Post Install - Samsung 840 EVO SSD

SSD and OS reinstall notes

1.  Installation of SSD hardware was easy (I followed the instructions of a YouTube video on my iPad while installing the SSD).

2. I found that I could NOT use my restore image that I created when I first received the laptop.  Apparently, it will not install onto the SSD because my image is bigger than the drive itself?  The image is stored on an 8GB USB drive, but throws an error every time I try to use it to install the backed up factory install onto the SSD.  I used AlienRespawn to create it (but never tested it).  I used the factory restore CD that came with the R3 instead (very slow process compared to installing from a USB drive).

3.  I had an issue getting the SSD drive to show in the Windows drive install option section of the OS install.  I installed the SSD in the Drive 1 slot, but initially it wasn’t showing at all.  I went into the BIOS and switched the drive setup from RAID to AHCI, then tried again and the SSD drive showed as Drive #1.

4.  Later, after the install finished, I installed the SSD management software.  I followed it’s optimization instructions and saw that it stated that the drive setup should be set to RAID.  When I set it back to RAID, the install would no longer boot up.  I even tried letting Windows repair it, but it could not fix the issue.  Granted, there’s a BIOS prompt when you attempt to switch between the two settings...it states that switching could make the system not boot back up.  Next time, I won’t follow Samsung’s recommendations, at least regarding this setting.  I’m reinstalling Windows 7 again as I type this.

5.  I noticed that with a fresh install of Windows 7, none of the damned network devices work...at all.  It looks like I might have to download them onto a USB drive from another system to get them installed onto the R3.  [This was actually rather easy to fix.  I just went to Dell’s site (they have a list of M17x software, listed by revision #, that listed the specific driver I needed for the ethernet hardware)...I downloaded it to a spare USB drive, transferred it to the R3, then installed it...I instantly had internet access.]

6.  I’m using the following URL for instructions (other FAQs and help guides for the R3 did not work):  http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware-17-m17x/562751-m17xr3-clean-install-ssd-instructions-recommendations.html  

This is the first one that worked.

7.  In hindsight, I could’ve bought Window 8.1 from Microcenter for $100 (but I was trying to cut costs). I do have a license for Windows 8 (and 8.1 was/is a free upgrade if you've v8 already), but I'd have had to download Win 8 again and I didn't want to spend any more time downloading, as I spent a great bit of time downloading all the damned security updates/patches for Win 7.

Some URLs of interest with this install:

• http://www.dell.com/support/troubleshooting/us/en/04/KCS/KcsArticles/ArticleView?c=us&l=en&s=bsd&docid=536193
• http://www.qca.qualcomm.com/resources/driverdownloads/
• http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/330-system-protection-turn-off.html

Bought a Samsung 840 EVO For My Laptop!

So, I've always wanted to install an SSD drive in one of my gaming rigs. Initially I wanted to install it on my main desktop gaming rig, but that system hasn't been stable in awhile and I've been almost totally reliant on my Alienware gaming laptop, so I decided to focus on using an SSD in that instead. Part of the problem is that the laptop is using 2 x 750GB Seagate drives in RAID0. No, it is not fast, but I have a crap ton of drive space. I did not want to lose any of that space, so in order for me to have an SSD, I'd have to go big. As well, the M17x R3 has issues with SSDs on drive 0 (of 0 and 1)...they had to nix the speed (so no 6GB/s with this drive in this system). I can go SSD on both drive slots if I wanted and even set them up in RAID0, but I wouldn't be able use SATA 3, only SATA 2. Dell has disabled SATA 3 in all BIOS versions over A08 for this system, also (I'm at A09...it's been like that since I bought it...I've had no reason to update to a higher version). So, I bought 1 x 750GB Samsung 840 EVO. I will break my RAID0 setup and replace the drive in slot 1 with the SSD (and I'll have an extra 750GB drive just sitting around, I guess...I can always throw it into one of my other laptops). I'll use the SSD for my games (BF4 and Arma 3, amongst others), and use the other drive as my data/archive drive. For now, I can live with bandwidth limitation. I can always reuse this drive if I decided to upgrade to an R4 or R5 later on. I'll post my OS reinstall experience a bit later.