This guide will take you step by step on how to install the EDGE Solid State Drive (SSD) Upgrade Kit in your laptop.
The EDGE Solid State Drive (SSD) is a direct, drop-in replacement for removable SATA hard drives in laptops. SSDs have faster read/write times than traditional hard drives, which decreases boot time. The main benefit of the SSD is that there are no moving parts: no cooling fan, no drive motor, no rotating hard drives. The SSD is silent, cooler, and uses less battery power than a traditional hard drive. SSDs are also more durable than traditional hard drives and can survive a fall that would damage a traditional drive.
Upgrading to an EDGE Solid State Drive (SSD) is a three part process:
Clone the data and operating system files from the existing hard drive to the SSD.
Remove the existing hard drive and replace it with the cloned SSD.
Convert the old hard drive to an external backup drive.
The EDGE Solid State Drive (SSD) kit includes the following parts:
EDGE Solid State Drive (SSD)
2.5" drive enclosure
Mini-screwdriver and screws
Upgrade CD with PC and MAC cloning software
User manual
Part One: Cloning the Existing Hard Drive to the Edge SSD (PC Only, process differs for Mac)
Disable the computer's automatic power saving features such as sleep mode and hard drive power control. Refer to the computer's user manual for instructions.
Disconnect all external devices such as FLASH drives.
Remove the PCB from the enclosure.
Connect the SSD to the PCB by plugging the PCB's connector tab into the slot in the SSD.
Place the CD in the CDROM drive.
Unfold the USB cable from the storage slot in the PCB and connect the cable to an available USB port on the computer.
B. Cloning the Drives
Restart the computer with the upgrade CD inserted. The computer will boot from the CDROM.
Select Acronis True Image HD software
After the cloning software loads, select "Clone Disk" from the task list.
At the next screen, click "Next". The cloning software will analyze the hard drives and partitions.
Select your computer's existing hard drive as the source disk for the cloning process. The drive model will vary, but the interface type will not be USB.
Select the Edge SSD as the destination for the cloning process. This drive will have a USB interface type.
Click "Next".
At the next screen, select "Delete partitions on the destination hard disk". This will format the SSD and prepare it for the cloning process.
CAUTION: Make sure you have your non-USB internal hard drive as the source and the EDGE SSD drive as the destination. All of the data and other information on the destination drive will be deleted during the cloning process.
Click "Next" and double-check your choice of source disk.
Click "Next". The cloning software will show a summary of the process steps.
Click "Proceed" to clone the existing hard drive to the SSD. The process takes approximately 1 minute for each gigabyte of data.
Part Two: Removing the Existing Drive and Installing the SSD
After the existing hard drive has been cloned to the SSD, you will remove the old hard drive and replace it with the SSD clone.
NOTE: Consult the computer's user manual and website for instructions on removing the cover on the hard drive bay and removing the hard drive.
Turn the computer off and disconnect the power cord.
Unplug the cable from the computer's USB port.
Disconnect the SSD from the PCB.
Remove the old hard drive and its carrier from the computer by following the manufacturer's instructions for removing the drive bay cover and drive.
Remove the hard drive from the carrier. As you remove it, take note of how the drive is aligned with the carrier
Place the SSD into the carrier, making sure to have the SSD drive aligned the same direction as the old drive.
Insert the SSD and carrier into the computer.
Replace the drive bay cover plate.
Part Three: Converting the Old Hard Drive to an External Drive
After the SSD has been installed, the drive enclosure and PCB can be used to convert the old SATA drive into an external backup or data drive.
Connect the hard drive to the PCB.
Fasten the hard drive to the PCB with the screws from the kit.
Insert the PCB and drive into the enclosure.
Connect the PCB to the enclosure with the remaining screws.
The external hard drive is ready to use.
This video guide will show you how easy it is to upgrade your existing SATA hard drive to an EDGE Solid State Drive (SSD).
