How to partition a new SSD and install Windows 7?

Hi Leo,

Are you trying to do the partition within windows or on a new SSD drive without the Operating System?

Method 1:

If you want to install Windows 7 on a new SSD, 120GB drive is enough to install Windows 7 on it.

I would suggest you to refer the articles and check if it helps.

Create and format a hard disk partition

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/create-format-hard-disk-partition#create-format-hard-disk-partition=windows-7

Formatting disks and drives: frequently asked questions

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/formatting-disks-and-drives-frequently-asked-questions

Method 2:

If you have not created any partition and wants to do it from the boot through a windows 7 dvd, try the steps and check if it helps.

1. Connect the SSD to the computer.
2. Power on the computer and get into the BIOS settings (For further information on your system's BIOS please refer to the computer documentation).
3. If the drive is NOT detected you may need to enable the SATA port.
4. Enable SATA AHCI mode (if it is supported).
5. Insert the Windows 7 installation DVD, make sure your BIOS is set up to boot from the DVD and boot the system.
6. On the Install Windows page, choose your location and language, click next and then click Install now.
7. At the which type of installation do you want? screen, choose Custom (Advanced).
8. At the where do you want to install windows screen the Windows 7 installation wizard will request from you the disk partition you want to install Windows 7 on. Select the SSD (most likely drive 0) and click next.
9. If the drive is NOT recognize you may need install SATA drivers provided by PC manufacturer or by the SATA card controller manufacturer.
10. Click next and proceed with windows installation.

Hope this information helps. Reply to the post with updated status of the issue to assist you further.

Thank You. I appreciate your help. I will install a120gb M550 MSATA with a WD 500GB Black (64mb cache) Both SATA III 6gbps with a WD BLUE 1TB archive drive. Into a Dell XPS9500 with 8GB ram. I have an unregistered Win 7 pro 64bit and will install on the Msata drive in a 60gb partition. I'll put Office 365 and maybe another frequently used program on the 2nd partition (60GB) on the MSATA. all remaining programs on the WD 500GB black and Put a copy of Win 8 on the 2nd drive while I'll use the WD 1TB for local bakups and backups to the network archive drives.

Will I have any difficulties with a copy of Win8 on the slave drive? I just want to make sure if one OS crashes I will still be able to run on the other and not have to go through this process again. I know a lot of engineers that put Ubuntu as a backup, but I am more familiar with windows.

Thanks,

Leo

Yes:

I plan on using a new formatted SSD (120GB or 240GB). I was told by some in IT that an SSD might fail if used for windows because of the constant rewrite especially with temp and swap files.

The partition info you list here is very helpful, thank you. I understand how to setup the Bios but your specific info will save a lot of time to do it right the first time.

I could take the easy out and use a standard Hard Drive. I have another computer that had the same Win 8 boot-autofix crash. I put an SSD (80GB) with only Win 8 os on it as primary boot drive and another WD blue 500gb for all programs as a slave and another 1TB WD drive as an archive. This setup runs flawlessly. It boots right up without any of the common Win 8 boot problems. I have also noticed that it seems to be more secure against maleware that execute code during boot. Not sure why.

Thank you so much for the direction. I will follow your suggestions.

Hi Leo,

It is possible to create a windows 8 on a slave disk, if two of them are  sata drives  and if they are installed on the same computer. Then we need to change the BIOS settings as to set one of them is master and the other is slave. Depending on which sata drive is master (we need to make that as the first boot).

Note: This is applicable only if you are not installing it on the domain and is installing drives on the same computer as the hardware configurations should match.

Hope this information helps. Reply to the post with updated status of the issue to assist you further.

Hi Leo,

Thank you for the reply with updated information.

Please try those steps and keep us updated on the status of the issue. I will be glad to help you further.