Notebooks & Netbooks

[themadmax]

I installed an mSata and used the instructions from Lifehacker to try to make it my boot drive, but I am running into a problem: to make it the primary boot device I have to choose "legacy" in the bios, and then I get a boot error that the media is not bootable.  AcerForumer, what did you do to make this work?

Thanks!

[AcerForumer]

Nothing special actually... I let the bios with the default settings (uefi, etc.), booted from a usb key (where the install of win 8.1 was), chose to install win 8.1 to the ssd and that's it... The next time I booted the laptop, it booted from the ssd and no more from the 'mechanical' drive. I'm afraid that won't help you much. Good luck

[themadmax]

Did you clone the OEM windows to the USB, or a clean install?  I was trying to clone the HDD to the mSATA (plenty of room) but that could be the problem.  

Thanks!

[AcerForumer]

@themadmax, you're right, that's likely the difference: I made a fresh install, not a clone. Most forum threads advise to do it, depsite the extra-time it takes.

For other readers, a truly wonderful thing I discovered about the Crucial m500 serie ssd: contrary to many ssd with embedded encryption, m500 ssd are compatible with Microsoft eDrive (see: www.anandtech.com/show/6884/crucial-micron-m500-review-960gb-480gb-240gb-120gb/2 ). The advantages:

• full-security,
• virtually no performance impact (versus 10% to 28% for the well-know Samsung 840 Pro), and
• instant encryption of the drive whatever its capacity.

[themadmax]

@AcerForumer thanks so much!  Clean install worked like a champ so now I have an m500 with plenty of space and a 1TB to store even more.  Loving this computer.

madmax

[alan6101]

I just got the same drive for my R7. Great drive and some great deals on them at newegg lately.

[jra166]

How are you guys doing a clean install without a disc? 

[themadmax]

Here is what finally worked for me:

Make a recovery disk on a USB drive (acer has the software preinstalled) and also clone the HDD to another drive (just in case).  Install the mSATA and remove the HDD, restart the computer.  It lead you through the recovery process, but this time the install will be on the mSata instead of the HDD.  Once things are going well, reinstall the HDD and format it.  

madmax

[MDacerGuy]

I have the new model R7-572

can somebody please clarify this msata business?

so if i buy a msata,say 500gig. i can keep my 1TB that came with the computer?

but I want windows and all install programs to run off the mSata SSD of course

how do i get that to happen?

or if you buy a small msata SSD, its'll just act like a lil cache like it did in the R7-571?

any clarificiation is appreciated

[themadmax]

Threre is still an mSata slot unused, so you can have an mSata and the HDD