SSD and truecrypt okay now?

RaptorHunter

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Sep 14, 2011
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When I googled putting truecrypt on the SSD I got a bunch of dire warnings from people saying that it was a horrible thing to do and should "never be done" (this thread http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/270227-32-truecrypt is the first in the google search)

However, when I tried it I benchmarked the SSD with and without encryption. My boot time was exactly the same. I'm running a new cpu with the AES-NI instructions so even though I disabled multi-threading in truecrypt (to save power) It STILL can encrypt data faster than the SSD can serve it (500+ MB/s)

Truecrypt now supports TRIM commands, the SSD uses synchronous flash so it's not slowed down as much by incompressible data and SSDs are a lot higher quality now so you don't have to worry about "wearing them out"

Is there any reason not to be doing this anymore?
 
Well, truecrypt's site still recommends against it. I would think that they understand the software fairly well.

There are two issues with this combo. One is that data can be recovered unencrypted; the other is that with increased write amplification you can lose performance and will increase the rate at which your SSD wears out.

 

frombehind

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I notice you are using "synchronous flash" this is the reason you are not taking a huge performance hit. This is still Sandforce's main weakness. But as for "not doing it" I see no logical reasons for it. If you need encryption for whatever reason, you use encryption... stuff like your SSD will last only 9 years, and not 10 years comes secondary. Or, at least it does to me.

Good luck :D
 

RaptorHunter

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Well if there is a performance loss, it's not showing up in any of my benchhmarks. Everything I do on this computer is just instantaneous now. Also does it really matter if my drive wears out in 6 years instead of 8? (SSDlife pro estimation)

In 6 years, I'll be able to rebuy this same drive for 20 bucks, lol. Thank you moore's law!