Question About Using SSD for OS Only?

[jimusic]

Hello again all,

I'm a bit confused about something - I've read twice that some guys are using SSD's just for their Operating Systems.

Does that mean that just the OS is loaded into the SSD, and all other programs are sitting on other drives?

Does that work with the OS on one Drive and the Programs that rely on Windows on other drives?
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I have a Crucial M4 64 G SSD, but have a chance to get a 128 G in the next day or so for $150. [I paid $107 for the 64 G.]

Right now I have both my Digital Audio Workstations [Sonar X1 & Studio One 2] on 2 separate volumes on a 1 TB Western Digital Black Caviar, and am not using my 64 G SSD.

Would someone like to chime in and educate me a bit further?

Thanks guys,

Jim

 

[Ubrales]

Yes, put the OS and some important programs on the SSD. Install the rest on a different hard disk. It will work fine.

Allow 30 GBs dedicated for Win7, updates, restore, etc. (just Win7 is around 16 GBs).

 

[jimusic]

I actually found Windows 7 to take up about 31 G's.

When you say some important programs, would that mean other than my DAW's?

 

[Ubrales]

I actually found Windows 7 to take up about 31 G's.

When you say some important programs, would that mean other than my DAW's?

I should have said "frequently used programs"

 

[adampower]

Why not use your mobo's srt function and simply 'cache' with the m4 64gb. This would give you huge benefit without messing up your file structure. This feature is built for people like us.

However, if you can return the 64gb and grab the 128 you are set for a serious 2 drive system with windows and your favourite programs on the ssd and a nice 1tb cav black storage drive.

 

[adampower]

I actually found Windows 7 to take up about 31 G's.

Windows can expand and contract surprisingly. However, one thing you should do for windows on an SSD is to disable the hibernate function. Hibernate will 'reserve' or create a file which is the same size as your RAM. The idea is that your entire RAM contents will save to this file when hibernating. Then, upon awake, it will move this back into RAM and put you back to wherever you were when you walked away. SSD drives are so much faster that hibernation is less necessary, and, every bit is so precious that we would not want to waste them on this feature.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

I no loner will do a build for a user on a 60/64GB SSD unless they agree never to bring it back when it's full. Windows' footprint is small enough on Day 1 but as it grows with retained drivers and duplicates thereof, WU and patch uninstall files, dmp files, temp files, common files and all other sorts of "bloat" it takes an astute user to keep the footprint down to a manageable size.

A 120 / 128 GB model will allow ya to fit the OS, a game or two you are currently playing and your most used / demanding programs. The rest of the "normal stuff" can go on the HD.

Best uses for the 64 GB one would be as a place to rip video / audio files, PhotoShop scratch disk and the like ..... as for disk cacheing, that's the realm if 20GB SSD's ins systems that don't have a larger SSD. You'd be better off w/ a hybrid like the Seagate Momentus.

http://www.ukgamingcomputers.co.uk/difference-between-h67-p67-z68-and-h61-chipsets-a-22.html

Finally, another feature of a Z68 chipset is known as SSD caching which is where it allows the use of a small (say 10 or 20 GB) Solid state hard drive to act as a cache for a larger ‘traditional’ hard disk. If you are already planning the use of a Solid State drive this feature is redundant.

 

[jimusic]

Why not use your mobo's srt function and simply 'cache' with the m4 64gb. This would give you huge benefit without messing up your file structure. This feature is built for people like us.

However, if you can return the 64gb and grab the 128 you are set for a serious 2 drive system with windows and your favourite programs on the ssd and a nice 1tb cav black storage drive.

Too late to return the 64 G but not opposed to getting the 128 as well.
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As far as the mobo's srt function and cache, I must be honest and admit I know nothing about that.

Even though I know my around OS's and programs really well, as well as built my own rig [which works great], I have no real knowledge about delving into these more particular areas.

I did buy a kick ass Mobo, which is far more than I really need, [but was thinking down the road a ways], any help would be well placed, much appreciated and considered whole heartedly!

 

[jimusic]

Forgot to mention that I also have an additional 1 TB USB 3 Westen Digital External Drive just for storage.

 

[littlesam95]

I also have a 60 GB SSD and don't know whether to use it as a cache or just store my OS on it. If i were to store my OS on it, how would i transfer only my OS and not all the other program files?

 

[Ubrales]

I also have a 60 GB SSD and don't know whether to use it as a cache or just store my OS on it. If i were to store my OS on it, how would i transfer only my OS and not all the other program files?

This can be done by selective cloning, but that is a completely different ball game!

It may be easier to re-install the OS on the SSD, and then re-install the other programs on to the other hard disk.

 

[adampower]

Intel's Z68 chipset allowed two new and exciting things.

1st it allows one to use the on die gpu in tandem with a discrete graphic's card for particular applications.

2nd they brought in something called Smart Response Technology (SRT). This uses an algorithm which stores the most accessed data from your hard drive on an SSD which accesses data much faster. Therefore, if you always boot windows and start firefox, those most accessed bytes would be stored on the ssd so you could boot firefox as though you were using only an ssd.

The beauty of SRT is that you can have a 1tb cav black paired with a 60gb ssd (I think you can only cache up to 60bg) and experience the benefit's of SSDlike speed and 1tb of capacity.

I don't have an SB mobo yet but I think you can put the ssd in a sata port and simply 'add' it to your boot drive as a cache. Nothing would change with your file system but you would notice a speed boost loading many programs.

 

[aqe040466]

Hello again all,

I'm a bit confused about something - I've read twice that some guys are using SSD's just for their Operating Systems.

Does that mean that just the OS is loaded into the SSD, and all other programs are sitting on other drives?

Does that work with the OS on one Drive and the Programs that rely on Windows on other drives?
.......................................................

I have a Crucial M4 64 G SSD, but have a chance to get a 128 G in the next day or so for $150. [I paid $107 for the 64 G.]

Right now I have both my Digital Audio Workstations [Sonar X1 & Studio One 2] on 2 separate volumes on a 1 TB Western Digital Black Caviar, and am not using my 64 G SSD.

Would someone like to chime in and educate me a bit further?

Thanks guys,

Jim

Do this steps and it will save you space on your SSD:


In Windows Explorer expand Documents, right click My Documents, select Properties, go to location tab, select move and pick your new location.
That should handle most applications. Many applications also have the ability to set their own default save location. This would need to be changed from the applications settings if it is not already pointing to a location within My Documents.

 

[selayan]

Do this steps and it will save you space on your SSD:


In Windows Explorer expand Documents, right click My Documents, select Properties, go to location tab, select move and pick your new location.
That should handle most applications. Many applications also have the ability to set their own default save location. This would need to be changed from the applications settings if it is not already pointing to a location within My Documents.

I installed my OS on the SSD only. I then did what you stated above and moved the My Docs through My Downloads and all my other user folders to my 1TB drive. What I wonder is, if you unplug the second hard drive, will the SSD still boot if the target location of the user folders have changed?

Just in case my second Hdd dies I would hope that i can still boot windows. I would probably need to create new My docs and download folders? Previously I had moved my users data to the second hard drive and I could not login when the second hdd was unattached, since the logon files were there.

 

[aqe040466]

I installed my OS on the SSD only. I then did what you stated above and moved the My Docs through My Downloads and all my other user folders to my 1TB drive. What I wonder is, if you unplug the second hard drive, will the SSD still boot if the target location of the user folders have changed?

Just in case my second Hdd dies I would hope that i can still boot windows. I would probably need to create new My docs and download folders? Previously I had moved my users data to the second hard drive and I could not login when the second hdd was unattached, since the logon files were there.

Yes you can still boot from the SSD. That is why we have the option to back up our important files externally using an external hard drive so that anything might happen to the internal hard drive we don't worry about losing important files. It is better to be prepared than unprepared. Expect for the worst to happen we just don't know when it will happen.

 

[selayan]

Yeh i need to make an image of the system. Currently it will take about 12gb of space and I should keep that on my external drive.

 

[jimusic]

Best answer selected by jimusic.

 

[Maziar]

This topic has been closed by Maziar