Is it possible to add ssd disk to laptop. Why does a laptop need a small SSD, and is it worth installing Windows on it. By memory size

If you have long stopped using the DVD drive in your laptop, then it's time to replace it with a brand new SSD. Didn't you know that this is possible? Then today we will talk in detail about how to do this and what it will take to do this.

So, after weighing all the pros and cons, we came to the conclusion that the drive for optical discs- this is already an unnecessary device and it would be nice to put an SSD instead. To do this, we need the drive itself and a special adapter (or adapter) that will fit perfectly in size instead of a DVD drive. Thus, it will not only be easier for us to connect the disk, but the laptop case itself will look more aesthetically pleasing.

Preparatory stage

Before purchasing such an adapter, you should pay attention to the size of your drive. A conventional drive is 12.7 mm high, and there are ultra-thin drives that are 9.5 mm in height.

Now that we have a suitable adapter and SSD, we can proceed with the installation.

Disconnecting the DVD drive

The first step is to disconnect the battery. In cases where the battery is not removable, you will have to remove the laptop cover and disconnect the battery connector from motherboard.

In most cases, in order to remove the drive, you do not need to disassemble the laptop completely. It is enough to unscrew a few screws and the optical drive can be easily removed. If you are not completely confident in your abilities, then it is better to look for video instructions directly for your model, or contact a specialist.

Installing the SSD

That's all, our drive is ready for installation.

Now it remains to insert the adapter from the SSD into the laptop, tighten the bolts and connect the battery. Turn on the laptop, format new disc, and then you can transfer to it operating system with magnetic storage, and the latter is used to store data.

I will show you how to change a hard drive HDD to a high-speed SSD drive. Bought an SSD Samsung drive 850 Evo 250 GB. and installed it in my laptop. Then I installed Windows and all programs on a new SSD drive.

I bought my SSD drive Samsung 850 SSD EVO 120 GB SATA III on Aliexpress ... First I wanted to order such a Samsung 750 SSD EVO 120 GB SATA III (it is 120 GB and cheaper), but in the end I ordered it for 250 GB, although I could have gotten 120 GB. The Samsung 850 EVO SSD arrived after about 12 days (the fastest product that came from AliExpress).

The package is well packed and sealed with polystyrene foam. There is a plastic box inside, and an SSD disk in it.

Here are the specifications for this SSD drive. My tests of the speed of reading, writing at the bottom of the page.

1. Copy all the information you need from your disk

If you, like me, have only one place for a hard drive in a laptop, then first copy all the information from your hard drive to your external drive or on another computer. Or buy. So that you can then connect your removed HDD disk via USB and download everything you need to your new SSD drive from it.

Here is a visual video of this adapter.

2. Remove the hard drive and install the SSD

Turn off the laptop, disconnect the laptop from all wires, turn it over and remove the laptop battery. Now, on the back cover of the laptop, find the HDD inscription - this is the place where your hard drive is installed. On my Samsung NP-R560 laptop, it is on the bottom left. The hard drive is closed by a cover with two screws.

We unscrew these two screws that cover the laptop hard drive.

Remove the cover that covers the hard drive. There should be arrows on it indicating which direction you need to pull in order to move the cover.

This is my laptop hard drive. It has an aluminum lid to better dissipate heat and has a tab to make it easier to remove. Simply grab this tab and pull to the left to disconnect the hard drive from the connector.

Done, the hard drive is disconnected from the laptop and connectors. We lift it up and put it aside.

This is what a laptop looks like without a disk.

Now insert the SSD into the place of the HDD.

Gently insert it into place old HDD disk. I also put the aluminum plate from the old HDD on the new SSD.

Close the hard drive cover.

We tighten the screws of the cover.

Ready. Now we turn the laptop over, insert all the wires into it, put the battery back and turn on the laptop.

3. Install Windows on a new SSD

There is nothing on the new SSD disk and there is no OS (Windows) either, so now you need to install Windows on it. You will receive an error like this when you try to boot from a new SSD drive that does not yet have a Windows operating system.

Partition table invalid or corrupted. Press any key to continue ...

You need to insert your bootable USB stick and boot from it.

If you don't have a bootable flash drive yet, then it's time to make one.

Here is a video on how to configure BIOS for Windows installations from a bootable USB flash drive.

Now that there is bootable USB drive and boot from it, then we install Windows on a new SSD. We select our SSD, it will be marked as "Unallocated space on disk 0" and click "Next" and install Windows.

Copying starts Windows files, then preparing for installation, installing components, installing updates, finishing. The computer will restart several times. After the first reboot, you can remove the bootable USB flash drive.

If you have never installed Windows via BIOS, then you have a video on this topic for you.

After installing Windows on a new SSD drive, change the boot priority in the BIOS so that first Windows bootloader searched on an SSD drive. Although if everything is loaded and working, then you can not change anything already. I will go to BIOS, Boot - Boot Device priority.

And with the F5 or F6 key, I move the SSD disk to the very top, so that the boot sector on the SSD disk is first searched for, and then on the other disks, if it was not found on the SSD.

4. Comparison of speed of SSD with HDD and USB disks

By using CrystalDiskMark software 3, I measured the write and read speed of my HDD before removing it and replacing it with an SSD. The read speed from it was about 100 MB / sec. when reading and writing sequentially.

Now the main distinctive features fast computer is powerful processor, large volume random access memory and solid state drive. Nevertheless, many users, when selecting components for their new computer, find it difficult to choose: is it worth buying an SSD drive or is it still worth taking a regular HDD? A vivid example from life: a company and a system administrator ordered a batch of computers from a friend of mine, replacing the classic hard drive with a solid-state SSD. The question arose - did the sysadmin make the right choice in this situation ?!

Yes! The choice was made correctly and now I will explain why.

What is an SSD ?!

If we speak in a simple and understandable language for an ordinary user, then a typical SSD disk is essentially a large-volume flash drive using non-volatile NAND memory modules and connected via a high-speed SATA interface or PCE-Express.

Here are the main comparisons between SSD and classic hard drive:

Briefly summarizing the table, the SSD is light, fast, with little consumption, but at the same time it is expensive and still has a smaller volume for a reasonable price.

Does it make sense to buy an SSD ?!

To give an exact answer to this, you first need to decide what the user wants to get from the purchase ?!

Amount of information. Of particular relevance to the topic is the fact that now at the price of a solid-state drive with a volume of 240-260 Gigabytes, you can purchase an ordinary hard drive for 2-3 Terabytes. But do you need such a volume for a computer or laptop now? For an office PC, where work is mainly done with documents and projects, and everything important is stored on network drive, Terabytes are not needed in principle. Speed ​​is more important there.

For home use, two devices are usually bought at once: an SSD disk for use as a system disk, and a separate large-volume hard disk for file storage. Instead of the latter, removable external hard drives connected via USB are now often used. This option is especially relevant for a laptop. And if we take into account that the era has come cloud storage, then there is simply no point in storing such volumes of information on your PC or laptop.

The speed of working with data. Now let's talk about speed separately. Due to the use of a solid-state drive, your laptop or computer will load the operating system in a few seconds, launch programs and applications much faster, saving files and projects will be performed instantly!

SSD for gaming. But do not expect that the use of SSD-drive will make games "fly", as many novice users think. Using it will not increase the number of FPS in the game and the quality of the graphics will not improve. He is not able to influence this in absolutely any way! Network games will not accelerate either, since the speed there depends mainly on the Internet access channel. But cached files and data stored locally will be loaded much faster.

Reliability... Some time ago, solid-state devices were considered unreliable and there was information that they quickly fail, literally just after fulfilling the warranty period. Now the situation has changed for the better! SSD failures are much less common than failures with conventional hard drives. But the nature of these failures is much more insidious due to the fact that the SSD has a much higher number of unrecoverable errors and the data is practically impossible to recover in the future. By the way, these errors practically do not depend on the number of read and write cycles, which used to frighten users. In practice, I have never yet come across a disk that has run out of cycles. So we can assume that they are quite reliable.

Summary

So, if you have not yet decided for yourself whether to buy an SSD or not, then my verdict is unambiguous - it's worth it. These devices are fast and reliable, and the volume of 240-520 GB, in principle, is enough for any task. Yes, a little expensive, but the effect on the face! The future belongs to them. The era of conventional hard drives is gradually passing and the day is not far off when they will simply cease to be produced!

Installing solid-state drives by default on laptops and computers has recently begun, and a device purchased just 1-2 years ago most likely comes with a regular SATA HDD.

This option is also not bad - especially if the SATA III interface is used, however, ensure maximum performance with the usual hard drives incapable.

What you need to install an SSD drive

A user who wants to speed up access to information will need:

• • purchase an SSD with a suitable size and price (a 60–128 GB device is enough to work with documents and basic programs; for more resource-intensive tasks, you should think about buying a 500–1000 GB device);

• turn on AHCI mode to work with high-speed drives (if it has not been done before);

• disassemble the computer and install the solid state drive. For a laptop, in this case, you may need to remove the old HDD (for further installation using an adapter and a CD drive). Stationary PCs usually have enough space for an SSD.

As a result, the user gets:

1. Increasing the speed of working with data;
2. Reduced power consumption and weight (important for laptops);
3. No need to defragment the disk.

Tip: If your computer is old enough (single core processor, less than 4GB of memory, and a 5-6 year old motherboard), there is no point in installing a solid state drive. In this case, even updating the hardware will not help speed up the system. And you will have to change the entire device as a whole.

Installing an SSD on a computer

The standard size for a solid state drive is 2.5 inches.

3.5-inch versions were also produced, however, due to the fact that they were most often installed on laptops, only the smallest drives remained (including 1.8-inch and M2 formats).

This means that for installation on a PC, an SSD requires the use of so-called sleds, or rails - devices for securing the disk inside the bays designed for standard HDDs and drives.

And, although, due to the light weight of the solid-state drive, it weighs a little and can only be mounted on one side of the case of the system unit, you should not do this - it is safer to purchase a small adapter from 3.5 to 2.5 inches.

Disk installation is carried out in several stages:

1. The computer is de-energized;
2. The power supply is turned off using a button on the back of the system unit;
3. The power button is pressed and held for several seconds. In this case, a de-energized computer, of course, will not start, however, static electricity will be removed from the motherboard and other parts;
4. The PC case is disassembled (usually only one panel is removed for this, most often the left one, but sometimes you have to disassemble system unit almost completely;
5. The SSD is installed in place (for a PC, it is not necessary to remove the HHD that was already there) using an adapter slide and secured with screws. The hardware is included with the device;
6. Installed disk connects with motherboard via a SATA cable and the corresponding slot on the "motherboard";

1. The disk and the computer's power supply are connected;
2. Assemble the system unit and configure the SSD.

As a rule, the maximum speed of the drive will be ensured only when it is connected to a SATA 3.0 or higher connector at a speed of up to 6 GB / s.

On the board, it usually differs from others in black color and markings. In the absence of any designations for SATA 3.0, you should familiarize yourself with the documentation for the "motherboard".

It is worth noting that SSD drives do not tolerate high temperatures well.

Therefore, when adding a new drive, it is worth taking care of improving the cooling system.

For this, you can provide, for example, an additional 80 × 80 or 120 × 120 cooler in the side of the system unit.

Such a fan will perfectly cool not only a solid-state, but also a regular drive.

Setting up work

After installing the disc, first of all, you need to configure the media for it. optimal performance and increase the service life:

1. Go to BIOS (or UEFI) using one of the methods available in your operating system. The easiest way to do this for Windows 7 is by pressing the function key (y different manufacturers different letters are used on the motherboard or laptop);

1. Install the SSD disk first in the list of devices (if it is not the only drive);

1. Save changes and restart your computer.

Now you can either transfer the system to a solid state drive in order not to reinstall.

Or leave the old OS if the SSD will not be used as a system drive.

When choosing the first option, either the built-in Windows tools(they are in systems starting from version 7 and higher), or applications like Acronis True Image.

In the second case, when the system remains on the HDD, the same HDD should be left first in the boot list in the BIOS.

Installation on a laptop

Installing solid state drives on a laptop is slightly different.

First of all, due to the fact that there is less space inside the case of a laptop and, most likely, to connect a second drive, the user will have to remove the first.

But after installation, the laptop will run faster, and the battery life will hardly decrease, even if you reconnect the old HDD.

For installation, the user will need a standard SSD and a floppy drive adapter. The main installation steps include:

1. Power off the laptop (by removing the battery);
2. Opening back cover and neatly removing the HDD. This turns off the loop and the power wire;

1. Reinstallation hard disk SSD drive with loop connection;
2. HDD installation using an adapter;
3. Replacing the laptop cover;
4. Turning on the laptop and setting up the system.

HDD installation

It is advisable to install the hard disk back in cases where the system remains on it.

Or, if the SSD is not large enough to accommodate all the necessary information there, and the solid-state drive itself is used to store only system files and the operating system.

In this case, the data transfer rates optical drive enough to keep the HDD running.

And to ensure effective using SSD it won't work that way.

Therefore, it is the standard hard drive of the laptop that is inserted into the adapter, and the disk drive is removed - especially since today it is practically not used.

The adapter for connecting the HDD is selected according to the thickness of the drive, which can be equal to either 12.7 or 9.5 mm. Further, in turn, the following actions are performed:

1. The drive is installed inside the adapter;
2. The optical drive is removable from the laptop (in most models it is held by one screw). To do this, you need to open the drive (usually it is enough to press a button with a thin needle inside a special hole on the panel in front of the button;

1. The panel is removed from the drive tray and installed on the adapter so that replacement does not affect appearance devices;
2. The hard drive in the adapter is put in place of the drive;
3. The screw is twisted, which is now attached to the HDD.

System Setup

After replacing the hard drive and installing the solid state, the system should automatically detect the type of the new device and install all the software necessary for it.

Another utility like Migrate OS to SSD may be needed if you need to move the operating system from the old disk to the new one.

Now you can proceed to the main steps to optimize the system. These include:

• enabling the TRIM function;
• disabling automatic disk defragmentation;
• prohibition of indexing of files and permission of their caching.

The TRIM function, necessary in order to detect the space left after deleting files in time, is included in Windows starting from the 7th version.

If disabled, disk performance degrades over time.

To test the function, open a command prompt as administrator and enter the fsutil behavior query disabledeletenotify command.

If the result is 1, then TRIM is not working. You can enable it by calling the line again and entering fsutil behavior query | set DisableDeleteNotify = 0.

Disable defragmentation

Defragmentation is a completely redundant feature for SSD drives. Moreover, in some cases, frequent execution of the process can even reduce the resource of the drive.

To prevent this from happening, defragmentation is disabled using the Run menu (Win + R) and the dfrgui command. Scheduled optimization is disabled in the window that opens.

Disable indexing

To disable indexing, you should:

1. Open the "My Computer" window;
2. Click right click mouse on the disc name and select "Properties";
3. Uncheck the box to allow indexing of file contents.

Caching

You can enable caching, which allows the disk to process files faster, by typing devmgmt.msc on the Run menu.

This will open the Device Manager where you can open the properties desired disk and enable file caching in the policy tab.

Disk Prevention

After installing a new disk, the improvement in system parameters can be seen immediately after booting.

Especially if the SSD is selected as the primary drive and the system boots from it.

First of all, the boot time decreases, and secondly, the disk performance index rises almost to its maximum value.

However, in order for the disc to last as long as possible, you should adhere to certain rules for its use:

• to increase the resource on the SSD, it is worth leaving at least 10-15% of free space;
• in the process of use, it is worth making sure that the most latest drivers for the drive. They are usually found on the manufacturer's website. Most often with each new firmware the number of capabilities of the drive is updated and its service life is growing;
• do not exceed the recommended amount of information rewritten in one cycle. Have different models SSD this volume reaches from 10 to 33% of the total;
• to check the disk resource, you should periodically run programs to detect errors and the number of hours already worked - such as SSD Life.

Read our other articles on SSD drives:

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It's no secret that today many laptop owners no longer use standard built-in DVD drives, since the popularity of optical drives is decreasing every year, and they are being replaced by compact and capacious USB drives. And so that an unnecessary drive does not take up space in the system, it can be replaced with an adapter for connecting an SSD or a regular 2.5-inch HDD.

Instructions for installing an SSD disk instead of a DVD drive in a laptop

Before disassembling the laptop itself, you need to buy the HDD-DRIVE Caddy SATA-SATA adapter necessary for this operation, which in shape resembles a regular built-in laptop DVD drive and has a special niche with SATA connectors for connecting an additional internal drive. You can buy this device at low prices at trading platforms, such as Aliexpress, or in similar online stores.

You will also need a free 2.5-inch HDD to be installed in a free bay.

After everything you need is purchased, you can start:

Unplug your laptop, close the screen, turn it upside down and disconnect battery;

Using a suitable screwdriver, remove the protective plastic cover to expose the drive (the principle is the same for almost all laptop models and manufacturers).

Remove all fastening screws of the drive, and then carefully remove it from the case. This is usually easily done through its side bore;

For reference... In some laptop models, the DVD drive is secured with a single screw located under the keyboard. With this design, it is not necessary to remove the lower part of the case to dismantle it. It is enough to remove the fixation of several latches, lift the keyboard, unscrew the screw and remove the DVD drive in the direction of opening the tray.

Then you need to install a new SSD or HDD drive into the compartment of the purchased adapter, and place the assembled structure in the place of the previous drive. Do not forget to connect the power cable and screw back all the fixing screws;

Collect back part laptop in reverse order, install the battery and try to turn on the system.

For reference... The installed disk may not be detected immediately. It may need to be formatted through Disk Management. To do this, go to the control panel, select "System and Security", then click "Administrative Tools", then "Computer Management". The system will detect the new connected disk and right-click on it, you can easily format it to the desired one. file system and also give it a name that will be displayed in Windows Explorer.

That's all, we hope the article was useful and was able to explain to you how to properly connect an SSD / HDD instead of DVD drive in the laptop.