Upgrading Dell XPS 8700 desktop to SSD

Thanks so much guys..

My bad. I should have mentioned that I was planning to do a fresh install.

@tailor: I like Startech's products but the one that you mentioned is expensive because it is hot swappable, right?

Thanks tailoreddigital.. So apart from the Silverstone convertor (http://www.amazon.com/Silverstone-Tek-3-5-Inch-Converter-SDP08/dp/B002BH3Z8E), would there be anything else I would need?

I'm planning to remove the primary HDD from the PC and install this SSD instead. Would the same power and SATA cables that were connected to the HDD work just fine?

Perfect, thanks!

Would there be any Master/Slave Jumper settings?

Also I read somewhere that I have to enable "AHCI" in the BIOS before installing Windows.. I wonder how to do that.

Thanks again, Tailor Ed and Gary.

Ah! I forgot to check that.. Let me take a peek. If there are holes just screw the SSD to them without a cage?

If I had gotten the Samsung 840 EVO for the same price as the Crucial, would it be ok? : )

Did you mean this bracket (that comes up with the Crucial SSD):

SABRENT 3.5-Inch to SSD / 2.5-Inch HDD Bay Drives Converter (BK-HDDH)

"... If I had gotten the Samsung 840 EVO for the same price as the Crucial, would it be ok? : )  "  ==>  Sure.   The Samsung EVO's are nice units.    I tend to favor Intel and Crucial, but the Samsung units are also good drives.

Thanks again, Gary and noxcho.. :)

Do the connections look ok to you guys:




I'll wait to hear from you guys before I power the system.. Thanks so much again.

The connections are fine.    Time to install the OS :-)

... If you have a short straight-to-straight SATA cable I think it would look a bit better with the orientation of the SSD's connector (or a left-hand cable would work -- but from your picture I'd think straight connectors are best).   But the cable you're using is fine.   It's just a cosmetic thing as long as there's not too much pressure on the connector (and there doesn't appear to be anything hitting it).

Thanks a lot, Gary.. Ah, this is why you recommended straight cables..

Will swap them with straight cables when my Monoprice order arrives.

Thanks a ton for the help and comments.. Now, I'm counting how many SSDs I should buy to bring life to some of the old laptops that we have :)

I know this is a closed question ,but this system has a slot on the MOBO for MSATA.
Whole lot easier to install than a regular SSD.

Agree an mSATA would have been simple ... not really much easier, but certainly eliminates the need for any cables.      There appears to be a fairly long video card installed, which may have to be temporarily removed to install an mSATA  (and then replaced, since it would easily fit over the mSATA card) ... just depends on the exact clearances in that area, which aren't clear in the picture.

However, the mSATA port on this card is just a SATA-interfaced port ... not a PCIe => so there's no speed advantage, like there is on newer boards where these ports often support direct PCIe interfaces for the cards (clearly this also requires a card with a PCIe interface).