Need help with multi-drive laptop solution

[KoolKaboom]

So I got a new SSD and planned on using it with my existing HDD in my laptop via replacing my optical drive with a drive bay. Installed everything and put a fresh install of win7 on the SSD, and I'm just checking to make sure everything went OK.

 

1. Should my second drive (the HDD) appear as an E: drive or should it be something else?

 

2. The monitor is not able to use the default resoltion anymore (it's 1600x900, but can only go upto 1024x768 now).

 

3. How should I transfer my data from drive to drive, by installing it fresh from the source or by transfering it over?

 

Sorry if these are basic questions, I have no experience in this and I find LTT to be the quickest and easiest way for a solution.

 

Specs:

SSD: 120gb 840 evo

HHD: Seagate 500gb 7200

Laptop: Alienware m14x r1

[TyagoDani]

So I got a new SSD and planned on using it with my existing HDD in my laptop via replacing my optical drive with a drive bay. Installed everything and put a fresh install of win7 on the SSD, and I'm just checking to make sure everything went OK.

 

1. Should my second drive (the HDD) appear as an E: drive or should it be something else?

 

2. The monitor is not able to use the default resoltion anymore (it's 1600x900, but can only go upto 1024x768 now).

 

3. How should I transfer my data from drive to drive, by installing it fresh from the source or by transfering it over?

 

Sorry if these are basic questions, I have no experience in this and I find LTT to be the quickest and easiest way for a solution.

 

Specs:

SSD: 120gb 840 evo

HHD: Seagate 500gb 7200

Laptop: Alienware m14x r1

1. Usually it's D: but it doesn't matter.

 

2. Have you installed the graphics card drivers?

 

3. Just copy -> paste it. For programms i recommend reinstalling.

[KoolKaboom]

1. Usually it's D: but it doesn't matter.

 

2. Have you installed the graphics card drivers?

 

3. Just copy -> paste it. For programms i recommend reinstalling.

OK, I was confised as I had never seen an E: before. My drivers for my gpu are on the other drive, so I'll copy them over with all of the other programs I need. I'll mark this as solved if it works

[TyagoDani]

OK, I was confised as I had never seen an E: before. My drivers for my gpu are on the other drive, so I'll copy them over with all of the other programs I need. I'll mark this as solved if it works

NO!!! That's not gonna work. You only copy stuff like photos, movies or documents. Do you have an Nvidia or Amd card on the pc?

 

EDIT: and btw if it's only a 120GB drive leave all of your stuff in that drive (500GB HDD) and just organize it. just install the OS and key programms on the ssd because it's quite small

[TyagoDani]

DON'T DO THAT!!!!

Download them and do a fresh install of the drivers!!!

exactly!!! the guy is not responding... i bet that he is doing that right now

[KoolKaboom]

Don't fear, I didn't do it, mostly because I couldn't. My laptop is not recognizing my gpu or integrated graphics, and is calling them both "Standard VGA Graphics Adapter". One of them is not working (the gpu, a nvidia 555m) and I can't install any drivers because they are not being registered correctly. Any suggestions?

[TyagoDani]

what comes to my mind is that you should install the iGPU drivers first.

[KoolKaboom]

what comes to my mind is that you should install the iGPU drivers first.

I'm trying that now

 

 

if you mean GT 555m -> http://www.nvidia.es/download/driverResults.aspx/70287/es

(It's in Spanish, but...)

Tried the automatic and default installer, neither worked unfortunately

[TyagoDani]

I'm trying that now

 

 

Tried the automatic and default installer, neither worked unfortunately

keep us up to date

[KoolKaboom]

igpu install was clean, need to do a restart though

[KoolKaboom]

SSD's' make restarting so much better...

 

So I'm now using my default resolution and everything, so the igpu is working fine now

 

The 555m is still not working though, I'm going to start working on that now

[TyagoDani]

SSD's' make restarting so much better...

 

So I'm now using my default resolution and everything, so the igpu is working fine now

 

The 555m is still not working though, I'm going to start working on that now

if it doesn't work with the official drivers from Nvidia try this ones: http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/04/Product/alienware-m14x

[KoolKaboom]

http://www.nvidia.com/content/DriverDownload-March2009/confirmation.php?url=/Windows/331.82/331.82-notebook-win8-win7-64bit-international-whql.exe〈=us&type=geforcem

Those are suposed to be for W7/W8 64 bit for a GT 555m

But talking about alienware, Didn't include a driver CD?

No, but it did come with a clean install of win7, which was pretty nice.

 

if it doesn't work with the official drivers from Nvidia try this ones: http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/04/Product/alienware-m14x

 

I'm currently installing the most recent driver from the GeForce website, if it doesn't work I'll try this.

 

Does anyone know how I can use Microsoft office now, should I be able to just copy it over without any codes or is there a more intricate process?

[KoolKaboom]

I just installed the GeForce drivers, and everything is working now. Thanks to everyone who helped!

 

Anyone have any advice on how to manage two drives well? I'm probably going to use the SSD for important and commonly used programs and the HDD for stuff like games, but is there a better way to do it?

 

Also, how do I get programs like steam to run when it's on my second hard drive?

[TyagoDani]

I just installed the GeForce drivers, and everything is working now. Thanks to everyone who helped!

 

Anyone have any advice on how to manage two drives well? I'm probably going to use the SSD for important and commonly used programs and the HDD for stuff like games, but is there a better way to do it?

 

Also, how do I get programs like steam to run when it's on my second hard drive?

what i recomend doing: organize your documents (photos, videos, important stuff on the hard drive and then delete the programms manually from it) and do a fresh install of the apllications you need. you can install what you use the most onto the ssd and the other stuff onto the hdd (just change the destination folder during the instalation process.

[KoolKaboom]

what i recomend doing: organize your documents (photos, videos, important stuff on the hard drive and then delete the programms manually from it) and do a fresh install of the apllications you need. you can install what you use the most onto the ssd and the other stuff onto the hdd (just change the destination folder during the instalation process.

That's my plan with most of the stuff, the only problem is that I have about 250gb of games on steam that a would prefer to not have to re-download if possible.

 

If anyone has a solution, feel free to share.

 

Thanks to everyone who helped today, I wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year!

[TyagoDani]

That's my plan with most of the stuff, the only problem is that I have about 250gb of games on steam that a would prefer to not have to re-download if possible.

 

If anyone has a solution, feel free to share.

 

Thanks to everyone who helped today, I wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year!

i think that you need to download them again but i'm not sure. you are better of just creating a new topic asking that.

merry christmas to you to and enjoy some gaming