inch and M2 formats). This means that for installation on a PC, an SSD requires the use of so-called sleds, or racks - devices for securing the disk inside bays designed for standard HDDs and disk drives. And, although, thanks to the light weight of the solid-state drive, it weighs little and can only be mounted on one side of the system unit case, you should not do this - it is safer to purchase a small adapter from 3.5 to 2.5 inches.
Fig.2. Solid state drive in a sled for installation on a PC
Installing the disk is carried out in several stages:
- The computer turns off;
- The power supply is turned off using a button on the back of the system unit;
- The power button is pressed and held for several seconds. In this case, a de-energized computer will naturally not start, but static electricity will be removed from the motherboard and other parts;
- The PC case is disassembled (usually only one panel is removed for this, most often the left one, but sometimes you have to disassemble the system unit almost completely;
- The SSD is installed in place (for a PC, it is not necessary to remove the HHD already there) using a sled adapter and secured with screws. Fasteners are included with the device;
- The installed disk is connected to the motherboard via a SATA cable and the corresponding slot on the motherboard;
Fig.3. Slots for connecting cables from drives with SATA interface
- The disk and the computer's power supply are connected;
- Assemble the system unit and configure the SSD.
As a rule, maximum performance of the drive will be ensured only when it is connected to a SATA 3.0 connector or higher at speeds of up to 6 GB/s. On the board it is usually distinguished from others by its black color and markings. If there are no designations for SATA 3.0, you should read the documentation for the motherboard.
It is worth noting that SSD drives do not tolerate heating to high temperatures. Therefore, when adding a new drive, it is worth taking care of improving the cooling system. To do this, you can provide, for example, an additional cooler measuring 80x80 or 120x120 in the side of the system unit. Such a fan will perfectly cool not only a solid-state drive, but also a regular drive.
Fig.4. Productive cooler for cooling the internal part of the system unit
back to menu
After installing the disk, you first need to configure the media for optimal performance and increased service life:
- Go to BIOS (or UEFI) using one of the methods available in your operating system. The easiest way to do this is for Windows 7 by pressing the function key when rebooting (different motherboard or laptop manufacturers use different letters);
- Install the SSD drive first in the list of devices (if it is not the only drive);
Fig.5. Installing the SSD as the first drive in the UEFI list
- Save changes and restart your computer.
Now you can either transfer the system to a solid-state drive so as not to install it again. Or leave the old OS if the SSD will not be used as a system drive. When choosing the first option, you should use either the built-in Windows tools (they are available in systems starting from version 7 and higher) or applications such as Acronis True Image. In the second case, when the system remains on the HDD, the same hard drive should be left first in the boot list in the BIOS.
Return to menu
Installing SSDs on a laptop is slightly different. First of all, due to the fact that there is less space inside the laptop computer case and, most likely, to connect a second drive the user will have to remove the first one. But after installation, the laptop will work faster, and the battery life will practically not decrease, even if you reconnect the old HDD.
To install, the user will need a standard SSD and a drive adapter. The main installation steps include:
- Turning off the power to the laptop (by removing the battery);
- Open the back cover and carefully remove the HDD. In this case, the cable and power cord are disconnected;
Fig.6. Removing HDD
- Installing an SSD drive in place of the hard drive with connecting a cable;
- Installing HDD using an adapter;
- Returning the laptop lid to its place;
- Turning on the laptop and setting up the system.
It is advisable to install the hard drive back in cases where the system remains on it. Or, if the size of the SSD is not sufficient to accommodate all the necessary information, and the solid-state drive itself is used to store only system files and the operating system. At the same time, the data transfer speed of the optical drive is quite sufficient to support the operation of the HDD. But it will no longer be possible to ensure the effective use of SSDs in this way. Therefore, a standard laptop hard drive is inserted into the adapter, and the drive is removed - especially since today it is practically not used.
The adapter for connecting the HDD is selected according to the thickness of the drive, which can be equal to 12.7 or 9.5 mm. Next, the following actions are performed in turn:
- The drive is installed inside the adapter;
- The optical drive is removed from the laptop (in most models it is held on by one screw). To do this, you need to open the drive (usually it is enough to press a button with a thin needle inside a special hole on the panel in front of the button;
Fig.7. Drive opening hole
- The panel is removed from the drive tray and installed on the adapter so that replacement does not affect the appearance of the device;
- The hard drive in the adapter is placed in place of the drive;
- The screw that now secures the HDD is tightened.
After replacing the hard drive and installing the solid state, the system should automatically detect the type of new device and install all the software necessary for it. Another utility like Migrate OS to SSD may be needed if you need to move the operating system from an old disk to a new one. Now you can move on to the main steps to optimize the system. These include:
- enabling the TRIM function;
- disable automatic disk defragmentation;
- prohibiting indexing of files and allowing their caching.
The TRIM function, necessary in order to promptly detect the space remaining after deleting files, has been included in Windows since version 7. If it is disabled, disk performance will degrade over time.
Fig.8. Checking TRIM in Windows
To check the functionality of the function, open a command prompt as an administrator and enter the fsutil behavior query disabledeletenotify command. If the result is 1, then TRIM is not working. You can enable it by calling the line again and entering fsutil behavior query|set DisableDeleteNotify = 0.
Disabling defragmentation
Defragmentation is a completely unnecessary feature for SSD drives. Moreover, in some cases, frequent execution of the process can even reduce the life of the drive. To prevent this from happening, defragmentation is disabled using the Run menu (Win + R) and the dfrgui command. In the window that opens, schedule optimization is disabled.
Fig.9. Disabling defragmentation
Disabling indexing
To disable indexing:
- Open the “My Computer” window;
- Right-click on the disk name and select “Properties”;
- Remove the checkbox that allows indexing of file contents.
Fig. 10. Disabling indexing
Caching
You can enable caching, which allows the disk to process files faster, by entering the devmgmt.msc command in the Run menu. This will open Device Manager, where you can open the properties of the desired drive and enable file caching in the policies tab.
Fig. 11. Enable caching
back to menu
After installing a new disk, improvements in system parameters can be seen immediately after booting. Especially if the SSD is selected as the main drive and the system boots from it. First of all, the loading time is reduced, and secondly, the disk performance index increases almost to the maximum value.
However, in order for the disk to last as long as possible, you should adhere to certain rules for its use:
- to increase the resource on the SSD, you should leave at least 10–15% of free space;
- During use, you should make sure that the latest drivers for the drive are installed in the system. They are usually found on the manufacturer's website. Most often, with each new firmware, the number of drive capabilities is updated and its service life increases;
- Do not exceed the recommended amount of information rewritten in one cycle. For different SSD models, this volume reaches from 10 to 33% of the total;
- To check the disk resource, you should periodically run programs to detect errors and the number of hours already worked - such as SSD Life.
Read our other articles about SSD drives:
What is SSD - advantages and disadvantages
Setting up an SSD under Windows 10: Complete step-by-step instructions
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How to install an SSD on a laptop and computer
Installation of SSDs began to be installed on PCs and laptops not so long ago; the device purchased 1-2 years ago is most often equipped with a SATA HDD. This is not a bad option, especially if the latest SATA 3 interface is used, but the drives are not suitable for ensuring better system performance.
1. What you need to install an SSD drive
If the user wants to speed up access to information, he will need to: - buy an SSD of the required size and at an affordable price; in order to work with programs, the device only needs 60 or more GB of memory. If you use other, more capacious tasks, then you can think about a device of up to 500 GB or more.
- enable AHCI mode to be able to work with such drives, if this has not already been done; - disassemble your PC and install a “solid-state” drive into it. For a laptop, you will need to remove the old HDD drive when there is enough space in the stationary ones for an SSD. As a result, we will get: - Increased data processing speed; - Significant reduction in weight and power consumption (an important point for laptops); - Disk defragmentation is a thing of the past. 2. Install an SSD on your computer
Typically the size of such a disk is about 2.5 inches. There are also 3.5-inch ones, but they were installed only on laptops. Today there are only 1.8-inch SSDs left. Therefore, when installing them on a PC, you need to use various rails and slides - special devices for securing disks inside special compartments that are needed for regular disk drives and HDDs.
Install the disk: 1. Turn off the computer completely; 2. The power supply should be turned off from the button on the back;3. The power button either clicks out or is held in place for some time. This way, all static voltage will be removed from the motherboard and other parts; 4. Disassemble the PC case, you can remove one panel and continue disassembly;5. The SSD drive is installed in the right place; it is not necessary to remove the HDD from the PC; you can use slides and adapters, and also secure it with screws. Fasteners usually come with the disk.6. The drive should be connected to the motherboard via a SATA cable, “plugging” it into the desired layer on the motherboard. 
7. Now we connect the disk and the power supply;8. We assemble the system unit and configure the operation of the SSD drive. Maximum performance can only be achieved if the drive is connected to a special SATA 3.0 connector. On the motherboard, this connector differs from others in its color and markings. SSD drives are temperature sensitive. Therefore, for the proper operation and safety of such disks, it is best to take additional care of the cooling system. To do this, you initially need to know which cooler you will need, with a size of 80x80 or larger. The fan, as in the picture, will do an excellent job of cooling a solid-state, and even a regular drive. 
3. Setting up work
After the disk is installed, you initially need to configure your disk for better, optimal performance and further increase its service life: - Go to the BIOS. This is done in the same standard ways, by pressing the button from F2 to F12, Delete, etc. - Make the SSD disk on the device first if there are additional drives;
- Save changes, reboot PC. Now the entire system can be transferred to a solid-state drive. Or leave the old system if the SSD disk is not a system disk. When choosing “system transfer”, use special built-in Windows transfer tools for this, or do it using the Acronis True Image utilities. In the second case, the system will remain on the HDD; this disk should be the first in the BIOS boot list. 4. Installing an SSD on a laptop
Installing such disks on a laptop differs significantly from installing them on a PC. The first is different laptop cases, the second is a complete replacement of the old drive to install a new one. But thanks to such a replacement, the laptop will work several times faster, and the battery life will not be affected, even if the HDD is reconnected back. To install, the user needs to acquire a special SSD and an adapter for the drive.Basic steps for installation:
Completely de-energize the laptop, remove the battery; - Remove the HDD. The power cord and cable are disconnected; 
- Installing in place of the old hard drive, another SSD drive by connecting a cable to it; - Installing the HDD using the same adapter; - Assembling the laptop; - Setting up the laptop system after turning it on.
5. HDD installation
The hard drive must be installed back on the laptop in the case when there is still a system on it, or the size of the SSD is not so large in order to accommodate all the necessary information, and the SSD disk itself is used to store system data. Thus, the data transfer speed from the drive can easily ensure the operation of the HDD drive. But it will not be possible to ensure the operation of an SSD drive in the same way. - HDD Installed inside the adapter; - The drive should be removed from the laptop (most often it is held on by just one screw). To do this, you need to open the drive (this is done by pressing a special button through the hole in the drive).
- You need to remove the panel from the drive and install it on the adapter so that the replacement does not make “adjustments” to the appearance of the device; - The hard drive is installed in place of the drive in the adapter itself; - We secure the HDD with a screw. 6. System setup
After the HDD is returned and the SSD is installed, the system will automatically detect the type of device and install all the necessary software on it. You may need the Migrate OS to SSd utility if you need to transfer the OS from an old HDD to an SSD. Let's move on to the main steps to improve system performance: - enable TRIM; - disable auto-disk defragmentation; - disable file indexing and enable caching. The TRIM function is needed in order to find files remaining after deletion at the right time. If TRIM is disabled, hard drive performance decreases.
To check if TRIM is working, you need to enter fsutil behavior query disablelenotify into the command line. If the value is 1, trim is disabled. It is still enabled via the command line, but with a different command: fsutil behavior query|set DisableDeleteNotify = 0 Disable defragmentation
Defragmentation is not needed for SSD drives. It also reduces the speed of the resource. To prevent this from happening, you need to disable it using the standard Run program and entering the dfrgui command into it. 
Disable indexing - Open “My Computer”; - Right-click on the disk and select its “Properties”; - Uncheck the box that allows indexing. 
Caching Enabling caching will enable the disk to process files and information faster. This is done using the special “Run” menu by entering the devmgmt.msc command into it. After that, the device manager will open, where you can open the properties of the preferred disk and the ability to enable it permission to cache files. 
7. Prevention of disk operation
Once the new drive has been installed and configured, improvements in performance can be noticed immediately after the first boot. If an SSD disk is selected as the “main” drive, then the system will boot from it many times faster. Firstly, the boot time will change, and secondly, disk performance will increase to almost 100%.But in order for such an SSD disk to work for a long time, you need to adhere to the rules:
Leave less than 15% free space on the drive; - during operation, it is worth checking whether the drivers for the drive are updated. This is usually easy to do through the developers' website; - do not exceed the amount of information to be overwritten in one cycle. This volume for SSD drives reaches 33% of the total;
Systematically check your drive for errors and the number of hours worked using the SSD Life program.
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First installation and configuration of an SSD drive in a PC
For the initial setup procedure, I use an Acronis BootCD with Acronis Disk Director. Therefore, I advise you to first download and record it from this topic. You can use any other utility, but all screenshots and descriptions in this article will be based specifically on Acronis Disk Director.
Let's say you just purchased a brand new, fast drive for your pet (computer). The first piece of advice is to try not to damage the packaging (in the worst case, you might need it). Second tip - If you come from the cold, let the drive (HDD) warm up to at least above-zero temperature before turning on the power. Next, I will focus only on the SSD, but I will note that the process of setting it up is absolutely no different from a regular HDD.
We take the drive out of the box and open the side panel of the system unit. If you are installing a hard drive or SSD into a computer for the first time, I advise you to turn off the power from all installed storage media except the DVD drive (so as not to accidentally erase another drive during the setup process). We connect the SATA cable and power from the power supply to the motherboard and SSD. Often, an adapter from 2.5 to 3.5 inches may be included with the drive (for installation in the HDD bay in the system unit). I never use an adapter, because in my old case it is very inconvenient to remove the drive from the 3.5 HDD shaft. Therefore, I simply fix the SSD in parallel with the side cover of the system unit (This is not a hard drive, there are no parts moving at high speed, it is not at all it gets hot and therefore for an SSD it doesn’t matter at all what place and position it will be installed).
Close the side cover, turn on the computer's power and go into the BIOS settings (usually by pressing the DEL key after a short beep). // The following inscriptions and parameters may differ from mine, depending on the manufacturer and model of the motherboard. If you do not find an exact match, look for inscriptions that are identical in meaning.
- In the boot section we find the Hard Disk Drives parameter
- At number "1" we select our SSD
- There should be a second Boot Device Priority parameter nearby.
- In it, select the CD/DVD drive first
- Insert our boot disk Acronis BootCD
- Press "F10" to save settings and reboot
After the reboot, you will see a boot disk window with a selection of programs to work with. We need Acronis Disk Director (Screenshot 1).
After loading, the main program window will open, in which we will see our SSD with the inscription “Not initialized” (Screenshot 2). Select it and the “Initialize” item will appear on the left side of the window. Click on it and the “Disk Initialization” window will open (Screenshot 3). Select the partition scheme "MBR" and Type "Basic". Click OK.
Next, select our disk again and the “Create Volume” option will appear on the left (Screenshot 4). // If your drive has been used before and has not undergone Secure Erase, you will not be able to initialize it. In this case, select the disk and select “Delete volume” on the left and return to the fourth screenshot.
After clicking on the “Create Volume” section, a series of windows will open for you to configure its parameters (Screenshots 5, 6, 7). I'll stop at number seven:
- Volume size - the default will be the maximum allowed size
- Unallocated space in front of the volume - select 0 bytes
- Unallocated space after volume - set to minimum (1 MB)
- File system - NTFS
- Cluster size - Auto (or 4 kb)
- Volume label - C, or nothing
- Volume type - Primary / Active (if you install your SSD as a system drive)
After clicking the “Finish” button, we will return to the main program window (Screenshot 8). Select our created section and at the top you will need to click on the “Apply pending operations” button to save all changes. The “Pending Operations” window will open (Screenshot 9), which will describe step by step the plan for executing all the settings we have specified. We carefully read each line to see if everything corresponds to our requests, and then click the “Continue” button. After completing the procedure, close the program window and restart the computer to install the operating system.
When installing Windows, you do not need to format the disk. We simply select the partition we just created (Volume) for installation. At the following link you can get more information about installing Windows 7 on an SSD drive. After installing the system, do not forget to return to the BIOS settings and select your SSD as the main boot media (in the Boot Device Priority section). Well, it wouldn’t hurt to connect the other drives back either :-)
Thank you for your attention, I will be glad to hear all your comments in the comments, ICQ or email.
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How to install an SSD drive in a computer and laptop: step-by-step instructions
Solid state drives, which are popularly called SSD drives, are gaining more and more popularity every year. Their production is becoming cheaper, more and more affordable models are appearing in the store for customers, and the number of users who decide to install them is increasing.
Installing an SSD into a desktop computer or laptop is an excellent solution if you want to increase the speed of the operating system. It doesn’t really matter how fast the solid-state drive you buy; even the slowest SSD drive is tens of times faster than a standard HDD.
Having purchased an SSD drive, it is important to install it correctly. In this article, we will look at how to install a drive in a computer or laptop.
Please note: To notice the performance improvement from installing an SSD drive in your computer, you need to have an operating system on it.
How to install an SSD drive in a computer system unit
The procedure for installing an SSD drive in a desktop computer is almost identical to how to install an HDD drive, with the exception of small nuances. The main caveat is that a regular HDD for a desktop computer is 3.5 inches in size, while an SSD drive is 2.5 inches in size; therefore, to install the drive you will need a special adapter, which can be purchased inexpensively at any computer store.
In general, the process of installing an SSD disk into a computer system unit is as follows:
When all the steps described above have been completed, you can proceed to setting up the SSD drive. To do this, go to the BIOS and select AHCI mode for the installed SSD drive. If you plan to use an SSD drive for the operating system, install it first in the list of disks to boot and install the operating system (or transfer Windows from the old disk to the new one).
How to install an SSD drive in a laptop
Installing an SSD in a laptop is an extremely simple procedure that takes no more than 10 minutes if done correctly. The fact is that laptops are initially equipped with 2.5-inch disks, so no additional effort is required to properly secure the disk. All you need to do to install an SSD in a laptop is:
Once the SSD drive is in place of the HDD drive, you will need to install the operating system. This can be done from a flash drive or disk.
Please note: If your laptop has a CD/DVD drive that is not in use, you can remove it from the computer and install a special SSD mount in its place to use it without removing the main hard drive.
SSD is the latest generation solid state drive. Its development is a very important achievement for the development of computer technology. The main advantages of SSDs are high speed and long service life. Users use this storage medium to improve their computer when they want to increase disk processing speed and thereby increase PC performance. The installation process is not difficult in principle, but may raise questions for some people. We will tell you more about the steps of installing an SSD.
How to prepare an SSD for installation
Before you begin directly replacing the drive, you should prepare for the software and physical installation of the hard drive. The main SSD format is 2.5 inches. If the drive is replaced in a laptop, there will be no problems, since the standard connector is quite suitable for an SSD. But in a desktop computer there is a hard drive with a size of 3.5 inches. In this regard, you need to choose the right place to install the SSD. Another important element of its installation will be a special adapter, which has the interesting name “sled”. It will help fix the hard drive, which is smaller in size than the standard connector.
Since SSD has higher speed compared to HDD, it is wise to install it as a system drive. To do this, you need to install an operating system on it. It can be transferred from another drive or installed from scratch. For transfer, or rather cloning, you need to use special programs. Of course, cloning an operating system will take much less time than installing it from scratch. However, the second option will allow you to get a clean system.
Please note that SSD does not support the old IDE interface. Therefore, it will not be possible to install the disk on the motherboard using this type of connection.
Installation
SSDs are small in size, allowing them to be installed almost anywhere on the PC case. The best option would be to install it in a bay designed for HDD. The size of this compartment is 3.5 inches. To install this, you must complete the following steps:
After installation, reassemble the computer, close the side door, and run it to detect the new drive.
How to set up an SSD as a logical drive
If you turn on your computer with Windows installed, the new hardware will automatically initialize. Go to the Disk Management utility and format the SSD. There are three ways to do this.
The result of the first two options will be the same. Please note that the “WIN” key on the keyboard has the well-known Windows icon instead of an inscription.
You have the opportunity to split the new drive into several disks, and also change its name to any letter. After all these procedures are completed, restart your computer. Now you can safely fill the disk with all the necessary information.
How to set up an SSD as a boot drive
If you decide to install an SSD as a system drive, after setting up Windows on it and its location on the computer, you need to enter the BIOS. On laptops or computers from different manufacturers, different keys are responsible for this. This is usually F2, F10 or Delete. Start quickly pressing the corresponding button immediately when you press the PC power button.
If you have difficulty entering the BIOS, look for additional information in the instructions for your computer's motherboard. You can navigate through the BIOS menu in modern computers using the mouse. But in most cases, you use the up, down, left and right arrows on your keyboard to do this.
After opening the BIOS, find the “Boot” section at the top and go to it.
In the menu of this section, select “Boot Device Priority”. This setting is responsible for the priority memory device from which the operating system will boot. Accordingly, there you need to select boot from SSD.
To save the changed parameters, press “F10”. After this, the computer will restart. Now you can install or clone the operating system on the SSD.
The installation can be done from a boot disk or flash drive, and for cloning, use special software.
Connecting an SSD to a computer will not cause any difficulties and will allow you to carry out the upgrade yourself. An SSD can be installed in a laptop instead of a disk drive. If you install your operating system on an SSD instead of a HDD, you will notice a significant increase in PC speed and performance. This is undoubtedly a big plus for any user, especially for those who like to play games. Most people who switch to an SSD are happy with their choice and do not want to go back to working with an HDD.
(speed of operation, fault tolerance, low energy consumption, etc.)
Our reader Mikhail Ivanovsky noticed that even if the selected laptop model does not have an SSD, you can easily install it yourself. At the request of the editors, Mikhail wrote a simple and understandable guide for installing an SSD for a laptop.
While Windows was loading, you managed to forget why you turned on the laptop in the first place? So it's time to change something. And this “something” is not necessarily the entire laptop.
The reasons for slow loading may vary, but they all affect the speed of the system and installed programs. Only one thing can be said for sure - a system installed on a good old hard drive (HDD) is, in principle, incapable of breaking records. But don’t despair and stock up on glycine!
If previously few could afford a laptop with an SSD drive, today such models are becoming more affordable. Alas, manufacturers are not yet in a hurry to install them on all laptop models, since such an option will still significantly affect the price. Not everyone is ready to overpay for a laptop with an SSD, especially if the purpose of use does not go beyond the usual scope.
Especially for those who want to enjoy all the advantages of a system on a solid-state drive, but do not have the desire or opportunity to purchase a top-end laptop, we have prepared this guide. With its help, you will be convinced that installing an SSD with your own hands is not at all difficult (easier than assembling a chest of drawers from IKEA).
Moreover, the increase in laptop performance and the pleasure from the work done are not comparable with the effort expended.
There may be several installation options. It all depends on your needs, as well as the size and configuration of the laptop. Let's consider the most common case, when an SSD is installed in the standard place of a native hard drive (HDD), and that, in turn, in place of an optical drive. This configuration is recommended, since the interface for connecting an optical drive is not always able to provide the SSD with the required data transfer speed.
Whether we like it or not, CD and DVD drives in laptop computers are becoming an atavism and will probably soon disappear completely (as once happened with floppy disks and dinosaurs). Remember the last time you inserted a disc into your laptop? But the drive takes up space, periodically hums, consumes electricity, and even gets hot.
So, here's what we need for the upgrade:
- SSD standard size 2.5"
- Adapter for HDD\SSD 2.5" for laptop drive
- Utility for transferring system and programs from HDD to SSD
Let us only note that it is reasonable to use an SSD first of all to host the operating system and programs on it, and only then to store data. Therefore, it is logical to determine the volume based on the current load of your C drive, and take into account that for effective operation of the SSD you will need about 25% of the free space on the disk, so it’s definitely not worth taking “back to back”. For most users, a capacity of 80 to 120 GB will be sufficient.
Having decided on the volume, budget and based on reviews in online stores, choosing an SSD will not be difficult.
With adapters the situation is even simpler. Their purpose is to ensure comfortable placement of the SSD in place of the optical drive. You can take any adapter that matches the size of our SSD (2.5”) and the thickness of the drive (usually 12.7 mm, but in thin laptops it can be 9.5 mm). From time-tested options, you can choose Espada adapters.
Adapter
The installation process in general looks like this:
- Turn the laptop over and remove the battery
- We find the cover with the disk storage marking, unscrew the screw securing it (it may be hidden by a plug), remove the cover and carefully remove the HDD, having first disconnected the cable with the wiring
- We install our SSD in place of the HDD, insert the cable, return the cover and tighten the screw
- We install the HDD into the adapter and secure it to it with the screws included in the package.
- We find the screw (may be hidden by a plug) with the disk drive marking and unscrew it. In most laptops, this is all that holds the optical drive.
- Open the tray using a needle (the hole next to the button) and, holding the laptop with one hand, carefully remove the optical drive with the other
We take out the drive
- We remove the front panel with the button from the tray and replace it with the adapter so that the surgical intervention does not affect the appearance of the laptop in any way
Adapter with bracket
Everyone is here
- Insert the adapter from the HDD into the drive location and tighten the screw
- Don’t forget about the plugs, if there were any.
- Turn on the laptop
We install, follow its simple instructions and voila! Our SSD is ready to go. It's time to arm yourself with a stopwatch and, with bated breath, time the system boot time. Although the difference “before and after” will be noticeable to the naked eye. The system performance index will increase significantly, if not in the overall score, then in the “Main hard drive” column for sure - from 5.9 (the maximum possible index for an HDD) to 7.9 (the maximum performance index in principle).
In conclusion, it is worth mentioning one more important point. Since the operating principle of an SSD has its own specifics, to extend its service life and greater reliability, it is recommended to perform several optional but useful system settings. Windows 7 will already make friends with an SSD without any problems, but by taking a few minutes to configure it, you are guaranteed to extend its life.
Tips for optimizing the system can be easily found, for example. To begin with, we just wanted to convince you that anyone can install an SSD. We hope we succeeded.
Happy upgrades!
Mikhail Ivanovsky
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