How many gigs to get for just windows on a SSD

[rds1220]

I want to install windows on a SSD but I don't want to spend 200 dollars on a SSD. I want to get a SSD with enough memory for just Windows. What is the smallest amount of gigs you can get for installing windows on a SSD. I don't think I would need 120+ gb SSD just for windows. Everything else is going on a regular HDD.

 

[groberts101]

60 gigs should be sufficient for a minimal install without much bloat.

The thing that many don't understand about these things is that they are very much like a coffee maker in that the size of the pot(capacity of the drive) will be the determining factor in the stamina of the drive.

Run it too full or push too much data(streaming vids, pics, and music can be very substantial in the amount that gets buffered/scratched to the drive) and anyone who ignores this fact can get penalized by read-write-modify slowdowns.

So the best bet is to buy capacity based on the amount of data written ON TOP OF the statically stored data(as in the OS, apps, games or any other permanently stored data). Also remember that less available free space will need to be idle recovered more consistently to let garbage collection kick in most effectively as TRIM alone is not the save-all-end-all for an SSD. Hope that arms you for a better purchase desicion.

 

[rds1220]

Hopefully 60gigs will be enough but not to much. Hopefully it will be a good middle ground.

 

[geofelt]

I replaced a laptop hard drive with a 40gb Intel X25-V. Windows-7 and ms security essentials took about 13gb as I recall.
For what it is worth, it absolutely transformed the laptop. Highly recommended.

 

[Ubrales]

16 GB is required by Win 7. To this add some space for future Updates, and Space for 'System Restore'. Leave 30 GB dedicated for Windows. To this size add whatever capacity you need for programs that you will install and run on the SSD.

Some prefer to use the SSD for Windows and frequently used programs. Other programs are loaded on a separate HDD.

Based on this you can decide on the size of the SSD.

60 GB SSD is a good size to start with.

 

[JohnnyLucky]

I have Microsoft Windows 7 Pro 64 installed on my ssd. I did a clean install. I also installed all of the Windows 7 updates and Internet Explorer. Right now Windows takes up just a little bit over 21GB on my ssd.

If you just want to install Windows 7 on an ssd, then a 40 GB ssd will do, but I recommend getting a slightly larger capacity ssd. The 64GB ssd's are a popular choice.

Is you motherboard SATA 2.0 3Gb/s capable or SATA 3.0 6Gb/s capable?

 

[blackhawk1928]

I want to install windows on a SSD but I don't want to spend 200 dollars on a SSD. I want to get a SSD with enough memory for just Windows. What is the smallest amount of gigs you can get for installing windows on a SSD. I don't think I would need 120+ gb SSD just for windows. Everything else is going on a regular HDD.

Windows 8 including all updates is around 8-9GB. Add a pagefile and hibernation file...you'll need around 16GB+ to support minimal windows requirements (page file, hibernation file, volume shadow copies, system restore points, temporary files...etc).

Edit:...windows 8...psht, I mean Windows 7.!

 

[bwhiten]

I also just did a full, clean install of Win 7 Pro, 64-bit on a Crucial M4 128GB. I have added all Win 7 updates and a full install of Office 2010, including MS Project. I also have a LARGE install of Mentor Graphics design tools. Several smaller applications as well. After all this and running through the Toms tweaks for optimizing SSDs I have 85GB free space.

 

[nikorr]

Hi,

x64 needs 20GB req. by Windows(x86 needs 16GB) + how much RAM u have + installed programs, all u need is56-60GB.

I guess u don't use hibernation on SSD. Also System Restore turn it off (as it reserve few gigs too) if u make back up's on regular basis to another HDD drive. And gain more space if u don't use Sync center.

U can clone the SSD drive with Clonezilla http://clonezilla.org/ Free...

If u put everything else on another drive, u don't have to worry about lost Doc files in case of hard crash.


SATA2
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227550


SATA3 if u have capable system
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227737


EDIT:
Well, Ubrales already spoke my mind, as I see now ... I do it like that, somewhat.

 

[ncc74656]

I use 3 80GB intel SSD's in raid-0, i got 3 due to space requirements. i install all my games and programs to my C drive. this requires at least 180GB. i would recommend nothing less than 120 unless you are a below average computer user. i.e. dont install much

 

[Dark Comet]

I use 3 80GB intel SSD's in raid-0, i got 3 due to space requirements. i install all my games and programs to my C drive. this requires at least 180GB. i would recommend nothing less than 120 unless you are a below average computer user. i.e. dont install much

In all fairness though most people have so many programs installing everything to the C drive would cost a very lot of cash. I'd need a 700GB SSD if was to put everything on my C drive. Installing the OS and few programs on the SSD and then everything else on a fast 7200 RPM drive is the way to go IMO.

 

[nikorr]

In all fairness though most people have so many programs installing everything to the C drive would cost a very lot of cash. I'd need a 700GB SSD if was to put everything on my C drive. Installing the OS and few programs on the SSD and then everything else on a fast 7200 RPM drive is the way to go IMO.

I can only agree with u.

 

[Gothams Finest]

A 32 GB one will be fine

 

[ncc74656]

i dont see how one could use 700GB with even high end above average comp usage. each program is maybe 1-4 gigs, games are maybe 4-10 gigs, os is about 50 gigs... if you dont store your install files or video/pics on your ssd then you are fine. imo you negate the purpose of a SSD to install only an os on it and not your programs/games. i have 90 programs installed on my comp, included in that is eve online, wow, deus ex, 10 games on steam, CS5, maya, 3DS max, and many more. yet i use just over half of my 230GB SSD's. i have terrabyes of data on my platter drives as i keep my media and installer files on them.

 

[nikorr]

"i would recommend nothing less than 120 unless you are a below average computer user.

ncc74656"

x--------------------x-------------------x
----------x--------------------x----------


It is user specific how much install space u need, a programmer needs minimum space, in compare to CS5 suite user.

I have seen some people that got their HDD full to couple of megs to spare. When I checked their drive, the had installed 250 or so programs, mostly trial versions everything that they found. And it newer dawn on them to uninstall any of it. Haven't even deleted the install files (one office co-worker "accumulated" in over 18months). Of course since the install, it was never launched again.

This is case of digital hoarding, but are they better than average computer power user, because of "lots of stuff"?

My 2 cents on the subject.

 

[JohnnyLucky]

nikorr - Sounds like my wife :lol:

 

[nikorr]

Yeah, they do exist : )

 

[Dark Comet]

i dont see how one could use 700GB with even high end above average comp usage. each program is maybe 1-4 gigs, games are maybe 4-10 gigs, os is about 50 gigs... if you dont store your install files or video/pics on your ssd then you are fine. imo you negate the purpose of a SSD to install only an os on it and not your programs/games. i have 90 programs installed on my comp, included in that is eve online, wow, deus ex, 10 games on steam, CS5, maya, 3DS max, and many more. yet i use just over half of my 230GB SSD's. i have terrabyes of data on my platter drives as i keep my media and installer files on them.

I have steam so I keep all of my games on my system because I don't fancy downloading them again.

 

[cadder]

I was checking the space used on some of my computers in preparation for doing a SSD upgrade. The laptop that I was going to upgrade first had 3GB of ram and Win7 Home Premium 32. The Windows folder takes 15GB, program files take 6GB and "files" (including swap file and hibernation file) take 5GB. That's a total of 26GB. This wouldn't fit on a 32GB SSD but would fit on a 40GB SSD. I'm planning on buying at least a 64GB SSD. I travel with this machine so sometimes I temporarily download photos to it from my camera. I don't do any other heavy computing with it.

My home desktop workstation shows 13GB for Windows 7, 6GB for "files", and 3GB for program files. It must have about 4GB or so for all of my old email too.

Remember that most SSD's will give you about 90% of their advertised capacity to use, and of that you should try to keep them below 80% full. So for a 64GB SSD I would only have about 48GB available to use.