Connecting a SSD to HDD

[Northwestern]

Right now I'm running under a small Hard Drive and with the hype of SSD I want to switch over for the performance factor. However I want to retain my large storage, so Instead of a large SSD, I want to have my OS on a SSD but have a Terabyte HDD to keep everything on. I know this is possible and I'd be damned if Windows didn't support it.

If it is possible, what would I need to do to ensure it will work and avoid any screw-ups? Also, would this be conistered a RAID drive since it is two different drives?

 

[RetiredChief]

Not sure which you are talking about.

SRT (requires a Z68 or newer MB). You can use upto 64 gig SSD as a cache for the 1 TB HDD. Overall it will improve performance by 2 X to 4 X compared to just the HDD.
It will give you "Almost" SSD performance on boot time. Other performance will veray as to how repeditive you are. If you load a given file alot it will be in the cashe and speed up - if not the speed is a sight bit slower than normal HDD (reason is windows will first take time to check the cach, then if not there must go to the HDD). Personnally I'm not a Lover of it.

SSD as a Standalone OS +Program drive.
While 60/64 gig SSD are listed as the Min, I highly recommend no smaller than a 80 gig (Most recommended size is the 120/128 gig sis). I'm begining to see more users that are running into a problem with the 60 gig drive. Typical instalation of windows and commonly used programs will eat up around 30 to 35 gigs. This then leaves a fair amount of space to load some games. PS. The only thing speed up is loading files, The programs do NOT run any faster (Either way)

 

[foscooter]

First, what motherboard? What OS.

Second, Yes you can do it. Not too difficut either, but you will and should reinstall the OS.

See my signature.

And, it's not connecting the SSD to a HDD, no such thing. Both plug into the mobo.

And NO on the RAID, unless you have a Z68, or Z77 mobo, and use the SSD as a cache drive. But don't! Use the SSD as a boot drive, and the HDD as storage.

 

[misry]

Get at least a 60G SSD for a boot drive if on Win7. Install Win7 to that drive using AHCI before you connect the 1T drive. (It just makes things simpler in the long run.)

 

[Northwestern]

Best answer selected by northwestern.