Add an ssd to Revo 3610
#16
On another post about the cheapest ssd to use they talked about using a fast CF card with a CF to SATA adapter. It's got me thinking about using this solution for the Revo in the bedroom (using the external esata port). This would allow me to keep the original hard drive in there and put xbmc on the flash card. Then I could use the ssd in my home built htpc in the living room. I love tinkering with the computers. My wife says I do more tweaking than I do using the computers I have. XBMC has changed my free time though ever since the original xbox and I don't even play video games. Anyways I am getting a little off track from my original post so I will stop now. Jim
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#17
maddog808 Wrote:Hey Earnhead,

Sorry for the delayed response. We hosted Thanksgiving dinner at my place this year, so it's been kinda hectic. Plus I am trying to get my unraid server going, and upgrade my office pc with Black Friday deals on Newegg.

Anyway, I will tell you what I did as best I can remember. You already know how to get into the Revo, so I will start from there. In order to unscrew the factory installed HDD, you need to get to the underside of the motherboard. It may be obvious to some people, but it wasn't to me. In order to do that, you need to:

  1. Remove the 4 silver screws that hold the MoBo to the Revo's case.
  2. Remove the 3 tiny black screws that hold the CPU fan to the heatsink.

Here is a photo that illustrates the above instructions:

Image

Now you can:

  1. Move the fan out of the way.
  2. Remove the four screws that hold the heatsink to the MoBo.
  3. Move the heatsink out of the way.


Here is another photo:

Image

Now you can:

  1. Move the two tabs that hold the small circuit board with the usb port in the top left corner of the below photo.
  2. While the tabs are spread apart, you can carefully remove the motherboard, making sure not to pull on any of the wires.

Here is the last photo:

Image

Now, finally you can unscrew the HDD from the underside of the MoBo, and screw your new one in place. Obviously, follow the steps in reverse order to reassemble the Revo.

My next post will deal with formatting the SSD, installing Windows and XBMC, and dual booting.

Regards,
Matt

Installed my new 60 gb ssd following these instructions. Everythings good to go. I installed windows 7 from the factory restore discs, uninstalled all the bloatware, and then shrunk the partition so that I have 10 gb to put xbmc live on. I am going to wait until the final comes out before I install though. In the mean time I installed xbmc rc2 for windows. Just wanted to say thanks again for the great help.Big Grin
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#18
Question 
Very nice topic.. just missing a little extra info: how much faster is it with the SSD? Big Grin

Thx, LoL Wink
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#19
It is worth the upgrade if you got the extra cash. I bought a 32GB for $40 Black Friday and its super snappy and loads all my thumbnails and sections immediately.
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#20
I bought a used Revo 3610 from someone that had an 80 gig SSD already in it. I'm not impressed by the speed and am curious if it was installed correctly. I've read somewhere that you might need to make sure the correct firmware installed. Has anyone had any comparison or experience with how to install it correctly?
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#21
neomits Wrote:I bought a used Revo 3610 from someone that had an 80 gig SSD already in it. I'm not impressed by the speed and am curious if it was installed correctly. I've read somewhere that you might need to make sure the correct firmware installed. Has anyone had any comparison or experience with how to install it correctly?

If you're talking about the speed of Windows 7, I agree. It's pretty slow, but that has more to do with the processor than the hard drive. Within XBMC Live Dharma using Aeon MQ 2, though, my SSD helps to load all the HD fan art very quickly. It navigates through the library and Menu with ease.
My Living Room Theater XBMC Mini-ITX Build
CASE: MI-100 - MOBO: ASRock A75M-ITX - APU: A6-3500
Kingston 4GB 1600MHz - SanDisk 128GB SSD -- DVDRW
W7 HP - Kodi 15 - Confluence | ATV1 w/BCM970015 & Crystalbuntu in the BR
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#22
maddog808 Wrote:If you're talking about the speed of Windows 7, I agree. It's pretty slow, but that has more to do with the processor than the hard drive. Within XBMC Live Dharma using Aeon MQ 2, though, my SSD helps to load all the HD fan art very quickly. It navigates through the library and Menu with ease.

You are running Aeon MQ2 on a Revo 3610? Do you see any delays when switching between menus? I experience a lot of delays when using this skin on my 3700 with a hdd. Lets see what happens when I get my SSD up and running (due in no small part to your generous help).
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#23
tboooe Wrote:You are running Aeon MQ2 on a Revo 3610? Do you see any delays when switching between menus? I experience a lot of delays when using this skin on my 3700 with a hdd. Lets see what happens when I get my SSD up and running (due in no small part to your generous help).

I do experience a slight delay when switching between menus. Nothing that bothers me too much, though. Once inside each of the menus (Movies, TV Shows, Music, etc.), it flies through the library and loads all the fan art pretty much instantly. Make sure and let me know how the clean, bloatware free install of Windows 7 goes once you get the SSD.

Quote:I bought a used Revo 3610 from someone that had an 80 gig SSD already in it. I'm not impressed by the speed and am curious if it was installed correctly. I've read somewhere that you might need to make sure the correct firmware installed. Has anyone had any comparison or experience with how to install it correctly?

I honestly can't comment on the speed difference between the SSD, and HDD. I never even installed XBMC on the stock HDD. I just trusted Poofyhairguy on that one. He has WAY more experience testing all the different HTPC hardware in real world scenarios than I ever will. If he says it is worth the investment, I trust him. I didn't update the firmware either. Now I am wondering if maybe I should have. I'll look into that some more and let you know, neomits.
My Living Room Theater XBMC Mini-ITX Build
CASE: MI-100 - MOBO: ASRock A75M-ITX - APU: A6-3500
Kingston 4GB 1600MHz - SanDisk 128GB SSD -- DVDRW
W7 HP - Kodi 15 - Confluence | ATV1 w/BCM970015 & Crystalbuntu in the BR
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#24
maddog808 Wrote:If you're talking about the speed of Windows 7, I agree. It's pretty slow, but that has more to do with the processor than the hard drive. Within XBMC Live Dharma using Aeon MQ 2, though, my SSD helps to load all the HD fan art very quickly. It navigates through the library and Menu with ease.
I ditched Windows 7 and went to XBMC Live instead cause Windows 7 was just to slow. Or dual boot it... but I would definitely use XBMC Live on the Revo.
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#25
stpfarms Wrote:I ditched Windows 7 and went to XBMC Live instead cause Windows 7 was just to slow. Or dual boot it... but I would definitely use XBMC Live on the Revo.

Live is the way to go. Dual boot instructions are in this thread as well. Wink
My Living Room Theater XBMC Mini-ITX Build
CASE: MI-100 - MOBO: ASRock A75M-ITX - APU: A6-3500
Kingston 4GB 1600MHz - SanDisk 128GB SSD -- DVDRW
W7 HP - Kodi 15 - Confluence | ATV1 w/BCM970015 & Crystalbuntu in the BR
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#26
I HOPE SOMEBODY IS STILL HERE..as i can see the last post was 2011!! anybody here !!thanks
hello everybody,just want to know if there is any significant changes by replacing the revo 3610 hard drive to a solid state drive.? thanks,,,i just came across this thread bcoz i've got an acer revo r3600 myself..and i just wonder if its worth changing and what brand of ssd is recommended and best to install pls,,thanks very much!!i want to run open elec and windows at the same time,,dual boot if possible!thanks again,,,any help would be much appreciated!!
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#27
I did.

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=137137
Modded MK1 NUC - CLICK ----- NUC Wiki - CLICK

Bay Trail NUC FTW!

I've donated, have you?

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#28
(2013-08-21, 21:16)jammyb Wrote: I did.

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=137137

Thanks...have u tested it already?was it easy enough installing the ssd and was there no comaptibility problem? Did u notice any difference with regards to performance and speed?? Can u give me a review pls..thanks..Smile
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#29
(2013-08-22, 17:08)warlock09 Wrote:
(2013-08-21, 21:16)jammyb Wrote: I did.

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=137137

Thanks...have u tested it already?was it easy enough installing the ssd and was there no comaptibility problem? Did u notice any difference with regards to performance and speed?? Can u give me a review pls..thanks..Smile

Have a nose of the dates on this thread and the thread I linked to.

Worth it? No, not really. Don't see any real world difference between it and a standard hard drive. But didn't want moving parts!
Modded MK1 NUC - CLICK ----- NUC Wiki - CLICK

Bay Trail NUC FTW!

I've donated, have you?

Reply
#30
(2013-08-22, 19:03)jammyb Wrote:
(2013-08-22, 17:08)warlock09 Wrote:
(2013-08-21, 21:16)jammyb Wrote: I did.

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=137137

Thanks...have u tested it already?was it easy enough installing the ssd and was there no comaptibility problem? Did u notice any difference with regards to performance and speed?? Can u give me a review pls..thanks..Smile

Have a nose of the dates on this thread and the thread I linked to.

Worth it? No, not really. Don't see any real world difference between it and a standard hard drive. But didn't want moving parts!

So its really not worth it..thanks..
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Add an ssd to Revo 36100