Advice on SSD/Windows 7/BIOS Upgrade (EP45-UD3P) Please

[SCTony]

Thanks for any input. I have an EP45-UD3P rev 1.0 BIOS 7 running Win XP Home (32 bit) on a raid 0 drive setup. I recently purchased an SSD as well as Win 7 Pro (64 bit). I am looking for advice on the order I should install/update. I need to update my BIOS, install the SSD, and install Win 7. What will give me the 'cleanest' install? I think I should disconnect everything except the SSD when installing Win 7. Would it make much difference if I installed the SSD under XP to make sure it works and has latest firmware? Once I do get Win 7 installed on the SSD, shouldn't I be able to reconfigure the raid setup so it is seen by the new OS?
This site was a great help when I built my computer about a year ago. Thanks and have a great day!

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Advice on SSD/Windows 7/BIOS Upgrade (EP45-UD3P) Please

Sounds like a good plan to me, I mean that is the way I would suggest to do it as well.

No need to install the SSD under XP, and if you want to update the firmware you can do that before you install any OS to it, which would be suggested anyway.

Yes you will be able to have your raid Array too, you must install the SSD in RAID mode though and install the RAID Driver during the install.

What is on this RAID you are concerned about? You should of course make a backup before you do anything if you need any data on the array.

I mention this because while it is possible to had a single SSD (NON-RAID Member) with BIOS set to RAID and have an additional RAID Array, you will be moving your RAID array which sometimes can mess it up.

That actually may happen no matter what, so I do suggest you back it up, because normally your array needs to stay in the same ports (Same disk in same ports) you install it on such as SATA2_0/1, but you want to put your SSD on SATA2_0 now so you would be moving your array.

You may be ok leaving it if you want to be sure and have no where to backup the data to. Leave your array where it is is now and just add in your SSD, but be sure before you install win 7 that you move your SSD to the top of the hard drive boot priority list in the BIOS.

[SCTony]

Re: Advice on SSD/Windows 7/BIOS Upgrade (EP45-UD3P) Please

Thanks Lsdmeasap. It is good to know that relocating the raid might corrupt it. I have a lot of camera pics/sound files on the raid disk that I didn't want to have to copy, but now I think I will and just rebuild the raid disk anew. When I flash the BIOS does it automatically flash both copies or do I need to flash each one for the Dual BIOS? I have flashed my BIOS before but it has been a long time ago and I don't remember flashing twice. Sometimes on startup my computer will hesitate and it behaves differently on those occasions (some drivers not loaded maybe). I am thinking it may be booting under the backup BIOS when it hesitates on startup? I hope the BIOS update will correct that. Thank you Lsdmeasap.

[Lsdmeasap]

Re: Advice on SSD/Windows 7/BIOS Upgrade (EP45-UD3P) Please

Anytime, I am always here to help when I can!

Ya, moving an array can corrupt it, but not always. So it's best to make a backup just in case.

No, you only need to flash the BIOS once, it will keep an older BIOS on the Backup Chip. If you want later and you are sure you like the new BIOS you can make it backup the other chip to the current MAIN BIOS contents if you like, but it is not needed if you don't want to.

It does not ever boot from the backup, not without you seeing a corrupt CMOS screen/message. You may just have settings issues causing it to hang or reload optimized settings and not use yours.