Faster hard drive ...

[Hum]

For no particular reason, I bought a faster hard drive for my main laptop.

 

a) Not sure if I should just Clone it [Windows 7 Home Premium]

 

b) Copy the Set-up partition, starting from scratch

 

c) Buy new Windows 7 Pro/Ultimate [$88 min.]

 

thoughts ... ?

[mduren2445]

my thoughts is clean install!!!   new registry, you know there is no critters(viruses or malware) hiding and you can take the crap you are not using off.  If 7 Home has met your needs why go pro?  I would go 7 Pro if I was networking or on a domain

[Hum]

^ Yes -- there have been past viruses, which I think I cleaned out.

 

Also some Registry flaws.

 

And I'd sure like to clear out the Office 2007 -- which messes with Windows Explorer.

 

 

Will take the most work to fresh Install from Windows Pro ...

[Hum]

Well, my first problem is how to get the external drive case open !

 

No obvious way, and Instructions do not explain.

 

Sabrent, model EC-TB4P :s

 

I finally got the external case open.

 

Used the tapping method on the Amazon web site.

 

The guy who designed this case is a saddist.

[T3X4S]

Well, my first problem is how to get the external drive case open !

 

No obvious way, and Instructions do not explain.

 

Sabrent, model EC-TB4P :s

arent there 4 screws on the sides ?

[Hum]

^ No, screws were out.

 

You add them after putting in the hard drive.

 

Even with no screws in, it's a pain to get the case open.

 

I held the top up-side-down, then cracked it on the bottom, on my knuckle. [ouch]

 

Eventually, the top fell apart.

 

I fixed the display light lens, which I foolishly pushed in, trying to open.

 

Kind of hard getting the screws in the case, so it won't fall all apart.

 

 

I have the drive NTFS formatted.

 

Downloading Windows 7 Pro .... I guess I can buy a Product Key on Monday.

 

These companies seem to be closed for the weekends.

[+BudMan MVC]

Confused - you talk about a faster hdd for your laptop and installing the OS.. But then you seem to be talking about taking apart an external drive case?

 

Your running/booting your laptop OS off an external usb disk??

 

Why I have to ask??

[Hum]

Windows 7 Pro downloaded.

 

.iso file burned to disk.

 

I'll give W7 a try out, while I wait to make sure that I will be buying a product key for 64-bit.

 

I may still decide to Install Ultimate -- really, just for the bragging rights -- haha.

[francescob]

Windows 7 Pro downloaded.

 

.iso file burned to disk.

 

I'll give W7 a try out, while I wait to make sure that I will be buying a product key for 64-bit.

 

I may still decide to Install Ultimate -- really, just for the bragging rights -- haha.

 

Why would you ever need Pro/Ultimate over Home Premium if you don't need to connect to an active directory?

[Hum]

^ dunno -- It can run Win XP mode.

 

That will be my excuse. :p

 

I really did not want to clone my Win 7 HP install to my new drive, and be haunted by possible problems.

[francescob]

^ dunno -- It can run Win XP mode.

 

That will be my excuse. :p

But Windows 8 comes with Hyper-V client that is much better than the old horrible Virtual PC.

[jasondefaoite]

Why would you ever need Pro/Ultimate over Home Premium if you don't need to connect to an active directory?

 

Bitlocker?

[francescob]

Bitlocker?

I doubt a laptop with Home Premium comes with a TPM chip.

[+BudMan MVC]

Um you can use bitlocker without TPM..  So not sure how that would be a problem - still confused on why anyone would want to install their OS on a laptop to an external drive?  What drive did you buy that is faster?  You linked to external case - not a HDD, etc..?  And why would you not just go SSD for your laptop if you want speed..  Can't see how using an external disk with a "laptop" makes for any sort of bragging rights no matter what OS you put on it - your going to look like an idiot with an external drive hanging off of it -- Oh thats my boot drive ;)

 

Might as well just put a handle on your desktop and tape a monitor to the side of it and use a car battery to power it ;)

[Hum]

Well, I am fully Upgraded now.

 

New faster drive.

 

And I went whole hog -- Installed Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit. :p

 

I wasn't too sure about buying a Product Key, from a Panama web site, with an apparently Chinese name, and a Scots CSR, charging euros. :wacko:

 

Key didn't work at Set-up, but I realized I would need to be connected to the internet.

 

So after I got most drivers installed, I activated on-line.

 

Genuine Windows 7.

 

Gone are the Registry problems.

 

There were only 196 Windows Updates to download ! :s

 

So for less than $100 I have a faster hard drive and the coolest flavor of Windows.

 

A good day indeed .... :cool:

[jasondefaoite]

Might as well just put a handle on your desktop and tape a monitor to the side of it and use a car battery to power it ;)

 

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[+Warwagon MVC]

Great. Did you give your laptop some SSD love?

 

When clean installing windows vista / 7 I do the following

 

On first boot I activate it then Install IE 11 (IE9 Vista) and then reboot

 

Then I install Dot Net Framework 4.5.2 After that's installed I check for Windows updates and install them.

 

Doing it in that order can save you some redundant updates.

 

If your laptop had a Home Premium Win 7 product key, not sure why you had to upgrade to pro, but oh well, glad you got it working.

[Hum]

^ As I said, I went with Ultimate -- for bragging rights, I suppose.

 

W7U wasn't much more than W7 Pro, so I thought, why not.

 

I'll give an SSD drive a whirl when I build my new, speedy desktop.

 

Hopefully Windows 9 will be decent enuff to use.

[Jason S. Global Moderator]

Why would you ever need Pro/Ultimate over Home Premium if you don't need to connect to an active directory?

iirc, Home Premium only supports up to 16GB RAM, so if anyone needs more than that...

^ As I said, I went with Ultimate -- for bragging rights, I suppose.

 

W7U wasn't much more then W7 Pro, so I thought, why not.

 

I'll give an SSD drive a whirl when I build my new, speedy desktop.

 

Hopefully Windows 9 will be decent enuff to use.

im not quite sure why you cut corners like this w/ the ext hd and some key from Panama... did you not have 7 before? was the ext hd that much cheaper than an OEM bare drive?

[taim]

iirc, Home Premium only supports up to 16GB RAM, so if anyone needs more than that...

im not quite sure why you cut corners like this w/ the ext hd and some key from Panama... did you not have 7 before? was the ext hd that much cheaper than an OEM bare drive?

I couldn't even use Neowin with 16GB. Congrats on the upgrades.

[+BudMan MVC]

I couldn't even use Neowin with 16GB.

:blink: what?

[+Warwagon MVC]

:blink: what?

 

Neowin was to awesome for his machine,.

[Hum]

iirc, Home Premium only supports up to 16GB RAM, so if anyone needs more than that...

im not quite sure why you cut corners like this w/ the ext hd and some key from Panama... did you not have 7 before? was the ext hd that much cheaper than an OEM bare drive?

Cut corners ?

 

I replaced the internal laptop drive and Home Premium.

 

I got a great Western Digital hard drive, and Windows 7 Ultimate, for cheap ! :p

[+BudMan MVC]

"I replaced the internal laptop drive and Home Premium."

 

Then why did you link to an external case??

 

"Well, my first problem is how to get the external drive case open !"  "Sabrent, model EC-TB4P"

 

You going on about a faster drive - but not once do you mention what you got?  Why anyone would put anything other than a SSD into a laptop is beyond me as any sort of upgrade today..

 

Maybe it's just me - but if I got a "new" something, I would mention that actual something - not some external case I was having problems getting open, etc.  So what is this faster drive you put in, and what did it have in before?  As to ultimate vs pro/home - unless your using any of the features that has over the cheaper versions - money wasted if you ask me.  Yeah sure you can brag that you wasted money ;)

 

I needed X, but Y was $$ for stuff I have no use for - so I got Y because I could ;)  Not something to be all that proud of if you ask me.

[+Warwagon MVC]

You going on about a faster drive - but not once do you mention what you got?  Why anyone would put anything other than a SSD into a laptop is beyond me as any sort of upgrade today..

 

He must have yet to use an SSD. Once you get the taste of SSD you never go back.

 

Every computer / laptop / tablet in my house has an SSD, my best count is I own 17+ SSD's :laugh: