This procedure describes how to upgrade your XXHighEnd PC to a new Operating System as provided by Phasure on a 2.5" HDD.
As of now (January 2014) this is available for Windows 8 and it can be obtained for 225 euros (ex VAT for those liable to VAT) including world wide shipping by normal mail.
Comes with a backup on DVD and an official Windows License for the OS.
Edit : This mentioned "backup" is of the original Windows OS DVD; Not the tweaked version; A layman's procedure to make a backup of the XXHighEnd adjusted version (see below) is a work in progress.
The HDD comes fully configured with XXHighEnd for usage with the Phasure NOS1 DAC with around 500 general OS changed settings. It is assumed that an XXHighEnd license is available (the disk is shipped with Activated XXHighEnd).
Regarding third party software : The Windows 7 Shell is installed as well as IMDisk (RAMDisk).
The below describes how to exchange the Operating System HDD which is internally assembled.
Notice that you have the option to later easily swap the OS HDD's so you can compare (step 5a and 5b).
Edit :Actually this procedure described below is kind of awkward since it includes the comparison of the old and the new Operating System. Meaning : The way this is proposed assumed an optimal end situation while the comparison can be performed far more easy and it will show the differences easily. However, to get to the ultimate when the new OS is to be judged as better for you, you should apply the steps below. At first though you can easily apply the below :
Go to the Advanced section (see mouse arrow) and set the field to the right of the large arrow to Yes. Next :
Never mind the "See Manual", but see what's to the right of the arrow;
Reboot your PC, regularly hold down the Del key so you will end up in the BIOS; find this screen which is under the section where you see the mouse arrow. Now mind the "WDC WD3200" you see there; yours can be different. Notice that you are looking for a HDD and not the DVD ROM drive or the "MBA Slot" you will see also. Now write down what you see there for a HDD.
Exit the BIOS (Rightmost section and Apply "Save" at the question which comes forward), and just before that :
Remove the HDDs you may have in either 3.5" bays at the left side;
Just put in the new OS HDD in the removable 2.5" bay (the one in the sight side of the PC after taking out the SSD in there (but read step 5a below about the SSD removal);
When the system is up, go into the BIOS again;
So now exit the BIOS (see two paragraphs above here) and let the system reboot. Go into the BIOS again;
Again navigate to the last screen you see above and click on the "Hard Drive BBS Priorities" folder icon. A screen now will show with the two HDDs you have in there. One of them will be the HDD you wrote down, and the other one will be the new one. Click on the entry (which shows a HDD) in the right hand side of the field "Boot option #1". Now a popup screen appears with again the two HDDs and you must choose the new HDD (IOW not the one you wrote down).
Click the back arrow in the top left of the screen and you will see that your new HDD is now in the boot options list (and the old one disappeared).
Exit, Save and reboot.
Now you will be using the new OS.
When you want to compare with the old OS, shut down, remove new HDD from its Bay and boot.
When you again want to use the new OS, put in the new HDD again and apply the above procedure (maybe this is not needed because the new HDD will be on top of the boot list, but check it anyway).
Photos of this latter steps to be added ...
0.
Shut down, switch off at the back of the PC and pull the mains cord (don't forget this latter step).
1.
Remove the 3 screws you see in the top (picture below).
High Resolution link2.
Slide the cover backwards and lift it.
High Resolution link3.
Open the front cover, open the both doors to the 3.5" bays and remove any disks in there. Leave the doors open.
Remove the 4 bolts at the arrows. Watch out : The two bolts at the back side are not the same as those on the front side (so keep track of which came from where).
High Resolution link4.
Put the bracket on its side as you see in the picture. Put a newspaper or anything under it like you see there.
But
watch out : Take very good notice of how the cables go as soon as you get sight of them. So, prepare yourself for when you later reassemble the bracket; if you skip this step you may be in trouble later.
See the HDD under the bracket. It is this one we are going to replace.
High Resolution linkLoosen these screws but leave them be so the blue silicon washers can stay (see picture under the next one) :
High Resolution link5a.
If you don't want to put the new HDD in the place of the old, but wish to use it from the 2.5" removable bay from now on, skip step 6. (
Notice : This will eliminate the usage of the SSD which normally is in the 2.5" bay meant for Galleries which you probably won't use; also notice that future XXHighEnd usage targets to use Galleries from elsewhere, so don't worry if you fon't use Galleries at this moment anyway (including you not knowing what this is about in the first place)).
Instead to this : Follow the data cable (this is the smaller connector) to the place where it's stuck in the Motherboard, and remove the cable from its connector there (just let the cable be in the case). Also disconnect the both cables at the HDD's end and lay aside the HDD. Put a sticker "W7" on it. You can now use it later from the 2.5" bay to boot from (and compare with the new W8 OS HDD which will be used from the same removable 2.5" bay).
5b.
Go to the BIOS later (before the first boot - press the Del key regularly after swithcing on the PC) and take care that the below is set (Boot from SATAIII).
Notice that this step assumes that the boot disk will now be used from the 2.5" removable bay (see 5a).
6.
So HDD is loose.
Now have the new HDD ready; Remove the cables from the old HDD and put them to the new one. Try to do this one by one and with both HDDs in the same position, so it will be more comfortable to put in the connectors to the HDDs (with the notice that you won't be able to really look at the back of the HDD to connect).
High Resolution link7.
Put back the bracket; Mind the positioning of the cables as referred to in step 4. Take something like a screwdriver to hold aside the cables as you see in the picture so the cables won't end up under the black rubber "foot" under the bracket.
High Resolution link8.
Put back in all the bolts, put on the cover (slide towards the front as final step), but in the 3 bolts at the back side and ...
Done !
When you chose to boot from the removable 2.5" bay, you now can swap Operating Systems by means of putting in the OS disk you like; Shut down, exchange the HDDs and reboot.
