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anonymous2u
@centurytel.net

anonymous2u

Anon

[hard drive] New Hard Drive SSD? & Software Upgrade

Computer newbie here in need of help.

Bought my grand kids two refurbished Dell Optiplex 755, Intel Core 2Duo cpu E8200, @ 2.66 ghz, 32 bit computers, e/w 4gb ram & Vista Business os ( with recovery disks ) several years ago. Internal test now indicates one Optiplex has a dead hard drive.

Thinking about buying SSD with a Windows 7 upgrade license & installing it in the Vista computer.

Having read the Win 7 Questions @

»answers.microsoft.com/en ··· llation-

questions/6719ae72-7187-45cd-80f7-55e66f3ec686

am still not certain that I understand correctly.

I realize that the Vista os must be installed first on the new hard drive & then the Win. 7 os is installed.

Must I format the hard drive prior to installing the Vista recovery disk?

If so, how is formatting done? Is it from a good working computer's USB port or will the dead Optiplex recognize the new drive & allow it to be reformatted within?

Will I have to set up the BIOS prior to or after loading the Win. 7 os?

Or is it merely plug in the Win. 7 disk & pray?

Thanks much,
asdfdfdfdfdf
Premium Member
join:2012-05-09

asdfdfdfdfdf

Premium Member

If you have a recovery disk for that machine then it is intended to return the machine hard drive to the factory state that the machine originally shipped in.

You shouldn't need to do a separate format of the new drive. The recovery disks will typically format and reimage the drive, wiping anything presently on the drive.

Typically, you would change your bios to boot first from the cd/dvd so it loads the recovery disk set and then it will do what it needs to do to reimage the hard drive in the machine to the factory state.
Then, after it informs you that it has completed, you can remove the recovery disk and set the bios back to boot first from the hard drive.

All of this assumes, of course, that the hard drive is the actual part that has failed in the machine. The recovery disks are specifically designed to restore the machine if the hard drive has failed and the restore partition is no longer there or accessible.

anonymous2u
@centurytel.net

anonymous2u

Anon

asdfdfdfdfdf

many thanks that cleared up my doubts.

Would give you kudos but apparently anonymous posters cannot.

So, again, many thanks!
Thordrune
Premium Member
join:2005-08-03
Lakeport, CA

Thordrune to anonymous2u

Premium Member

to anonymous2u
You don't need to install Vista prior to installing 7. Just pop in the upgrade disc and install (DON'T put in the product key during the install!). If you have issues getting it to activate after the install, read the method 2 instructions here.

I've done that trick several times and it's worked perfectly each time.

Anonymous2u
@centurytel.net

Anonymous2u

Anon

n_w95482,

thanks for the link. Never having done this I assumed this was true:

'Can I do an Upgrade Install on a Clean/Empty Hard Disk

In order to install the upgrade version of Windows 7, you must have a qualifying Windows operating system installed and activated. You cannot install an upgrade version of Windows 7 on a blank hard drive. The installation procedure does not ask you to insert a Windows disc in the drive for verification, the actual qualifying operating system must be installed.

If you do not have a qualifying Windows operating system installed with a genuine license activated, then you cannot use the upgrade version of Windows 7 - you would need a "full version" Windows 7 license.

In summary:
1. A qualifying Windows operating system must be installed.
2. The qualifying Windows operating system must have a genuine license (product key) and it must be activated.
3. To upgrade, boot to the qualifying Windows desktop, insert the Windows 7 Upgrade disc in the DVD drive.
4. When the setup menu appears, select Custom (advanced) to initiate a clean install procedure, or Upgrade if you are doing an in place upgrade.'

»answers.microsoft.com/en ··· 6f3ec686

Can you tell me if a SSD will work in the Optiplex or point me in the direction of who can?

Thanks again
asdfdfdfdfdf
Premium Member
join:2012-05-09

asdfdfdfdfdf

Premium Member

"Can you tell me if a SSD will work in the Optiplex or point me in the direction of who can?"

It should. The system shouldn't view it differently from a hard drive. You should be able to replace any standard hard drive with an ssd without issue. Of course we could never promise that no one will ever have any problems.

The dell recovery software shouldn't demand a specific size, or model, hard drive.
Thordrune
Premium Member
join:2005-08-03
Lakeport, CA

Thordrune to Anonymous2u

Premium Member

to Anonymous2u
I used an SSD with an Optiplex 330 and it worked perfectly.

Before you install Windows on it, go into the BIOS (F2), go to Drives, then SATA Operation. Make sure it's set to AHCI. Once you do that, hit Esc a couple of times, save and exit, and install Windows.

Anonymous2u
@centurytel.net

Anonymous2u

Anon

Ok fellas, appreciate will look this weekend for a SSD & let you know how the sparks fly. (lol)

Thanks again

tscotty
Premium Member
join:2005-07-04
Ridgeway, MO

tscotty to anonymous2u

Premium Member

to anonymous2u
I have installed several ssds in Optiplex 755s without issues. The only thing is that the 755 won't take full advantage of the drive speed because of the chipset being SATA 2 instead of the faster SATA 3. Other than that you will be fine.