Windows 10: Adding an SSD

Hi everyone, haven't posted anything in a long while. Although I haven't got a problem per se, more of a technical question - I would like to add an SSD to my workstation that has a Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R motherboard but I'm not sure it's possible. I essentially would like to rebuild it with the OS (Windows 10) on the SSD and use my existing spinner disks as storage. Would anyone know, for sure, that I can do this, or is the motherboard too old (it's about 10-12 years old)? There are a number of SATA connections on the board but I wouldn't know which ones, if any, to use.

:)

 

Milestones

What's the next step after 250k?

I think we should have a list added to the origional post with all the milestones

 

SSD Crucial Bx 100 - rattling/vibrating. Possible?

This has been suggested several times already, and it has been suggested you try to move the SSD, remove it, or even suspend it in your case. Will you please try one of these?

If you don't understand vibration and resonance, please refer to @dorsetknob 's post above. *Smile It has been explained that something else moving/vibrating (even if you don't think they're vibrating they are...), fans, hard disk drives, and anything with a motor will cause some form of vibration at certain frequencies. This can be transfered through your case's chassis and where you mounted your SSD could be reaching a certain frequency that causes it to slightly move and rattle against the case.

We are suggesting you take action and report back..you keep asking questions from step 1...we should be on step 4 by now...that is solution.

Try what has been suggested and report back please. Otherwise all you're doing is leading this thread in an endless circle and the help will stop shortly thereafter.

*Toast :toast:

 

Cloning to SSD then swapping drive letters


@SamHobbs
What you want done is very simple and can be done in short period of time. Here's my suggestion:
There's 2 modes that Windows can be installed: UEFI and the old legacy MBR. Open Disk Management, look at the disk where your C drive is, if there's a

1. EFI System Partition, your Windows was installed using UEFI.
2. System Reserved partition, your Windows was installed using MBR

Next, Connect your SSD to an available Sata port (no need to format or do anything). Download: Macrium Reflect Free . Install and run. Follow the steps below:

1. From Macrium, click on image this disk under your C drive and save it to either an Internal or External Drive. This will create a single backup image of the whole disk containing your C drive.
2. Again, from Macrium, click on Restore tab and select the image created from step 1, Select your SSD as the destination drive, click Next->Finish
3. Exit Macrium. If your Windows was installed using MBR, Open disk management and make sure the SSD is marked "Active" else go to next step.
4. Shutdown your PC. Disconnect the HD containing Windows C drive then connect your SSD to it.
5. Reboot. Your PC should boot and the Windows should have C as the drive letter.

NOTE: The procedure above is to backup your Windows to an image file then copy it back to the SSD. This ensures proper cluster size aligment for the SSD. In addition, Macrium also perform Trimming for the SSD. This is more preferable than cloning.