# SSD usage questions



## Ozpa (Jul 10, 2011)

Hello everyone!

So I'm going to migrate to my 1st SSD (C300 128GB) in a couple of days now (from WD Raptor) and I have no idea how to use/install the drive. I remember someone mentioning you need to use AHCI mode with SSDs? Mobo is Sata2.
I'll be doing a fresh install of Win7 64-bit on the drive, presumably I should/can use the same prompt commands during installation as on a regular HDD?



> 1 - DISKPART
> 2 - LIST DISK
> 3 - SELECT DISK #
> 4 - CLEAN ALL
> ...



Anything in the BIOS I should change?
So excited btw


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## digibucc (Jul 10, 2011)

why would you manually format and create partitions when windows does it for you,
in the gui setup?  that's just an extra step without any benefit.

anyway, you do NOT want to do it yourself for an SSD.  not that it's hard, but ssds
use  different allocation unit sizes, and windows will set that automatically.  that can
mean the difference between speed, and not.

in the bios is where you would switch your sata port to read as ahci instead of ide


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## fullinfusion (Jul 10, 2011)

just let windows 7 do all the work for ya. It'll align the ssd for ya.
Id recommend creating about a 5gb partition as to let trim and garbage removal work without logging off while your doing your every day tasks.

just be sure to disable the defrager, windows search, and superfetch.


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## digibucc (Jul 10, 2011)

i wish i had a supper-fetch....


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## Grnfinger (Jul 10, 2011)

digibucc said:


> i wish i had a supper-fetch....



I do , that's why I got married 

I find SSD Tweaker very good at optimizing Windows settings.

http://elpamsoft.com/


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## Hayder_Master (Jul 10, 2011)

I prefare to unplaged the old HDD and leave only the SSD, change type to AHCI in bios and let windows complete the installtion normally, after windows start shut down and plug the HDD.
There is some tips and guides in storege section about SSD configration in windows, like disable diffragement and other things.


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## Ozpa (Jul 10, 2011)

Thanks!

So I just connect the drive, switch to AHCI in BIOS and just boot the Windows setup CD?

*fullinfusion*: I believe by Superfect you mean to disable the service? Where do I disable the Windows Search and Defragmenter?
Also, could you point me to where I can read more on the benefits of having a 5GB partition for trim/garbage? How does it work?


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## Ozpa (Jul 10, 2011)

Grnfinger said:


> I do , that's why I got married
> 
> I find SSD Tweaker very good at optimizing Windows settings.
> 
> http://elpamsoft.com/



I have to untick everything and set the rest to "disabled" right?


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## digibucc (Jul 10, 2011)

just don't use defragmenter, and there should be no schedules jobs(in task scheduler)
as for search, just type "indexing options" into the run box on the start menu, and turn
off any index locations on your ssd.


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## Ozpa (Jul 10, 2011)

digibucc said:


> as for search, just type "indexing options" into the run box on the start menu, and turn
> off any index locations on your ssd.



Is it the same thing as right-clicking on your drives, hitting properties and unchecking the box at the very bottom that says "allow files on this drive to have contents indexed in addition to file properties"?


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## Grnfinger (Jul 10, 2011)

Ozpa said:


> I have to untick everything and set the rest to "disabled" right?



just hit the auto tweak and reboot


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## Ozpa (Jul 10, 2011)

Ok thanks.

So AHCI + SSD Tweaker, anything else I need to prepare for an SSD drive specifically? Or are those all the tweaks required?


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## digibucc (Jul 10, 2011)

it's not the same, the drive could still be in the indexing list and have it's properties indexed
for search, just not the contents.


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## Ozpa (Jul 10, 2011)

I cannot reach that window by "Running" indexing options, any other way I can reach that window?


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## digibucc (Jul 10, 2011)

im sorry, i meant the search/run box, not the run command
it's in control panel


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## Ozpa (Jul 10, 2011)

God damn it, I can't find it for the life of me. Maybe I had it disabled alltogether somehow.


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## Grnfinger (Jul 10, 2011)

SSD tweaker will disable indexing.

or you can type msconfig in the run box, click the services tab and uncheck indexing


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## Ozpa (Jul 10, 2011)

Grnfinger said:


> SSD tweaker will disable indexing.
> 
> or you can type msconfig in the run box, click the services tab and uncheck indexing



What's the exact name of the service? Because my SSD Tweaker has the Indexing boxes grayed out.


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## digibucc (Jul 10, 2011)

the service name is "windows search"

BUT, in control panel, in the upper right corner, under "view by"
choose small icons.  then you should see indexing options.

or you could type it in the search box in control panel, or on the
start menu.


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## Ozpa (Jul 10, 2011)

Wow, can't find it in both of those..

http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/6905/53061748.jpg

http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/7633/95597156.jpg

Maybe SSD Tweaker was giving me a hint with that option being completely grayed-out was somehow disabled?


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## digibucc (Jul 10, 2011)

odd.  windows 7 starter or home premium? maybe it just doesn't give you them.


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## Ozpa (Jul 10, 2011)

Ultimate :>


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## Ozpa (Jul 11, 2011)

I read somewhere that it's a good idea to enable S1 (or at least S3) ACPI mode in BIOS when you have an SSD. How true is this? What does it do?


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## digibucc (Jul 11, 2011)

msdn - standby states explained (s1, s2, s3, s4)

as for s1 vs s3 with ssds, i actually don't know.  a google search gives some forums, but i don't see a clear-cut answer.


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## Ozpa (Jul 11, 2011)

Thanks digibucc.

What about the paging file? Should it be set on the secondary HDD only?


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## digibucc (Jul 11, 2011)

if you have plenty of ram (6 or more gb) i would disable it, just know you lose crash info
as it doesn't transfer from ram to hdd, but that's unnecessary for most users anyway.

the second hdd is an option, but again, unless you crash often and need to save those
crash dumps, it's better imo to just turn the page file off.


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## Goodman (Jul 11, 2011)

Ozpa said:


> Wow, can't find it in both of those..
> 
> http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/6905/53061748.jpg
> 
> ...



I got Win7 Ultimate & i got it in control panel

Tried typing Indexing Options in the search box?


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## Ozpa (Jul 11, 2011)

digibucc: I don't crash at all these days. Is losing dumps the only drawback to disabled pagefile? If so, I'm going to disable that sucker even now.




Goodman said:


> Tried typing Indexing Options in the search box?



I don't see it, I must've disabled it. I tried looking but didn't find where to enable it


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## Goodman (Jul 11, 2011)

Ozpa said:


> digibucc: I don't crash at all these days. Is losing dumps the only drawback to disabled pagefile? If so, I'm going to disable that sucker even now.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Try this http://www.tomdoyletalk.com/2009/05/26/indexing-options-missing-from-control-panel-in-windows-vista/ it is for Vista but should work on Win7

or this http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/restore-missing-items-in-windows-vista-control-panel/


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## Ozpa (Jul 11, 2011)

I tried both guides and nothing worked! 

BUT I think I found why! This is my Windows Features settings:







If the feature is turned off, does it mean the indexing is also turned off?
I have all the bloatware turned off (also the Windows Search is here), isn't this window the one-stop checkbox to everything off concerning Indexing and Search? 

Damn, I can see the service in the list now, but nothing in the control panel and the cmd command for it doesn't work still.


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## TheoneandonlyMrK (Jul 11, 2011)

if not installed it should be off, and im not so sure the pagefile advice was sound 
as your pc when gameing or in photoshop etc will page the os and background software to its pagefile( also happens to be automatically put on a fast part of hdd), if switched off it may take longer to switch between apps as it will have to reload the software again

it can also lead to "out of memory" error messages in windows


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## Ozpa (Jul 11, 2011)

I guess I'll just allocate 2-4GB of pagefile space to my secondary archive HDD where I keep all the non-installed stuff then.

Thanks guys 


1) What do you need to do to maintain the SSD speeds? I assume C300 supports TRIM, but is there anything else I would need to run periodically? I'm a speed freak.

2) What tools are out there to test if the drive is healthy and I don't need to RMA it? Can the CHKDSK be used like it is for HDDs?


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## digibucc (Jul 12, 2011)

theoneandonlymrk said:


> and im not so sure the pagefile advice was sound
> as your pc when gameing or in photoshop etc will page the os and background software to its pagefile



that still happens, it just goes to ram which is faster.
that's why i said, if you have plenty of ram it isn't bad.



theoneandonlymrk said:


> it can also lead to "out of memory" error messages in windows


as i said before:


digibucc said:


> if you have plenty of ram (6 or more gb).


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## Ozpa (Jul 12, 2011)

Ozpa said:


> 1) What do you need to do to maintain the SSD speeds? I assume C300 supports TRIM, but is there anything else I would need to run periodically? I'm a speed freak.
> 
> 2) What tools are out there to test if the drive is healthy and I don't need to RMA it? Can the CHKDSK be used like it is for HDDs?



Anyone?


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## digibucc (Jul 12, 2011)

1)just don't let it fill with crap.  clean windows temp and cache files, etc. regular maintenance.
2) as ssd benchmark

TheMailMan wanted me to pass this possibly helpful link to you:
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=134954


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