The model I'm using is a 750GB 6GB/s model.
Now, this drive is no harder to configure than any other traditional HDD, iirc I had it fully installed with Win 7 64 in around 40 minutes including the driver loading that follows the O/S install.
So basically you simply insert your Win disk in the optical drive, install the XT and boot holding F12, next up select the optical drive (DVD) to boot from.
Next you will get your set up screen, (if using XP and possibly Vista you may need to load the 3rd party driver that Windows asks for during set up F2 iirc, this is the Sata driver and unless it's installed if needed you won't see the HDD in Windows at the next step, Win 7 has the driver already) when you arrive at the partitions screen simply instruct it to do a quick format and wait a few minutes until Windows moves on installing.
Come forward to the install completing and you have your fresh O/S, load all the drivers you require from the MB set up disk and any utilities you fancy, AV advisable if you don't want an accidental malsite installing a doorway for itself.
Now get the latest Intel RST driver and infst autol driver's if using an Intel based MB, don't rely on the ones on the MB disk, they will be out of date.
Next install your graphic and sound drivers if using dedicated cards and re-boot.
You should now get a fully working O/S that will now be looking for updates, allow this to happen to bring your system to date and install any programs you require, and a general boot time I've found is around 40 seconds, I expect it to improve as the drive learns though, but it's still a fair bit faster than the normal HDD boot time.
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Now there are some differences to this drive over an SSD.
1 - Is that as the drive gets older it learns and gets faster, you can look on YouTube for Linus tips where Linus explains this fully, he is a very good source btw, ok he has that kid squeak voice, but the guy is A1 imo, you just have to get past the voice initially :->
2 - Is it's a very small form factor drive, it is basically a Laptop drive but it's also slimmer than a normal SSD by half, and I'm using it as a main drive in a full PC desktop (spec of PC below)
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Below you will find some screens I've done both when I first installed it and later after a few weeks use, I've been delayed writing this up by a death in the family, but I need to get this done for the company.
As of yet I've not studied the results for comparisons data, I will when I get time, but I just wanted to get something up here for both purchaser's and potential purchaser's because this drive is ideal for such cases like the Silverstone Raven R3 if you like me want to use it as a PC drive.
Any screen you can't read simply copy it and open and enlarge it at your end, and yes that burst rate really is 340.
Now so far I'm very pleased with it, don't buy one if you expect a full blown SSD drive, this isn't one, it's a trade off between having an SSD and also having enough room for some large game file installs as well, it runs very cool as you can see from the screens, this time it has no fan blowing across it and it's simply not generating the sort of heat a HDD does.
SYSTEM SPECS
Win 7 64 Bit
XT 750 6GB/s
Gigabyte GA-Z68 XP-UD3P
Intel Sandybridge i5 2500k (stock cooler not clocked, YET!)
8GB Gskill DDR3 C7 memory
MSI Nvidia 560Ti
SB X-Fi Music
OCZ 600w Stealth X Stream
Antec 900
Pioneer DVD-RW Sata
Compro 750T DVB-T Card
IcyBox Trayless Hotswap Bay
Only you can decide if it's for you, but I would imagine on a functionality basis it's the best thing you could do to your laptop to improve it without having externals hanging off it.
Now as I'm gaining sections to service here I'm going to do a little help before you ask thing, and if you do have problems still PM direct if you haven't had any answers, be aware though I can only answer what I know and I will need your full system specs, so no specs, no replies I'm afraid as I'm not having enough time to make a dozen suggestions before we find out you only have 8MB of memory and the company that made the PC stopped trading 6 years ago, and yes it does happen.
Self help
1 - Install HD Sentinal to obtain a health rating and general condition rating.
2 - Blue screens - Re-seat all HW in the PC and check lead connections at both ends.
3 - Pausing - This is normally either #2 or a driver, normally the MB ones rather than add on ones.
4 - Check for FW updates, be sure to get the right one if one is available, you can ask me to confirm before you flash.
5 - Funny noises - Clacks are normally a dead drive, as are clicks, however clicks can be bad PSU power, other noises are generally case resonance so take it out and if it stops you know it is sound transfer.
6 - Dropped it and it doesn't work, sadly this is normally instant death, any HDD should be looked at as if it's glass, they are that fragile.
7 - Othe things to try are swapping data cables and ports, always try to re-load drivers if you think you have an issue, a driver is very easy to uninstall by accident and also real easy to break so it no longer does it's job.
8 - Sometimes one bit of software can stop another, a remedy for this if you are having issues is to undo your net connection so you are offline and re-install drivers with the firewall and anti virus switched off, switch on before re-connecting to the net.
9 - If all else fails, caress it and tell it you love it and you'll never leave it, tell it it's special and the only HDD for you and that one over there with the large TB's means nothing to you ;->
Ok, that's it for now, I will update the thread from time to time with more screens showing how it's going, hopefully this will be as far as you need to go, if you did have a problem and this sorted it please post to say so, I did a barracuda 3TB one and there has been hardly any help me calls about one since, lets hope this is the same, not everyone grasps electronics easily, I understand that, so if that's you follow the guide slowly and methodically and hopefully you will be up and running in no time, all the best folks.
