Any protips for Win7 Setup?

This will be the first time I install an OEM copy of any OS and was wondering if there were any serious faux-pas' you guys could advise against. I'm going to be booting Win7 x64 on a Crucial M4 64 SSD. Primary purpose will be gaming. Can provide system specs if necessary.

Are you currently running XP on the SSD or will it be a bare and clean drive?

SuperTuner12010 said:

Are you currently running XP on the SSD or will it be a bare and clean drive?

Click to expand...

Factory fresh

Id first make sure you have the newest firmware on the drive.

Take out any other drives you might be using. Install the SSD, make sure you are connected to a Sata III port on the mobo. Go into your bios, and for which ever port you installed the ssd to change it from Ntive IDI or IDE Mode to AHCI. Restart and boot from your dvd rom. Follow the install instructions. When it askes were to select the install you only have one drive installed. So just continue the install from there. Windows will take care of the rest.

Install the latest AHCI drivers for your mobo. Go to my computer, right click the drive and go to properties. Uncheck the Indexing option. Make sure defraging is disabled(windows should have done it already) but just check to be sure. From there you can install your sorage drive...

One thing that im not sure about, is if there is a difference between SATA II and SATA III cables. Physicaly they are the same. However I have been told the shielding used on the inside is different. Maybe someone could clarify wether it matters or not.

Then enjoy your new super quick SSD setup...

Also double check that AHCI has been activated in the registry of win7 as well i think the path is

H_KEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\iaStorV
H_KEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\msahci

In both of these folders Right click on Start and choose modify value then set this to 0

When you set your HDD mode to AHCI in Bios this should have already set itself but ive noticed on a few builds that it doesnt always do it depending on the board i think