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Re-install Window 7

idata
Esteemed Contributor III

I am using a X25M SSD with Window 7 on it and I have already use this for about 1 year. In this few weeks, the Window 7 is not very stable with some application run slow compare with the pass. I want to re-install the Window 7 on it.

Can I re-install O/S Window 7 on a SSD? Will it affect the SSD performance after the re-installation?

Thanks.

3 REPLIES 3

idata
Esteemed Contributor III

Of course you can reinstall Windows 7 on a SSD, but you really should prepare the SSD on another PC first. You would also need to have the Intel SSD Toolbox installed on the other PC so you can perform a secure erase on the SSD, which is an option in the Toolbox. The erase will result in the SSD performing like it is new (or so it is said.)

First you would perform a quick format on the SSD, simply to "remove" Windows from the perspective of the Toolbox, since it will not erase an SSD with an OS on it. You may need to remove any partitions on the SSD, as the erase function will not work if any partitions exist. There are directions to do this in the User Guide for the SSD Toolbox. Then you may perform the secure erase, which resets all the NAND memory in the SSD to it's cleared or ready state. It will then be ready for you to install Windows 7. The SSDs performance should be as good as new, with some wear on it of course due to the writes and erase, but that is unavoidable.

idata
Esteemed Contributor III

Am I to assume that Secure Erase is suggested for an image restore to a SSD?

So what is an easy way to do a Re-install/Image Restore if all you have is one SSD and one HDD (data only) installed. No access to another computer.

Thanks

Jim T.

idata
Esteemed Contributor III

Suppose one doesn't want to actually reinstall the OS but does want to reimage the drive to return it to a earlier "pre-problem" time...do you still need to do anything special to "prepare" it?

thanks