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A two tier question on media storage and system performance

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  • Performance
  • Storage
  • Hard Drives
  • Operating Systems
Last response: in Storage
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May 17, 2013 3:34:39 PM

I'm not sure how complicated this question is because when I searched for the answer, it required a string of questions. Feel free to re-title for search convenience.

Until recently, I had barely any experience with creating partitions, disk cleaning, and installing operating systems. About a month ago, I picked up a Samsung 840 SSD (120 GB) and began my conversion from Windows 7 to Windows 8. My old HDD was a 1TB Seagate Barracuda partitioned into two drives (which I later combined the volumes for one full drive).

I installed Windows 8 on both drives, making my SSD the primary drive on AHCI SATA mode. I converted the same features to the HDD, but as an external drive with the same operating system. The boot difference is staggering and pleasing. It's terrific.

However, my goal was to convert all programs and games into my HDD while booting them with SSD performance. I loaded both Office 2010 and Dead Space 2 for testing and noted that both programs were copied from DVD to HDD with HDD performance. However, when I opened the programs, I felt I was getting SSD performance.

I'm unclear on four things:

a) If the AHCI SATA mode on both drives allowed for this feature;
b) How I know I'm getting SSD performance from programs saved on the HDD;
c) Whether this is a common (or efficient) way of making utility out of the HDD as both boot and external storage.
d) Whether the methods above are safe for the SSD and HDD.

Please ask me if you require any more information. Thanks in advance.

More about : tier question media storage system performance

a c 954 G Storage
May 17, 2013 3:44:45 PM

I installed Windows 8 on both drives

That is not the way to do it.

Install Windows on the SDD, as you have done.
Now install your applications (MS Office, etc). During the install, choose the target drive, the SSD or HDD. A 120GB drive can hold most of your applications. Office, for instance, only takes about 3GB.
Games you should probably install on the HDD. They don't get a lot of benefit being installed on the SDD other than starting up.
Static files...movies, music, etc...all should reside on the HDD.

The Windows install on the HDD is doing nothing but taking up space.

If you need further clarification, just ask.
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a b G Storage
May 17, 2013 3:46:04 PM

You don't get SSD performance on the HDD. ONLY programs installed directly on the SSD are going to speed up obviously. And it only affects load times anyway.

The correct way to have it set up is have the OS on the SSD, and install programs that you want to benefit on it. Mass storage of data and programs that don't need the boost belong on the harddrive. Not sure why you have the OS on both, it should not be installed on the HDD at all
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May 17, 2013 3:56:41 PM

Wow. Thanks for the quick replies USAFRet and unksol.

My understanding was that I needed to have an operating system on two drives for potential catastrophes on my SSD. It's more of a back-up than anything else if I don't need the OS. So load-times aside, is the ongoing performance from Office or Games the same for both drives? If that's the case, then I suppose I went a little overboard on setting this all up.

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a c 954 G Storage
May 17, 2013 4:09:57 PM

It is good to have a backup of the primary drive, but that does nothing for performance.

Applications will load faster if installed on an SSD.
In my case, I have the OS installed on one SSD, and Office installed on another. A moderately complex Excel file (again, living on that secondary SSD) opens almost before my finger stops moving from the doubleclick.

Install your stuff on the SSD. Then make a backup of that whole drive, to save for later in case of drive failure.
The OS being 'installed' on the HDD is not a backup.
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May 17, 2013 4:17:53 PM

Thanks, USAFRet. I will make the changes tonight!
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a c 954 G Storage
May 17, 2013 4:22:28 PM

adrenaline83 said:
Thanks, USAFRet. I will make the changes tonight!


Have fun. Let us know how it works.
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May 17, 2013 8:33:33 PM

I just did a full drive wipe and clean -- took seconds. After obtaining local access to the drive, I went into disk management and turned one partition into a storage point with the other partition as my back-up in the event I need to back up data down the road.

Perfect. Everything loads up perfectly.

Thanks again, USARet!
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