MSi GT780 - Breaking RAID for SSD install

Hey all, I'm about to break RAID to install an SSD. I'm assuming I'll lose everything on either HD when I do it but I'm wondering about the best way to go about it. I plan on putting the OS and Star Wars TOR on the SSD. Just stinks I'll have to reinstall/update everything as I just got the laptop and have everything the way I want it

I also want to mention that the laptop didn't come with a Windows disc...how do I transfer the OS to SSD w/o having to buy a copy of Windows?

 

Texasrho83 I like the picture in your signature.It looks alot like my avatar.

You should have a sticker with a Windows 7 key under the battery if the notebook was shipped with Windows 7 preinstalled.

Now look at this post.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/msi...t780-gt783-owners-lounge-498.html#post8177509

Do a clean install for best results.Cloning is not recommended.

Using the restore partition installs the MSI out of date drivers and software.

 

do a clean install of windows using the original key provided under the battery. u can download windows 7 from microsoft website free of charge and use that to install. u can even install it from a USB drive, just copy the instalation files to a clean formatted fat32 usb drive. then download everything u need from msi website and use some kind of external storage to backup personal files.

also since u are integrating and SSD make sure u install its latest firmware before proceeding to restore backed up files.

 

bad advice....just about all the drivers on MSI's site are outdated.

The best method to make an installation disk is to unpack the Windows 7 ISO downloaded from Digital River using the Microsoft USB DVD Tool onto a USB flash drive.

 

Dude, your instructions are detailed and easy to follow but that's a sh!t ton of work and I still have to download and install all the software/programs I have on this thing. I know you don't recommend cloning but it looks a lot better to me.

 

Fellow forum dudes can only make suggestions....what you do on your notebook is entirely up to you.

 

I've done the same on mine! just turned mine to ACHI and installed intel 320!

what I'll assume that if I return to RAID and installed the old HDD's everything will return to the same ol GT780DXR! I'll return the old HDD tonight and see how things goes!

 

I second the setting up windows on a USB drive.

I added a folder with the MSI drivers, and Office as well.

in less than an hour I have my OS and drivers installed.

Spend more time doing windows updates really.


as far as imaging the drive sure, its an option but not all imaging software plays nice with SSD drives, and keeps the drive alignment intact.

You have to do careful research and make sure you choose a utility that supports SSD drives.

IMO a fresh install with a USB drive is the best option.

 

I went ahead and did a clean install of everything. I found a disc for Win 7 Home Premium and used the key that came with the laptop.

I originally cloned my hard drive to my external drive, but I couldn't get it to boot from the external drive. In addition, I can't see any files I had on my external drive now.

 

Usually, messing around with drive cloning ends up being more work than doing a fresh clean install anyway .

Did the cloning process to your external drive possibly format it first?

 

just save your important files to another hard drive or flash drive then do a fresh install. It wont take long on a SSD.