Where is the ssd drive inserted? Lifehack. Connect the SSD drive to USB. Installing an SSD on a computer

To install and configure an SSD storage drive, you need to study the features of this type of drive that may affect these processes. One of its main characteristics is the limited number of cycles, both writing and reading, performed simultaneously. This is a fundamental difference from HDD that you need to know if you want to extend its service life. Therefore, before answering the question of how to connect an SSD, you should think about ways to optimize those operating systems that support this type of drive - Windows 7 and Windows 8. Using these methods, you can reduce the number of operations associated with writing and, as a result, , use your SSD much longer.

Installation and testing

To install the drive, remove it from the box and remove the side panel from the system unit.
To avoid erasing another drive, remove power from the installed media. After that, connect the SSD to the motherboard parallel to the side cover.
Then reinstall the panel and turn on the computer.

To prevent problems loading the OS or running the disk, there are some things you should do before installing the OS. The first is to check the firmware version of your drive. Programs such as AIDA64 or SSDLife will help you do this. However, before doing this, go to the BIOS and switch to AHCI mode. After this change, you can go to the manufacturer’s website and check for a newer version, which will need to be installed if necessary.

To configure Windows to work with an SSD, you must also disable unnecessary services. This can be done by temporarily disabling the hard drives.

Setting boot options

In BIOS downloads, find Hard Disc Drives and select your SSD first in the list.
In the Boot Device Priority parameter number 1, set the CD/DVD drive. After this, insert a boot disk such as Acronis BootCD and press the F10 button to save the settings and restart the computer. When you turn on your PC, select Acronis Disk Director
Highlight the desired SSD drive and initialize it by selecting "MBR" and the base type. Select it again and create a volume with the following parameters:

size – default;
unallocated space before/after the volume – 0 bytes and 1 MB, respectively;
file system – NTFS;
automatic cluster size;
label – C (nothing);
type – active/main.

Features of SSD settings

Services such as Prefetch and Superfetch need to be disabled. If your drive is correctly recognized by your computer, this may happen automatically.

However, it is best to make sure of this. To do this, open the registry editor by clicking the “Start” - “Run” - regedit buttons. You will see the line “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SYSTEM CurrentControlSet Control Session Manager Memory Management PrefetchParameters”, for which you need to set “EnablePrefetcher = dword:00000000” and “EnableSuperfetch = dword:0000000”.

After this, you should disable automatic hard drive defragmentation, which reduces the life of your SSD. This is done by opening Disk Defragmenter. Click "Start" and then select "All Programs", "Accessories", "System Tools" and "Disk Defragmenter". A window will open in front of you in which you need to disable scheduled disk defragmentation.

After installation, return to the BIOS and select the drive as the primary boot device. After this, you can use your computer to its full potential and, thanks to the use of an SSD, its technical resources will increase significantly.

mysettings.ru

How to install SSD on laptop and PC? Several reliable methods

Installing solid-state drives by default on laptops and computers has only recently begun, and a device purchased just 1-2 years ago is most likely equipped with a regular SATA HDD. This option is also not bad - especially if the SATA III interface is used, but conventional hard drives are not capable of providing maximum performance.

A user who wants to speed up access to information will need:

purchase an SSD with a suitable capacity and price (a 60–128 GB device is sufficient for working with documents and basic programs; for more resource-intensive tasks, you should consider purchasing a 500–1000 GB device);

enable AHCI mode to work with high-speed drives (if this has not been done before);

disassemble the computer and install a solid state drive. For a laptop, you may need to remove the old HDD (for further installation using an adapter and a CD drive). Desktop PCs usually have enough space for an SSD.

As a result, the user receives:

Increasing the speed of working with data;
Reduced energy consumption and weight (important for laptops);
No need to defragment the disk.

back to menu

The standard size of a solid state drive is 2.5 inches. 3.5-inch versions were also produced, but due to the fact that they were most often installed on laptops, only the smallest drives remained (including 1.8-inch and M2 formats). This means that for installation on a PC, an SSD requires the use of so-called sleds, or racks - devices for securing the disk inside bays designed for standard HDDs and disk drives. And, although, thanks to the light weight of the solid-state drive, it weighs little and can only be mounted on one side of the system unit case, you should not do this - it is safer to purchase a small adapter from 3.5 to 2.5 inches.

Fig.2. Solid state drive in a sled for installation on a PC

Installing the disk is carried out in several stages:

The computer turns off;
The power supply is turned off using a button on the back of the system unit;
The power button is pressed and held for several seconds. In this case, a de-energized computer will naturally not start, but static electricity will be removed from the motherboard and other parts;
The PC case is disassembled (usually only one panel is removed for this, most often the left one, but sometimes you have to disassemble the system unit almost completely;
The SSD is installed in place (for a PC, it is not necessary to remove the HHD already there) using a sled adapter and secured with screws. Fasteners are included with the device;
The installed disk is connected to the motherboard via a SATA cable and the corresponding slot on the motherboard;

Fig.3. Slots for connecting cables from drives with SATA interface

The disk and computer power supply are connected;
Assemble the system unit and configure the SSD.

As a rule, maximum performance of the drive will be ensured only when it is connected to a SATA 3.0 connector or higher at speeds of up to 6 GB/s. On the board it is usually distinguished from others by its black color and markings. If there are no designations for SATA 3.0, you should read the documentation for the motherboard.

It is worth noting that SSD drives do not tolerate heating to high temperatures. Therefore, when adding a new drive, it is worth taking care of improving the cooling system. To do this, you can provide, for example, an additional cooler measuring 80x80 or 120x120 in the side of the system unit. Such a fan will perfectly cool not only a solid-state drive, but also a regular drive.

Fig.4. Productive cooler for cooling the internal part of the system unit

back to menu

After installing the disk, you first need to configure the media for optimal performance and increased service life:

Go to BIOS (or UEFI) using one of the methods available in your operating system. The easiest way to do this is for Windows 7 by pressing the function key when rebooting (different motherboard or laptop manufacturers use different letters);

For more information about setting up a boot disk, read our material: How to reset a Windows 7 password - Instructions.

Install the SSD drive first in the list of devices (if it is not the only drive);

Fig.5. Installing the SSD as the first drive in the UEFI list

Save changes and restart your computer.

Now you can either transfer the system to a solid-state drive so as not to install it again. Or leave the old OS if the SSD will not be used as a system drive. When choosing the first option, you should use either the built-in Windows tools (they are available in systems starting from version 7 and higher) or applications such as Acronis True Image. In the second case, when the system remains on the HDD, the same hard drive should be left first in the boot list in the BIOS.

Return to menu

Installing SSDs on a laptop is slightly different. First of all, due to the fact that there is less space inside the laptop computer case and, most likely, to connect a second drive the user will have to remove the first one. But after installation, the laptop will work faster, and the battery life will practically not decrease, even if you reconnect the old HDD.

To install, the user will need a standard SSD and a drive adapter. The main installation steps include:

Turning off the power to the laptop (by removing the battery);
Open the back cover and carefully remove the HDD. In this case, the cable and power cord are disconnected;

Fig.6. Removing HDD

Installing an SSD drive in place of the hard drive with connecting a cable;
Installing HDD using an adapter;
Returning the laptop cover to its place;
Turning on the laptop and setting up the system.

back to menu

It is advisable to install the hard drive back in cases where the system remains on it. Or, if the size of the SSD is not sufficient to accommodate all the necessary information, and the solid-state drive itself is used to store only system files and the operating system. At the same time, the data transfer speed of the optical drive is quite sufficient to support the operation of the HDD. But it will no longer be possible to ensure the effective use of SSDs in this way. Therefore, a standard laptop hard drive is inserted into the adapter, and the drive is removed - especially since today it is practically not used.

The adapter for connecting the HDD is selected according to the thickness of the drive, which can be equal to 12.7 or 9.5 mm. Next, the following actions are performed in turn:

The drive is installed inside the adapter;
The optical drive is removed from the laptop (in most models it is held on by one screw). To do this, you need to open the drive (usually it is enough to press a button with a thin needle inside a special hole on the panel in front of the button;

Fig.7. Drive opening hole

The panel is removed from the drive tray and installed on the adapter so that replacement does not affect the appearance of the device;
The hard drive in the adapter is placed in place of the drive;
The screw that now secures the HDD is tightened.

back to menu

After replacing the hard drive and installing the solid state, the system should automatically detect the type of new device and install all the software necessary for it. Another utility like Migrate OS to SSD may be needed if you need to move the operating system from an old disk to a new one. Now you can move on to the main steps to optimize the system. These include:

enabling the TRIM function;
disable automatic disk defragmentation;
prohibiting indexing of files and allowing their caching.

The TRIM function, necessary in order to promptly detect the space remaining after deleting files, has been included in Windows since version 7. If it is disabled, disk performance will degrade over time.

Fig.8. Checking TRIM on Windows

To check the functionality of the function, open a command prompt as an administrator and enter the fsutil behavior query disabledeletenotify command. If the result is 1, then TRIM is not working. You can enable it by calling the line again and entering fsutil behavior query|set DisableDeleteNotify = 0.

Disabling defragmentation

Defragmentation is a completely unnecessary feature for SSD drives. Moreover, in some cases, frequent execution of the process can even reduce the life of the drive. To prevent this from happening, defragmentation is disabled using the Run menu (Win + R) and the dfrgui command. In the window that opens, schedule optimization is disabled.

Fig.9. Disabling defragmentation

Disabling indexing

To disable indexing:

Open the “My Computer” window;
Right-click on the disk name and select “Properties”;
Remove the checkbox that allows indexing of file contents.

Fig. 10. Disabling indexing

Caching

You can enable caching, which allows the disk to process files faster, by entering the devmgmt.msc command in the Run menu. This will open Device Manager, where you can open the properties of the desired drive and enable file caching in the policies tab.

Fig. 11. Enable caching

back to menu

After installing a new disk, improvements in system parameters can be seen immediately after booting. Especially if the SSD is selected as the main drive and the system boots from it. First of all, the loading time is reduced, and secondly, the disk performance index increases almost to the maximum value.

However, in order for the disk to last as long as possible, you should adhere to certain rules for its use:

to increase the resource on the SSD, you should leave at least 10–15% of free space;
During use, you should make sure that the latest drivers for the drive are installed in the system. They are usually found on the manufacturer's website. Most often, with each new firmware, the number of drive capabilities is updated and its service life increases;
Do not exceed the recommended amount of information rewritten in one cycle. For different SSD models, this volume reaches from 10 to 33% of the total;
To check the disk resource, you should periodically run programs to detect errors and the number of hours already worked - such as SSD Life.

Read our other articles about SSD drives:

What is SSD - advantages and disadvantages

Setting up an SSD under Windows 10: Complete step-by-step instructions

geek-nose.com

How to install an SSD on a laptop and computer

Installation of SSDs began to be installed on PCs and laptops not so long ago; the device purchased 1-2 years ago is most often equipped with a SATA HDD. This is not a bad option, especially if the latest SATA 3 interface is used, but the drives are not suitable for ensuring better system performance.

1. What you need to install an SSD drive

If the user wants to speed up access to information, he will need to: - buy an SSD of the required volume and at an affordable price; in order to work with programs, the device only needs 60 or more GB of memory. If you use other, more capacious tasks, then you can think about a device of up to 500 GB or more.

- enable AHCI mode to be able to work with such drives, if this has not already been done; - disassemble your PC and install a “solid-state” drive into it. For a laptop, you will need to remove the old HDD drive when there is enough space in the stationary ones for an SSD. As a result, we will get: - Increased data processing speed; - Significant reduction in weight and power consumption (an important point for laptops); - Disk defragmentation is a thing of the past.

2. Install an SSD on your computer

Typically the size of such a disk is about 2.5 inches. There are also 3.5-inch ones, but they were installed only on laptops. Today there are only 1.8-inch SSDs left. Therefore, when installing them on a PC, you need to use various rails and slides - special devices for securing disks inside special compartments that are needed for regular disk drives and HDDs.

Install the disk: 1. Turn off the computer completely; 2. The power supply should be turned off from the button on the back;3. The power button either clicks out or is held in place for some time. This way, all static voltage will be removed from the motherboard and other parts; 4. Disassemble the PC case, you can remove one panel and continue disassembly;5. The SSD drive is installed in the right place; it is not necessary to remove the HDD from the PC; you can use slides and adapters, and also secure it with screws. Fasteners usually come with the disk.6. The drive should be connected to the motherboard via a SATA cable, “plugging” it into the desired layer on the motherboard.

7. Now we connect the disk and the power supply;8. We assemble the system unit and configure the operation of the SSD drive. Maximum performance can only be achieved if the drive is connected to a special SATA 3.0 connector. On the motherboard, this connector differs from others in its color and markings. SSD drives are temperature sensitive. Therefore, for the proper operation and safety of such disks, it is best to take additional care of the cooling system. To do this, you initially need to know which cooler you will need, with a size of 80x80 or larger. The fan, as in the picture, will do an excellent job of cooling a solid-state, and even a regular drive.

3. Setting up work

After the disk is installed, you initially need to configure your disk for better, optimal performance and further increase its service life: - Go to the BIOS. This is done in the same standard ways, by pressing the button from F2 to F12, Delete, etc. - Make the SSD disk on the device first if there are additional drives;

- Save changes, reboot PC. Now the entire system can be transferred to a solid-state drive. Or leave the old system if the SSD disk is not a system disk. When choosing “system transfer”, use special built-in Windows transfer tools for this, or do it using the Acronis True Image utilities. In the second case, the system will remain on the HDD; this disk should be the first in the BIOS boot list.

4. Installing an SSD on a laptop

Installing such disks on a laptop differs significantly from installing them on a PC. The first is different laptop cases, the second is a complete replacement of the old disk to install a new one. But thanks to such a replacement, the laptop will work several times faster, and the battery life will not be affected, even if the HDD is reconnected back. To install, the user needs to acquire a special SSD and an adapter for the drive.

Basic steps for installation:

Completely de-energize the laptop, remove the battery; - Remove the HDD. The power cord and cable are disconnected;
- Installing in place of the old hard drive, another SSD drive by connecting a cable to it; - Installing the HDD using the same adapter; - Assembling the laptop; - Setting up the laptop system after turning it on.

5. HDD installation

The hard drive must be installed back on the laptop in the case when there is still a system on it, or the size of the SSD is not so large in order to accommodate all the necessary information, and the SSD disk itself is used to store system data. Thus, the data transfer speed from the drive can easily ensure the operation of the HDD drive. But it will not be possible to ensure the operation of an SSD drive in the same way. - HDD Installed inside the adapter; - The drive should be removed from the laptop (most often it is held on by just one screw). To do this, you need to open the drive (this is done by pressing a special button through the hole in the drive).

- You need to remove the panel from the drive and install it on the adapter so that the replacement does not make “adjustments” to the appearance of the device; - The hard drive is installed in place of the drive in the adapter itself; - We secure the HDD with a screw.

6. System setup

After the HDD is returned and the SSD is installed, the system will automatically detect the type of device and install all the necessary software on it. You may need the Migrate OS to SSd utility if you need to transfer the OS from an old HDD to an SSD. Let's move on to the main steps to improve system performance: - enable TRIM; - disable auto-disk defragmentation; - disable file indexing and enable caching. The TRIM function is needed in order to find files remaining after deletion at the right time. If TRIM is disabled, hard drive performance decreases.

To check if TRIM is working, you need to enter fsutil behavior query disablelenotify into the command line. If the value is 1, trim is disabled. It is still enabled via the command line, but with a different command: fsutil behavior query|set DisableDeleteNotify = 0

Disable defragmentation

Defragmentation is not needed for SSD drives. It also reduces the speed of the resource. To prevent this from happening, you need to disable it using the standard Run program and entering the dfrgui command into it.
Disable indexing - Open “My Computer”; - Right-click on the disk and select its “Properties”; - Uncheck the box that allows indexing.
Caching Enabling caching will enable the disk to process files and information faster. This is done using the special “Run” menu by entering the devmgmt.msc command into it. After that, the device manager will open, where you can open the properties of the preferred disk and the ability to enable it permission to cache files.

7. Prevention of disk operation

Once the new drive has been installed and configured, improvements in performance can be noticed immediately after the first boot. If an SSD disk is selected as the “main” drive, then the system will boot from it many times faster. Firstly, the boot time will change, and secondly, disk performance will increase to almost 100%.

But in order for such an SSD disk to work for a long time, you need to adhere to the rules:

Leave less than 15% free space on the drive; - during operation, it is worth checking whether the drivers for the drive are updated. This is usually easy to do through the developers' website; - do not exceed the amount of information to be overwritten in one cycle. This volume for SSD drives reaches 33% of the total;

Systematically check your drive for errors and the number of hours worked using the SSD Life program.

vgtk.ru

First installation and configuration of an SSD drive in a PC

For the initial setup procedure, I use an Acronis BootCD with Acronis Disk Director. Therefore, I advise you to first download and record it from this topic. You can use any other utility, but all screenshots and descriptions in this article will be based specifically on Acronis Disk Director.

Let's say you just purchased a brand new, fast drive for your pet (computer). The first piece of advice is to try not to damage the packaging (in the worst case, you might need it). Second tip - If you come from the cold, let the drive (HDD) warm up to at least above-zero temperature before turning on the power. Next, I will focus only on the SSD, but I will note that the process of setting it up is absolutely no different from a regular HDD.

We take the drive out of the box and open the side panel of the system unit. If you are installing a hard drive or SSD into a computer for the first time, I advise you to turn off the power from all installed storage media except the DVD drive (so as not to accidentally erase another drive during the setup process). We connect the SATA cable and power from the power supply to the motherboard and SSD. Often, an adapter from 2.5 to 3.5 inches may be included with the drive (for installation in the HDD bay in the system unit). I never use an adapter, because in my old case it is very inconvenient to remove the drive from the 3.5 HDD shaft. Therefore, I simply fix the SSD in parallel with the side cover of the system unit (This is not a hard drive, there are no parts moving at high speed, it is not at all it gets hot and therefore for an SSD it doesn’t matter at all what place and position it will be installed).

Close the side cover, turn on the computer's power and go into the BIOS settings (usually by pressing the DEL key after a short beep). // The following inscriptions and parameters may differ from mine, depending on the manufacturer and model of the motherboard. If you do not find an exact match, look for inscriptions that are identical in meaning.

In the boot section we find the Hard Disk Drives parameter
At number "1" we select our SSD
There should be a second Boot Device Priority parameter nearby.
In it, select the CD/DVD drive first
Insert our boot disk Acronis BootCD
Press "F10" to save settings and reboot

After the reboot, you will see a boot disk window with a selection of programs to work with. We need Acronis Disk Director (Screenshot 1).

After loading, the main program window will open, in which we will see our SSD with the inscription “Not initialized” (Screenshot 2). Select it and the “Initialize” item will appear on the left side of the window. Click on it and the “Disk Initialization” window will open (Screenshot 3). Select the partition scheme "MBR" and Type "Basic". Click OK.

Next, select our disk again and the “Create Volume” option will appear on the left (Screenshot 4). // If your drive has been used before and has not undergone Secure Erase, you will not be able to initialize it. In this case, select the disk and select “Delete volume” on the left and return to the fourth screenshot.

After clicking on the “Create Volume” section, a series of windows will open for you to configure its parameters (Screenshots 5, 6, 7). I'll stop at number seven:

Volume size - the default will be the maximum allowed size
Unallocated space in front of the volume - select 0 bytes
Unallocated space after volume - set to minimum (1 MB)
File system - NTFS
Cluster size - Auto (or 4 kb)
Volume label - C, or nothing
Volume type - Primary / Active (if you install your SSD as a system drive)

After clicking the “Finish” button, we will return to the main program window (Screenshot 8). Select our created section and at the top you will need to click on the “Apply pending operations” button to save all changes. The “Pending Operations” window will open (Screenshot 9), which will describe step by step the plan for executing all the settings we have specified. We carefully read each line to see if everything corresponds to our requests, and then click the “Continue” button. After completing the procedure, close the program window and restart the computer to install the operating system.

When installing Windows, you do not need to format the disk. We simply select the partition we just created (Volume) for installation. At the following link you can get more information about installing Windows 7 on an SSD drive. After installing the system, do not forget to return to the BIOS settings and select your SSD as the main boot media (in the Boot Device Priority section). Well, it wouldn’t hurt to connect the other drives back either :-)

Thank you for your attention, I will be glad to hear all your comments in the comments, ICQ or email.

rapidsoft.org

How to install an SSD drive in a computer and laptop: step-by-step instructions

Solid state drives, which are popularly called SSD drives, are gaining more and more popularity every year. Their production is becoming cheaper, more and more affordable models are appearing in the store for customers, and the number of users who decide to install them is increasing.

Installing an SSD into a desktop computer or laptop is an excellent solution if you want to increase the speed of the operating system. It doesn’t really matter how fast the solid-state drive you buy; even the slowest SSD drive is tens of times faster than a standard HDD.

Having purchased an SSD drive, it is important to install it correctly. In this article, we will look at how to install a drive in a computer or laptop.

Please note: To notice the performance improvement from installing an SSD drive in your computer, you need to have an operating system on it.

How to install an SSD drive in a computer system unit

The procedure for installing an SSD drive in a desktop computer is almost identical to how to install an HDD drive, with the exception of small nuances. The main caveat is that a regular HDD for a desktop computer is 3.5 inches in size, while an SSD drive is 2.5 inches in size; therefore, to install the drive you will need a special adapter, which can be purchased inexpensively at any computer store.

In general, the process of installing an SSD disk into a computer system unit is as follows:

When all the steps described above have been completed, you can proceed to setting up the SSD drive. To do this, go to the BIOS and select AHCI mode for the installed SSD drive. If you plan to use an SSD drive for the operating system, install it first in the list of disks to boot and install the operating system (or transfer Windows from the old disk to the new one).

How to install an SSD drive in a laptop

Installing an SSD in a laptop is an extremely simple procedure that takes no more than 10 minutes if done correctly. The fact is that laptops are initially equipped with 2.5-inch disks, so no additional effort is required to properly secure the disk. All you need to do to install an SSD in a laptop is:

Once the SSD drive is in place of the HDD drive, you will need to install the operating system. This can be done from a flash drive or disk.

Please note: If your laptop has a CD/DVD drive that is not in use, you can remove it from the computer and install a special SSD mount in its place to use it without removing the main hard drive.

1. What you need to install an SSD drive

If the user wants to speed up access to information, he will need:
- buy an SSD of the required volume and at an affordable price; in order to work with programs, the device only needs 60 or more GB of memory. If you use other, more capacious tasks, then you can think about a device of up to 500 GB or more.

- enable AHCI mode to be able to work with such drives, if this has not already been done;
- disassemble your PC and install a “solid state” drive into it. For a laptop, you will need to remove the old HDD drive when there is enough space in the stationary ones for an SSD.

As a result we get:
- Increased data processing speed;
- Significant reduction in weight and energy consumption (an important point for laptops);
- Disk defragmentation is a thing of the past.

2. Install an SSD on your computer

Install the disk:
1. Turn off the computer completely;
2. The power supply should be turned off from the button on the back;
3. The power button either clicks out or is pressed for some time. This way, all static voltage will be removed from the motherboard and other parts;
4. Disassemble the PC case, you can remove one panel and continue disassembling;
5. The SSD drive is installed in the right place; it is not necessary to remove the HDD from the PC; you can use slides and adapters, and also secure it with screws. Fasteners usually come with the disk.
6. The drive should be connected to the motherboard via a SATA cable, “plugging” it into the desired layer on the motherboard.

7. Now we connect the disk and the power supply;
8. We assemble the system unit and configure the operation of the SSD drive.
Maximum performance can only be achieved if the drive is connected to a special SATA 3.0 connector. On the motherboard, this connector differs from others in its color and markings.

SSD drives are temperature sensitive. Therefore, for the proper operation and safety of such disks, it is best to take additional care of the cooling system. To do this, you initially need to know which cooler you will need, with a size of 80x80 or larger. The fan, as in the picture, will do an excellent job of cooling a solid-state, and even a regular drive.

3. Setting up work

Once the drive is installed, you will initially need to configure your drive for better, optimal performance and further increase its lifespan:
- Go to BIOS. This is done in the same standard ways, by pressing the button from F2 to F12, Delete, etc.
- Make the SSD disk on the device first if there are additional drives;

- Save changes, reboot PC.
Now the entire system can be transferred to a solid state drive. Or leave the old system if the SSD disk is not a system disk. When choosing “system transfer”, use special built-in Windows transfer tools for this, or do it using the Acronis True Image utilities. In the second case, the system will remain on the HDD; this disk should be the first in the BIOS boot list.

4. Installing an SSD on a laptop

To install, the user needs to acquire a special SSD and an adapter for the drive.

Basic steps for installation:
- Completely de-energize the laptop, remove the battery;
- Removing HDD. The power cord and cable are disconnected;

- Installing in place of the old hard drive, another SSD drive by connecting a cable to it;
- Installation of HDD using the same adapter;
- Assembling a laptop;
- Setting up the laptop system after turning it on.

5. HDD installation

The hard drive must be installed back on the laptop in the case when there is still a system on it, or the size of the SSD is not so large in order to accommodate all the necessary information, and the SSD disk itself is used to store system data. Thus, the data transfer speed from the drive can easily ensure the operation of the HDD drive. But it will not be possible to ensure the operation of an SSD drive in the same way.

- HDD Installed inside the adapter;
- The drive should be removed from the laptop (most often it is held on by just one screw). To do this, you need to open the drive (this is done by pressing a special button through the hole in the drive).

- You need to remove the panel from the drive and install it on the adapter so that the replacement does not make “adjustments” to the appearance of the device;
- The hard drive is installed in place of the drive in the adapter itself;
- We secure the HDD with a screw.

6. System setup

After the HDD is returned and the SSD is installed, the system will automatically detect the type of device and install all the necessary software on it. You may need the Migrate OS to SSd utility if you need to transfer the OS from an old HDD to an SSD.

Let's move on to the main actions to improve the system's performance:
- turn on TRIM;
- disable auto-disk defragmentation;
- disable file indexing and allow caching.

The TRIM function is needed in order to find files remaining after deletion at the right time. If TRIM is disabled, hard drive performance decreases.

Disable defragmentation
Defragmentation is not needed for SSD drives. It also reduces the speed of the resource. To prevent this from happening, you need to disable it using the standard Run program and entering the dfrgui command into it.

Disable indexing
- Open “My Computer”;
- Right-click on the disk and select its “Properties”;
- Remove the checkbox that allows indexing.

Caching
Enabling caching will allow the disk to process files and information faster. This is done using the special “Run” menu by entering the devmgmt.msc command into it. After that, the device manager will open, where you can open the properties of the preferred disk and the ability to enable it permission to cache files.

7. Prevention of disk operation

But in order for such an SSD disk to work for a long time, you need to adhere to the rules:
- leave less than 15% free space on the drive;
- during operation, it is worth checking whether the drivers for the drive are updated. This is usually easy to do through the developers' website;
- do not exceed the amount of information being rewritten in one cycle. This volume for SSD drives reaches 33% of the total;
- systematically check your records for errors and the number of hours worked using the program SSD Life.

SSD drives are much faster than even TOP HDD models. But how to properly connect them to the system so that they work at full capacity and do not lose performance? And how do you know if it’s even possible to connect a solid-state drive to your computer?

SSD connection process

Almost all computers and laptops with SATA connectors can connect solid-state drives. The higher the interface version, the greater the potential of the drive will be revealed.

It is worth considering some nuances when mounting the disk. Their number depends directly on where you install the drive - in the system unit or laptop case.

Installation in the computer system unit

First of all, make sure there are free SATA cables and connectors in the case. If there are none, then you will have to disconnect any of the devices that use them (it’s good if it turns out to be an old hard drive). You can also try connecting some SSD drives to outdated versions of interfaces, for example, IDE. But in this case, only an insignificant part of the carrier’s capacity will be available, and it will not work quite stably/correctly.

Also note that there are new SSD models that no longer support correct operation with SATA 1 and SATA 2 interfaces, but can only work with the latest version. In general, it is recommended, whenever possible, to connect SSDs to SATA 3 connectors, since in this case the performance of the media will definitely be 100% maximized.

In total, installation work can be divided into three stages:

Disassembling the system unit;
Mounting the disk into a special slot;
Connection to the system.

The disassembly stage looks individual for each case. Typically, it is assumed to remove the side cover, which will be held on by screws and/or special latches. Some cases may require removal of two covers at once. You can find more information about disassembly in the instructions for your system unit, which should come with it. As a rule, there are no difficulties in disassembling.

If you have a case of a standard form factor, then it can be placed in a horizontal position for ease of working with its “internals”.

In the system unit, find special cells for installing media. They are often located near the front panel. The cells are quite voluminous and stand out from the overall design, so it’s difficult not to notice them. However, this creates another difficulty - if you do not have the most modern case, then it is unlikely to have special cells for an SSD inside, and the regular slots are too large.

Especially for such cases, special fasteners are sometimes included with the SSD. If these are not included in the kit, then you can buy them at any electronics store, or try to install the disk in the section for card readers. It is not recommended to try to fix the SSD using improvised means, or to leave it without fixing it at all, as otherwise you may damage the disk itself, or the cable may begin to come off while using the computer.

After the drive is fixed, you need to move on to the most difficult and important stage - connecting all the wires to the rest of the computer elements. The main difficulty here will be to avoid accidentally connecting the SSD to the wrong SATA connector. The fact is that modern motherboards can have several versions of SATA at the same time, and if you connect to the wrong SATA, the speed of the drive will decrease.

You can find the interface you need by paying attention to the notes. SATA 3 is marked with a color or a corresponding signature. If you don’t find any, you can always refer to the documentation that comes with the motherboard. There should be a detailed description of the location of each connector.

After connecting to the motherboard, all you have to do is power the SSD by connecting it to the power supply. To connect power, simply connect the appropriate cable (usually red) from the power supply to the SSD.

Turn on your computer and check how successfully the new device was detected by the system.

Connecting an SSD to a laptop

Everything here is much simpler than with a computer, since the number of actions is reduced to a minimum. First, you will need to find out if your laptop supports connecting an SSD drive. To do this, look in the laptop's specifications to see what type of interface is used to connect an already installed drive. If it is SATA, then everything is fine, but there is a risk that the SSD will still not work at full capacity (if SATA below version 3 is used as an interface).

Once you have made sure that the technical characteristics of the laptop allow you to connect an SSD drive to it, you can begin the installation process. To begin with, it is recommended to disconnect the laptop from power and remove the battery. Then you can disassemble the case. Some models are equipped with separate covers that allow quick access to hard drives and/or RAM. If you have just such a model, then you do not need to disassemble the entire case.

When you gain access to the hard drives, remove the old HDD. If you have a slot for an additional disk, then it is not necessary to remove the old one. Install the SSD disk into the free cell so that it fits tightly into it and also connects to the SATA connector. If you are unable to install it tightly, you will have to use special slides that come with the SSD or are purchased separately. You cannot leave the drive loosely fastened, as during operation it can simply become disconnected from the SATA interface.

After connecting the media, assemble the laptop and start it. Check if the system has detected a new device. If not, then perhaps you made a mistake somewhere, or did not connect the drive tightly.

There is nothing complicated about installing a solid-state drive in computers and laptops, so even a less experienced user can figure it out.

Often, when working with a PC, we encounter problems that we did not expect. For example, we don't know how to connect an SSD drive to a computer. It would seem that the matter is not at all difficult, but it requires care and correct actions. Therefore, if you decide to carry components or assemble a PC yourself, then you will need to know everything about such minor difficulties.

For what?

Upgrading your computer is always a responsible matter. Not all users are ready to do this. Firstly, you need to have a good understanding of components, understand the compatibility of different devices, and understand new products. Secondly, in addition to this, significant financial investments are needed, since the better the product, the more expensive it is accordingly.

In this case, everyone will need to learn how to connect an SSD drive to a computer. This is also necessary for those who decided to assemble a PC themselves, or for those whose hard drive “passed away.” There are a lot of instructions on this issue on the Internet, so let’s get started.

Peculiarities

Before we begin to understand this issue, we need to tell those who do not know anything about SSDs.

It is a solid state drive, which is a non-mechanical storage device. It is based on a memory chip. The device replaced the HDD. Although it is impossible to say so unequivocally, since many experienced users prefer to install both an HDD and a solid-state drive in their PC.

As a result, sometimes this device becomes the main one, replacing the place of the hard drive, sometimes auxiliary. In the second case, the system is loaded onto it, and personal information is stored on the hard drive.

Advantages

Now, not everyone needs to learn how to connect an SSD drive to a SATA computer, since most users still use this device in compact devices: tablets, etc.

However, it can also be installed in desktop computers because it brings additional benefits. Most importantly, it improves system performance. Compared to traditional hard drives, it is smaller in size and weight and has increased performance. Moreover, the speed turned out to be 6-7 times greater. Hence the high price for SSDs.

In addition, solid-state drives have begun to be integrated in pairs with HDDs to form hybrid hard drives. In this case, the flash memory became occupied by a buffer. Although, as mentioned earlier, sometimes it is used as a separate free space.

In addition, noiselessness has been added to the main advantages, since the device is non-mechanical and has no moving elements. Hence the high mechanical resistance. Files are read stably, without interruptions or jumps. Reading speed is close to the throughput of the interfaces.

Connection

So, how to connect an SSD to a computer? Installed using approximately the same method. Therefore, if you have ever encountered the work of a hard drive, then there will be no problems with a solid-state drive. The only difference is the dimensions. You will need to fit the smaller device into the correct slot.

Start

To start the procedure, of course, you need to turn off your PC. To be on the safe side, it’s better to do it completely unplugged. Don't forget to turn off the power supply as well. Usually the button to turn it off is located on the back, on the case.

Now you need to do the following operation: press and hold the PC power button for several seconds. This is necessary so that all the current that remains on the board and in general in the entire case disappears. This way you will de-energize all circuits and ensure your safety.

Depending on your goals, the next steps may vary. But in general, the connection principle is always the same.

Let's act

To understand where to connect the SSD drive to the computer, you need to get to the case. First you need to open it. Usually it all depends on its design. But there are always small screws to remove the left panel and get to the “insides” of the PC. There are cases that may have access to the ports from the other side, so here you need to act according to the situation.

If you are new to computer chassis design, you may have problems. But if you at least know what a hard drive looks like and can find it in a metal box, then half the battle is done.

Usually the hard drive is placed in a special compartment. There may be several of them in the case. Made specifically for 3.5 inch HDD size. This is where you need to place the SSD.

Because the dimensions are a little different, being 2.5 inches, you'll have to bolt it down pretty well. They usually come with the device. Recently, slots in cases for SSDs have become increasingly common. Therefore, perhaps the task will be simplified.

When the drive is secured and well fixed, you will need to figure out how to connect the SSD drive to the computer, to the motherboard. Here the matter is somewhat more complicated, since you will have to google it or figure out the interfaces.

Compound

Next you need to take the cable that came with the drive. You will find an L-shaped port on it. This is SATA. In addition to this, you must have a power cable. It usually looks like a bunch of wires.

First you need to connect the power cable to the connector from the power supply. Then we take the SATA cable and look for the right place on the motherboard. Usually there are few options. If the board has SATA III, then it is better to use this port. If this option is not available, connect to SATA II.

Now these two wires will need to be connected directly to the SSD. A power cable is placed in the wider connector, and a SATA cable is placed in the narrow connector.

Other options

Not everyone knows, but they have been releasing SSDs of the M.2 form factor for a couple of years now. Now these models are not uncommon. Many people prefer them. In addition, newfangled motherboard models began to be equipped with a special connector specifically for this form factor.

As a result, the situation led to the fact that we need to know how to connect an SSD M2 drive to a computer. It must be said right away that this model has many variations. Therefore, the connection may be slightly different. But the main point is that, unlike the previous option, we connect the solid-state drive to the motherboard not with wires, but with the device itself.

When you see the M.2 SSD in the photo, you will understand what the point is. It is not presented in a case, like the model described above. It is made of a small board containing memory chips. This board has special slots for installing them on the motherboard.

It is impossible to describe the connection for all cases, since there are really many options. But when you buy an M.2 SSD drive, you will have instructions that will tell you how to do it correctly.

Settings

Once you have assembled and connected everything, you can turn on the PC. While loading it, you need to call up the BIOS. Here you should look for the AHCI mode, which is responsible for the operation of the solid-state drive.

For example, you are going to load an operating system onto an SSD. But in addition to the new drive, you already have hard drives connected. Then you will need to prioritize the devices. To do this, we put the solid-state drive first in the list. We install the ability to boot the OS from a disk or flash drive.

If you need an SSD as an additional tool, then it will be enough to check that the existing hard drive is first in line. Otherwise, the system may simply not boot. You might want to move your OS to an SSD. In this case, after you have learned how to connect an SSD drive to a computer, you will need to perform a very extensive operation. This is a topic for another article.

Laptops

When you try all the above operations using your own example, you will realize that you even know how to connect 2 SSD drives to a computer. The main thing is that there is enough space on your motherboard.

But speaking about PCs, we need to remember that initially solid-state drives began to be widely used in laptops because they are compact. Therefore, you can additionally learn how to connect an SSD to a laptop.

Of course, it is better to consider this issue with each device model, since the cases are different, and, accordingly, the placement of the disk slot is also different.

However, the main thing is to decide where the hard drive is located in your laptop. Usually, to do this you have to turn off the device and open the bottom cover. Sometimes it is completely removable, sometimes you can unscrew the compartment panels. The railway station is usually located in one of them. If you can't find it, check your laptop's manual.

It must be said right away that HDDs in laptops are the same size as SSDs - 2.5 inches. In order to remove the hard drive, you need not just pull it out, but first pull it to the side. It is thus attached to the power and SATA connector.

Then it's a small matter - just install the solid-state drive. Don't forget to secure it with screws. Since laptops usually have one place for a hard drive, you will have to think in advance about how you will transfer the operating system: by cloning or a new installation.

conclusions

You need to find out how to connect an SSD drive to a computer in advance, and not when you have unscrewed, unscrewed and disconnected everything. Sometimes you have to make additional settings and think in advance about the location of the OS.

The easiest way to do this is when you need a solid-state drive only as an auxiliary tool. Then you just need to connect it to another compartment and connector. If you want to make it your main one, then you need to read the instructions for cloning HDDs and SSDs, configure and think through everything in advance.

If you are building a PC from scratch and decide to simply install a fast “colleague” instead of a hard drive, do not forget to configure the connection in the BIOS. It is important to set the special mode and priority of the drives.

I have already mentioned SSD drives more than once in my articles, saying that they are faster than regular ones and can be used to upgrade your computer. And it would seem that installing them is a trivial thing, what could be simpler, remove the old hard drive, install a new SSD , install Windows on it and rejoice, but in reality everything is not so simple. The fact is that in order to squeeze maximum speed from an SSD drive (otherwise why use it), you need to switch to AHCI (Advanced Host Controller Interface) mode in the BIOS. And this is where the surprises can begin...

So, I have an old computer that I decided to upgrade and install an SSD drive. I switched the AHCI mode in the BIOS. To do this, I went into the BIOS (press the Del or F2 button (there may be other keys depending on the motherboard model), when turning on the computer) in the "Main" menu and selected "Sata Configuration".

And in "Configure Sata as" I chose "AHCI"

I saved the settings, restarted the computer and started installing Windows. But that was not the case, an error occurred:

I started changing the BIOS settings, even updated its version , the result was the same - this error constantly appeared. In the end, I decided to select IDE mode in the BIOS and install Windows.
The installation was successful, then I decided to try switching back to AHCI mode in the BIOS, but a similar trick failed and Windows simply did not boot (in principle, I expected a similar result). Then I decided to do this - switch back to IDE mode, go into Windows and change the mode to ACHI in the registry editor.

Having returned to IDE mode, Windows booted successfully; now you need to make changes to the registry. To do this, open the registry editor - press the key combination "Win" + "R" and enter regedit.

In the registry editor, go to the path "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Msahci", find the "Start" parameter, open it by double-clicking. In the "Value" field, enter "0".

That's it, the system can be rebooted and AHCI mode can be set in the BIOS. As a result, everything worked, the SSD disk worked in ACHI mode. Windows booted successfully and worked many times faster than with a regular hard disk.

So, if your old computer has stopped pleasing you with the speed of its operation, installing an SSD drive, in my opinion, is the ideal solution. But we must not forget about the minimum size of RAM - 2GB and a processor, preferably 2 cores of at least 2 GHz.

I hope this article helped you avoid the mistake:

Installing Windows on this disk is not possible. Your computer's hardware may not support booting from this disk. Make sure that the controller for this drive is enabled in the computer's BIOS menu.

And it helped to upgrade your computer and increase its performance and performance.