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I'm planning on upgrading my PC with an SSD. I currently have a 1 TB HDD, and I'm planning on installing a 512 GB SSD. I am also planning to do a clean slate install: I won't be transfering my current Windows installation. I haven't bought the SSD yet.

I have a few questions about this and since they're likely related, I found it easiest to ask them at the same time:

  1. My computer is currently completely disconnected while my bedroom studio is being renovated. I won't start the machine again before my room has at least had the floor placed, and I will clean it out on the inside first BEFORE starting it. Can I install the SSD immediately after cleaning out the PC, or do I need to at least boot it 1 time before installing the SSD?

  2. When should I format the HDD (which still has Windows on there)? Should I do it BEFORE I install the SSD and Windows, between installing the SSD and installing Windows on the SSD, or after installing the SSD and Windows?

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    @Ramhound Not entirely true. When someone has an older PC that was using a HDD, the SATA controller might be set to IDE mode. I always make sure to check that the BIOS is set to AHCI before doing upgrades like this.
    – Jason
    Apr 10, 2015 at 17:43
  • @Ramhound Not true. You can install a modern Windows OS on a new HDD in IDE mode (it's just not recommended). If you try the same thing on an SSD, it doesn't work.
    – Jason
    Apr 10, 2015 at 17:59

5 Answers 5

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  1. There is really no reason to start the PC before installing the SSD.

  2. For your convenience when installing Windows, you can install the SSD, install Windows, then install your old HDD (but be careful when booting!; be sure to select the right drive).

You will also want to format your old drive. This can be done by opening My Computer, selecting the old drive and clicking Format in menu.

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    I second the suggestion of connecting the old HDD after Windows is up and running on the SSD. All too often with multiple drives connected if you're not careful Setup might end up writing the bootloader to the wrong one (in this case the HDD), so at any point in the future if the HDD's removed the SSD will refuse to boot into Windows until a startup repair is carried out.
    – Karan
    Apr 11, 2015 at 0:08
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Aside form the fact that most of the question is entirely unnecessary, a Solid State Drive doesn't have any moving parts and isn't going to be a/effected by dust or the lack thereof. So yes, you can install it right after cleaning. 0.o

It really doesn't matter when you format the regular HDD if you want TRULY want a clean install. Format it before, after, during, it shouldn't matter if you don't need anything off of it.

The Computer Repair tech in me suggests WAITING until you've reinstalled the OS onto the SSD. All too many times I've heard people claim that "they want a clean install" but then ask where their MS Office, QuickBooks, Outlook (yes people still use this) data is.

Get it to around about where you want it by installing various programs/features/updates/etc... That way if the Windows OS has trouble activating you can still recover the Product Code, same applies to software you may or may not have purchased and is being stored on the HDD.

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No need to boot the computer after cleaning it especially if you aren't planning on keeping any of the existing data.

Just install the SSD. Boot the computer from your Windows 7 disk, format both drives, and select the SSD when you choose to Install it.

Or you can format the HDD after Windows 7 is installed on the SSD. It's completely up to you.

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I would ensure that:

  1. Your BIOS is set to, or changed to AHCI mode.
  2. That you install the SSD and Windows sooner rather than later, in the event you need to RMA.
  3. If you need all the space on the old HDD than wipe. Or you could just get rid of the old Windows or keep it from booting with Windows.old. At least at the beginning. You can then be sure you have a chance to keep anything you might need.
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  • If you change the BIOS to AHCI you also have to change the OS to AHCI. In regedit navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services. In the left pane, click on msahci, in the right pane double click on Start to modify it. In the window that opens change the value to 0 (zero), and click OK.
    – whs
    Apr 10, 2015 at 21:43
  • @whs: True, but he's going to install Windows afresh anyway.
    – Karan
    Apr 11, 2015 at 0:04
  • Right, but that does not mean that the key is set to AHCI. Usually it is set to 3 = IDE
    – whs
    Apr 11, 2015 at 0:11
  • @whs - I have found that Windows (7) to be pretty smart and sets this correctly with a fresh install. Now partition copy is another story, but the OP states a fresh install. :)
    – Carl B
    Apr 11, 2015 at 10:56
  • Best is to check it anyhow. I think default is IDE.
    – whs
    Apr 11, 2015 at 16:21
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If you don't care about transferring Windows/data, just pull the HDD, install the SSD and install Windows, done.

1) There's no technical reason to "boot the computer once" before installing the SSD.

2) Format the old HDD at your leisure. In general, as long as you're not using both copies of Windows, MS isn't going to care.

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