Hi to all guys, I got SSD OCZ Vertex 3 where I wanto instal ONLY FSX, not operating system.

 

My actual system is:

 

C: OS Windows 7 (HDD WD Velociraptor 160G)

D: FSX (HDD WD Caviar Black 500G)

 

So I want to change WD Caviar Black with OCZ Vertex 3.

 

My question is: may I have to set something special settings under BIOS or Windows 7? or can I simply initialize OCZ Vertex 3 (now it's not yet mounted onto Windows 7, but only phisical installed), change drive letter to "D" (after changing Caviar Black's one) and copy fsx data files?

 

I repeat: I want only to use OCZ for FSX, not as boot operating system.

 

My MOBO is ASUS Rampage II Extreme.

 

Many thanks for your help,

Riccardo

No, unfortunately it isn't that simple. If the current fsx drive is smaller than the new ssd, then you can backup the drive with software designed to do that (if you google it you can find several freeware programs that can do it) and then restore the drive on the ssd from the backup.

If the hdd is larger than the ssd then I'm not sure. There maybe a way to partition the fsx bit and then backup/restore it but I don't know how to do that.

I've done it before when upgrading from 120gb ssd to 240gb ssd and it is all fairly easy. You should be able to find lots of guides when searching the net for "changing your hard drive".

Good luck!

 

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Thanks a lot for reply. So it's not so simple?

My SSD is smaller (120G) tham my HDD (500G)

 

I thought it was simpler, I would proced in this way:

 

1) mount SSD with Windows 7 Disk Management, where probably it takes letter F:

2) change D: letter of my WD500G with another one, suppose Z:

3) change SSD letter from F: into D:

4) copy all fsx folder and files from Z: (WD500G) to my SSD letter F:

 

do you think it works?

The size of the drives in question doesn't matter if you use the right cloning software. What matters is the size of the data on the drive that you want to clone from. If it doesn't exceed the physical capacity of the drive you want to clone to, you should be fine. So, how much data is on your 500GB drive? Is it less or more than the formatted capacity of your 120GB drive? (Windows should see that as about a 111GB drive) If you have enough space, you'll need to use cloning software like Acronis True Image or Symantec Ghost. You need to perform a drive to drive copy. You will want to do this from a bootable disk, not within Windows. Clone the drives, disconnect the 500GB drive, reboot and voila! That should do it. If you follow these steps exactly, everything should just work, no additional steps necessary. Let me know if you need further help.

Hey guys I used my method and all (for now) works perfectly.

Update: hey guys fsx runs well, but ssd is not properly conofigured imho because it not runs at maximum speed.

 

I tried to set ahci under bios but my system doesn't startup anymore.

 

I think it's mandatory to have ahci selected for maximum performance, so I think I have to reinstall OS on raptor and FSX on SSD from scratch with a clean install.

 

But no one use SSD as secondary and fsx dedicated disk? Any help?

HE said he wants to leave the C: drive with the OS alone... but replace the drive with FSX with SSD.

 

What is the problem again?

 

If I were to do this, I would just hook up the SSD and simply copy the FSX folder over to the SSD and then change the drive letters of the SSD to be the original fsx drive

 

Now, why wouldn't this work?

 

Manny

HE said he wants to leave the C: drive with the OS alone... but replace the drive with FSX with SSD.

 

What is the problem again?

 

If I were to do this, I would just hook up the SSD and simply copy the FSX folder over to the SSD and then change the drive letters of the SSD to be the original fsx drive

 

Now, why wouldn't this work?

 

Manny

 

Manny you are right, my method works fine.

 

My problem is that AHCI is not yet installaed on my system. And so my SSD runs slower than it should.

 

I have to install AHCI under Win7 (changing Regedit settings), change BIOS AHCI, install driver Intel Rapid Storage Technology and it should solve the matter.

 

I will update you later.

There is a registry key that needs to be changed in order to enable AHCI on a Windows 7 system. Google "AHCI Windows 7 registry" and you'll find instructions. For now, change the AHCI setting back and you'll be able to boot again. You might need to let the Windows Startup Repair run also.

Already done TechguyMaxC, all works fine.

 

This is my result on my Rampage II Extreme (SATA2) with OCZ Vertex 3, in your opinion is it good or can I gain a bit more?

 

There is a registry key that needs to be changed in order to enable AHCI on a Windows 7 system. Google "AHCI Windows 7 registry" and you'll find instructions. For now, change the AHCI setting back and you'll be able to boot again. You might need to let the Windows Startup Repair run also.

 

Prior to OS install, I'm assuming you simply enable AHCI in BIOS. Then reboot with OS media in optical drive, and go from there with the Win7 install?

 

Then, no registry change is needed -- correct?

 

Prior to OS install, I'm assuming you simply enable AHCI in BIOS. Then reboot with OS media in optical drive, and go from there with the Win7 install?

 

Then, no registry change is needed -- correct?

 

That is correct

Guys, pay attention: I'm using SSD not as boot disk, but only as FSX dedicated disk only.

Guys, pay attention: I'm using SSD not as boot disk, but only as FSX dedicated disk only.

 

It doesnt' matter if you boot from the SSD or from another disk, once you change the registry and reboot the system Windows will install the drivers to use it as a AHCI and the perfomance should increase.

If they seem to decrease than I suggest just a nice defrag. That's all ^_^

Yes Cloud you are right, here are my result:

 

Before AHCI registry modifing and ASUS driver installed (I've not installed Intel Rapid Store Technology, but driver from ASUS site specific for AHCI for my Rampga II Extreme)

 

 

After AHCI, driver installtion, and firmware upgrade:

 

 

do you think is good result? Consider is a VERTEX 3 (sata3) on sata2

 

Running FSX is more rapid and it seems a bit smoother in my opinion, but I have to do more tests.