Installing an SSD alongside HDD on GT725

I created this thread to show what is required to install an SSD as your primary Windows drive, and then have the original HDD as your data drive.

I purchased a Patriot Inferno 60GB Solid State Drive Patriot PI60GS25SSDR Inferno 60GB SATA II 2.5 inch Solid State Drive (SSD) with TRIM Support: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

..and a hard drive caddy to replace my Blu-Ray drive Optical Bay Hard Drive Caddy (OBHD-SATA12-BU) Universal, 12.7mm [OBHD-SATA12-BU] - $44.75 : NewmodeUS, Hard Drive Caddys for Notebooks



I then did a disk image backup of my hard drive (incase I need to restore it to its original state).

Before installing the hard drive caddy, I took out the original 500GB Hard Drive and installed the SSD in the primary hard drive position.



I had to do this as I required my Disc Drive to install Windows from a DVD. After I had installed Windows I shut down the laptop, removed the battery and held the power button down for 30 seconds.

I removed the largest panel (that houses the motherboard/cpu/gpu/ram etc and had to undo 1 screw before I was able to pull out the Blu-Ray drive.
(The screw hole is circled red in the picture)


I then pulled out the Blu-Ray drive. I had to unscrew a little bracket that holds it in place.


I then screwed the bracket onto the caddy, inserted the 500GB HDD into it and screwed the cover back on the caddy.


All I had to do then was slide it back into the slot where the Blu-Ray drive had been, insert the screw to hold it into place and then put the case covers back on the laptop.

The only slight problem I have now is that there is a gap under the hard drive caddy, as the front to it is smaller than the Blu-Ray drive. However this is only a cosmetic issue and does not affect it in any way. I will probably cut out a piece of plastic to cover it at some point.




After getting everything back together, I started up the laptop, went to Disk Management and reformatted my 500GB HDD and then moved My Documents/Music etc to the D: drive, so as to save space on the SSD using these instructions found on another forum (I did this for all of the folders in my user area):

1. Browse to C:\Users\<your user name> .
2. Right click My Documents .
3. Click Properties .
4. Click Location .
5. Type the path to the new folder.
6. Click Move .

Most applications let you specify the installation folder at the start of the installation procedure. You can create a Programs or Program Files folder on the HDD and use it.

Hope this is of help to some people who were considering upgrading to an SSD. It's a pretty simple process.


If any of you have questions, feel free to ask

Blazin

 

That's pretty much exactly the same procedure I had applied to my laptop ;-). Good work, respect for the effort, +rep .

PS.
There is no need to remove the bottom cover in order to remove the ODD .
You can also remove the front plastic from the caddy and replace it with the one from Your original ODD, so there will be no gap and the laptop will look like it still has the ODD .

 

Nice, although what do you do for the optical drive? It is a shame the GT725 only has one HDD slot.

I installed a 120GB OCZ Vertex 2E in my GT725 a few months ago. I've been running the old HDD in an external dock connected using the eSATA. It does make the laptop somewhat less portable though!

 

you can always try and put the optical drive in an enclosure

 

You can buy a external one... since nowadays optical drives are barely used. I think I use mine twice a year
Thanks for the review, I will consider this mod for my GT627

 

why did you remove the blu-ray??? i installed windows 7 using the stock blu-ray dvd rom :S

 

you can install it using a USB memory

 

Really?? I didn't think I could put the Blu-Ray Drive cover back on as it only has 2 clips on, whereas the caddy has 2 screws to keep it on. Cheers for the rep btw

I haven't used the Blu-Ray drive for installing anything for at least 6 months now, apart from ripping a couple of CDs (which I now do on a different laptop) and since having this laptop (for about 2 years I think) I have played 1 Blu-Ray in it. I have a PS3 to play Blu-Rays through my TV so it's not required, also you can get external USB/eSATA DVD Drives for under £30. Also, if you had read what I wrote, I said I left the drive in and installed Win7 from it, then I removed it and swapped it out for the caddy.

 

Nice one Blazin
Now , this might come in handy [slimSATA-USB-C07]

 

One question Blazin23... there are millions of OBHD models in that store, whith different connectors and bezels. Is the one you got the only one that fits in the GT725/627?

 

Here is what I have:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/har...e-using-optical-bay-caddy-36.html#post7012354

2.0 suggested it and it works great.
It has some holes on the bottom so you could screw the HDD into the caddy.

Only problem is that it's hard to take the caddy out of the GT627 once you put it in. Seems to be stuck on something and you have to use cardboard to push pins up. I still cant get mine out.

 

Mmmm and seems like it takes ages to arrive... The other one in the States comes to around 50€ with proper shipping, and I still probably have to pay custom taxes... not that easy to find that part

 

Well, I decided to order from newmodeus, since despite being the most expensive option doesn't take light years to arrive, is not a Chinese guy who doesn't even know what he's selling and it comes with an adaptor for the orginal bezel. Ordered an OCZ Vertex 2 120Gb as well, 179€ was very tempting

Thanks for this thread guys, I've been thinking about this option for a while but didn't have my mind clear. Can't wait for the parts to arrive

BTW, I'm gonna get also something like THIS, so I still can use the optical drive in an external and practical way

 

Just one question... Is there any problem if I plug the SSD inthe ODD bay? Because the HDD spins and could make some vibration, so it's probably better to keep it in a "proper" place, while the SSD doesn't vibrate and it doesn't get hot either

 

Nice job on the writeup. +rep

 

I just received my caddy from Newmodeus. Was kinda expensive, but it took slightly more than 3 days to arrive to Italy. I've done a "preview session" and everything seems to fit perfectly, I don't have that issue of the caddy getting stucked. I just need to wait a couple of days for my SSD and I'll upload pictures of the process