Replacing HDD with SSD

I have an Alienware m14x r2 and recently bought an SSD to replace the HDD as my boot drive. I think I might just want to do a fresh reinstall of Windows. My understanding is that I can swap out the HDD with the SSD, take a Windows install CD, use the Windows key on the tag on the bottom of my laptop, and install it (after making sure the boot order is all set in the bios). This should work fine, right?

Once I do this, will I need to reinstall all my drivers as well? Drivers & Downloads | Dell US I was glancing at the downloads page. I imagine the BIOS updates wouldn't be necessary unless I run into crashing problems, but will I need to install the rest of them as well?

Also, is stuff like Alienware Command Center included anywhere in those downloads or will that need to be downloaded separately? That's the only Alienware program I've really used since I've gotten the laptop, are there any other separate downloads I should really be looking at?

Sorry if these are really dumb questions, this is a little new to me

 

That is exactly what I did with my old HP dv6t. Fresh install of win 7, driver updates and it was running great. Amazing difference in speed.

 

Not dumb questions at all!

You'll really appreciate the speed boost your going to get with the SSD, it's like getting a new computer!
Yes, you really want to do a fresh install of Windows, and yes, you can use the key you have as long as you are installing the same version of windows.
Yes, you will need to download the drivers from Dell.
If you have the original drivers CD/DVD, use it first to make sure you can get the network drivers installed, just in case Windows does not have a driver for it. (probably not!)
you can either install everything from the CD/DVD, then upgrade to the newer versions from the Dell support site, or just download everything from the Dell support site and install.
You might even want to consider downloading the drivers BEFORE you perform the drive upgrade, and put all the files on a flash drive or burn them to a CD/DVD, that way if you have issues getting the network drivers going you'll have everything at hand already.

Good Luck, and let us know how it goes.

 

Thanks for the replies!

Yeah, I suppose I should've known drivers would need to be reinstalled. Any idea if I need *all* of them, though? Unfortunately, I don't still have the CD, so I'll use the website. I'm sure stuff like video drivers and chipset drivers are entirely necessary, but the number of network and SATA drivers in the link I posted seems to be a little...excessive.

 

Just go down the list and pick all that you either think you might need or know you will need. I just looked at them and a lot are hardware specific...especially the categories that give lots of options. If you know your computer is spec'd with certain things, like you systems wifi/bluetooth card or whatever, grab those drivers. Some are just the little add on programs that usually come stock when you buy the laptop. When I did mine HP I was pretty much in the same boat. Download the ones you know you need...especially the wifi ones unless you have a second computer handy that you can grab files if needed, and go for it. Things like the motion sensor driver you probably won't need. I'm pretty sure that's the program that parks your HDD to help save it in case you drop it. My HP had a program like that but with an SSD you obviously won't need it. All in all it was way easier than I though it was going to be and I got all the necessary thing up and running after going down the tedious list of drivers. The plus side, the 20 reboots it will make you do will be MUCH quicker with the SSD vs putting a fresh install on a new HDD.

Wait to see if you get more replies if you're still a little unsure about it. I'm sure there will be more awesome members that can give WAY better advise than me...I know they have helped me out a time or two.

 

You will need only the ones that match the components that your machine has. If there are 2 different network drivers you need to find out which one you have and download only that one.

 

Easiest way would be to just create and use the AlienRespawn recovery dvd's on your new ssd

 

Slightly off topic, but as your questions have been answered, what SSD did you end up with?