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Question

Installing SSD drive to replace onboard HDD

Sep 29, 2018 8:58AM PDT

My Dell XPS 8700 running Win 7 Pro is now 5 years old and although HDD health tests report no issues I am concerned about its age and thinking about installing an internal SSD 250GB drive to replace the conventional HDD. I have been looking a the Samsung 850 EVO but several questions arise:
1. my hard drive bays are 3.5 inches and the 850 EVO only comes in 2.5 inch mode. Are there frames to accomodate the bay size difference?

2. My understanding is that one must obtain a USB 3.0 cable that will allow transfer (cloning) of the onboard HDD contents to the SSD drive. Anyone have recommendations on these cables?


3. I have read that there are problems with Wi 7 and the SSD drive install and operation. Has any member experience with the install and use?

4. I have also read that some people keep the old HDD and use it strictly for data storage, phootos etc and use the SSD for the operating system, etc. Would that be workable or recommended?

Any insights and guidance would be appreciated - my computer knowledge level is between beginner and intermediate at age 86.

TIA, Frank

Discussion is locked

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Answer
1. Yes.
Sep 29, 2018 11:00AM PDT

Here I don't bother since unlike a HDD these small drives are light weight and in a desktop you don't have a lot of movement so in my old desktop just one screw and a tie wrap holds the drive in place. I don't think this is bad as it's been that way for years.

2. Here's the transfer kit I use. It works on USB 2.0 too.
https://www.amazon.com/Apricorn-Notebook-Upgrade-Connection-ASW-USB3-25/dp/B005C983NA
Works on desktops too.

3. You can google that but here, never had an issue over hundreds of clones. About the only thing we do is turn off the scheduled defrag as that's not required any longer.

4. Your choice. But keep the new SSD on the same SATA channel so that's your boot drive and then the old HDD goes on the next SATA. If the boot drive is on SATA 0, then the next drive goes on the next open higher number channel.

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Installing SSD drive to replace onboard HDD
Sep 30, 2018 6:11AM PDT

Many thanks for your kind response and input - very helpful

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Answer
Ssd
Sep 29, 2018 2:42PM PDT

Specs for the case call out an empty 2.5 bay.

When I put a ssd in this old machine....3.5 bay ....I just used a screw with a washer/lock washer.

Then all you need is a sata cable and a power cable for the ssd.

How much data is on the hdd?

There are more than a few clone utils..... here's what I use.

https://www.backup-utility.com/download-iso.html

Put it on a disc and boot it up.

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Installing SSD drive to replace onboard HDD
Sep 30, 2018 6:15AM PDT

Thank you Bob for your suggestions and input. Current HDD has numerous apps and programs including MY Documents files. Could you clarify and expand on your comment..." Put it on a disc and boot it up". Were you referring to the current HDD?

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Re: disc
Sep 30, 2018 6:36AM PDT

I think he meant an optical disc. That is: burn the iso to cd or dvd with, for example, imgburn (free download) then boot from that cd or dvd.

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Put it on a disc
Sep 30, 2018 1:39PM PDT

I was referring to the clone utility I gave a link to.

It downloads as an iso.

W7 has a built in iso burner which so far seems to work fine.

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Put it on a disc
Oct 1, 2018 8:34AM PDT

Thanks Bob and Kees for clarification on burning a clone utility. Learning curve is steep for we old timers, but with guidance from you and others I am gaining valuable information.

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That's partly why
Oct 1, 2018 8:41AM PDT

I share the information about a transfer Kit I use.