win 7 iso file ssd install

[440hsp]

ok guys. I have my ssd in hand and i just downloaded my windows 7 usb download tool. What i want to do is install my ssd. Then use my c drive as my secondary drive with all my programs on it. Install win 7 on my ssd and then uninstall the win 7 off the secondary drive. Where can i download my win 7 iso file from to use with the download tool? Will i still need to download drivers and update them even though that should still be on my secondary drive or am i confused on what to do?

[Myk SilentShadow]

Ok, you should just be able to use the tool to put the files onto your USB drive...there should be instructions on how to get it done. When you get it done, shut down your system, unplug it. Open the case then unplug the drive and hook up your new SSD and then proceed to follow the instructions on how to install from your USB drive and you should be right to go from there. When you have Win7 installed on your new drive, shut down and go through the procedure again, but this time just plug in your original drive and make sure you adjust your BIOS to reflect the new SSD as your 1st bootable drive.

That should be all there is to it

[PILGRIM]

Download the Windows 7 Home Premium ISO here: http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread...s-and-How-to-s
Save all needed drivers and apps on a separate drive (e.g. flash drive or the secondary drive on your G74).

Where exactly is your current OS installed, on the Primary or Secondary Drive?
If it's on the Primary Drive bay, just swap the SSD with it then do a fresh install.
You may also just leave the Secondary Drive as is.

[HiVizMan]

Use your OS disc. Simply point the USB tool to your OS disc. Press enter and done deal as they say.

[440hsp]

Thanks guys for your help. Pilgrim, all of my files are on my c drive and i mean everything. all of my other storage is empty. That's why i wanted to just
switch the OS to the ssd and leave everything else on my original hdd and just take out my hdd that's there right now. I don't know how to go into bios and change anything either. I've never been to the bios screen that i can remember so any help would be greatly apprecitiated. HIVizMan my G74 didn't come with a win 7 OS disc. I opened the box up to make sure and all that was there was the asus driver and utility cd and the recovery discs i made the first time i turned it on.

[dstrakele]

What you wish to do is somewhat problematic, i.e. moving or installing the Windows 7 OS to your SDD and leaving your programs on your HDD. If you install Windows 7 to your SSD, it will know nothing of the programs currently installed on your HDD. The reason for this is all but the simplest programs write information to the Windows 7 registry on installation that references drive locations. So those programs are tied by registry association in their current location to the Windows 7 instance currently installed on your HDD.

It is possible to use partition cloning software to move the Windows 7 OS AND associated programs to your SSD. This will retain the proper registry associations with the installed programs that are also cloned.

I've seen mention of utilities that could then move the cloned programs from the SSD back to the HDD, accounting for the necessary registry changes. However, I've never used one of these utilities and I can imagine the potential for problems.

If I was in your situation, I would probably just clone the HDD partition to the SDD and run both OS and applications from the SDD unless you have storage space constraints.

In a more complicated alternative, you could install a fresh copy of Windows 7 to your SSD, install the necessary device drivers, then install all the programs you use, choosing to install them to your HDD. The program's files will then be written to the HDD, and the registry associations referencing their location will be written to the Windows registry on the SDD.

[PILGRIM]

dstrakele is right. If you were to do a fresh OS install onto another drive,
you would have to re-install all your other programs to that new OS as well.

This would be a more painstaking way of doing it. But for me, it would insure
a more trouble free computer usage later.

[HiVizMan]

There is SSD migration software. But not sure you can move from a bigger hard drive to a smaller capacity SSD.

[440hsp]

i gueess i'll just use the cloning to move everything to the ssd and done deal. out of my c drive partition (279gb) of storage i have 115 gb free so my 256gb should be plenty. i just wanted to take full advantage of the ssd and not slow it down. i was also wondering something Dstrakele. i've never seen partitioning like this on a laptop. I'm coming from HP's. what is the sdata 1 and sdata 2 locations? it says i have 394gb free in d location and 349 gb free in each sdata location. Again i'm sorry if i" m asking dumb questions. Still learning.

[dstrakele]

The SDATA 1 and SDATA 2 partitions are just how ASUS divided up the space on your HDD's. You can choose to delete their partitioning scheme and divide the HDD up any way you choose. Just remember all data will be lost from any partition you delete, so if they contain important files, be sure to back them up first.

What you may need to do is go into Disk Management to shrink the OS partition down to the size of your SDD before you clone it. However, I believe some partitioning software will handle partition sizing for you during the clone operation as well. If BrodyBoy weighs in on this thread, I'm sure he can give you the poop...