Building a system with a SSD and HD

Karsten75 · Apr 25, 2013

My last system I used a small 20GB Intel SSD to act as cache for a larger hard drive. I think Intel called it "Rapid Storage"?

Anyway, now I'd like to use a real SSD like a 240GB SSD to boot from, but I don't know a few things. Maybe the kind people here can help me out?

Assuming I just want to boot from it, but not put photo and video libraries on it (is that right), if I build a system with a 24GB SSD and a 3TB hard drive, do I modify ht e environment variables to make sure all users on the PC gets to put their stuff on the Hard drive and not the SSD?

What about the page file? Should I move that off the SSD? I'd think not, but then so many writes may be bad for the SSD?

Is there a guide somewhere on how to build a dual-storage system?

TIA

leandrodafontoura · Apr 25, 2013

By default, most stuff will be created on the SSD. You then have to manually move to the HDD and delete from the SSD. So whenever you want to create somehting new, install or download, you have to specify to do it on the HDD. Remember, your desktop will be on the SSD

USAFRet · Apr 25, 2013

With your browser, you can designate a different default location for downloads. E:/Download, maybe.
For docs (music/pictures etc), I just create additional folders on the HDD, and save them to there.

g-unit1111 · Apr 25, 2013

Yes by default Windows will store everything on the primary HD - which in your case will be the SSD. But you can move the caching and page files to another drive if you're concerned about space. You can move the Page File to another hard drive. Easiest method is this:

1. Go to your desktop.
2. Right click on your "My PC" icon.
3. Select properties.
4. In the control panel that pops up select "Advanced system settings".
5. Go to tab marked "Advanced".
6. Click on the first button marked "Settings".
7. Click on the Advanced tab.
8. Click on "Automatically manage paging file size for all drives".
9. You can now manage the page file manually.

USAFRet · Apr 25, 2013

For your Docs and pictures folders:

Create your target folder(s) on E
RightClick on My Documents
select Properties
Click Include a folder...
Point it at the target on E

Karsten75 · Apr 28, 2013

So nobody ever modifies the environment variables? Interesting.

Additionally, Maybe it's not too smart to move the page file off the SSD? That is one of the busiest files in the system. But I'm not sure what the effect will be on the durability of the SSD.

USAFRet · Apr 28, 2013

Karsten75 :

People do. I don't.
In the event of replacing the SSD or the windows install, all of that crap has to be recreated. With just target folders on the HDD, I don't have to mess with the 'new' windows install to make sure everything works right.

mklinks and registry entries is just more crap to break.

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Building a system with a SSD and HD

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