Going SSD

[Dan The Man]

Hey Guys,

I've decided I want to go with an SSD as my primary drive. 80GB should do me well as it's only going to hold Windows 7, Ubuntu, and their apps. What I'd like to do is use my current internal (2 TB) for data storage. This way I can share files between Windows 7 and Ubuntu - I don't have to duplicate them on each partition.

I'm being lazy here but is there an app that will tell me if I have an open port on my mobo to add another HD without physically opening the case and looking ? If not, I could just remove my DVD right, right? What kind of mounts would I need and do they sell a kit?

Off the top of your head are there any brands or technologies I should avoid?

Thanks,
Dan

 

[steve149]

SSDs are 2.5" drives .. they make adapters for the standard 3.5" HD trays .. would have to check if there was a 5.25" tray .. otherwise you'd need to move the current HD to the 5.25 area and the SSD to the cuurent 3.5" one.

Most systems have at least 2 3.5" trays, so there should be one.

I would put the swap space on the big HD, as the SSDs are great to read from, but you shorten their lives with excessive writes.

- - - Updated - - -

This one has good reviews and is on special for $99.99 at newegg: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147188

I'm going to order one as well for a new tower I ordered.

 

[Dan The Man]

Thanks Steve. It appears Amazon has it cheaper: http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Series-120GB-internal-MZ-7TD120BW/dp/B009NHAF06 I always check Amazon as I have the Prime membership. It's a decent price either way.

 

[steve149]

son-of-a-b***h .. I just ordered it .... argggh .. and I have Prime too.

 

[DjDennis]

Dan good choice

Been using one SSD 256Gb for just the OS for awhile now


all things I create or want as storage is on separate hard drives

 

[SoftJock Rick]

Never could wrap my legs around SSD's. I almost never shut down my computers, so they don't do anything for me.

 

[steve149]

Well .. here's hoping they do. Just got the new desktop in (HP Envy, i7 w 5Tb disk total) and a SSD from Newegg. Need to migrate the OS to the SSD and use the 1Tb drive for swap and apps (the other disks are for photos/movies/music). I'll try to do a performance test before and after. Trying to decide whether I should go with the fresh clone off the new box (and have to re-install all the apps and find some of the keys), a complete reinstall w/ Win7 disks (and all the accompanying updates and re-installs) or clone the old desktop main drive with all the apps already installed and move the apps to the HD.

I'm probably going with 1 .. we'll see.

 

[Dan The Man]

Well .. here's hoping they do. Just got the new desktop in (HP Envy, i7 w 5Tb disk total) and a SSD from Newegg. Need to migrate the OS to the SSD and use the 1Tb drive for swap and apps (the other disks are for photos/movies/music). I'll try to do a performance test before and after. Trying to decide whether I should go with the fresh clone off the new box (and have to re-install all the apps and find some of the keys), a complete reinstall w/ Win7 disks (and all the accompanying updates and re-installs) or clone the old desktop main drive with all the apps already installed and move the apps to the HD.

I'm probably going with 1 .. we'll see.

Steve, check out this article for links to clean W7 SP1 ISOs: http://arstechnica.com/information-...-a-guide-to-reinstalling-windows-on-a-new-pc/

The ISOs work with all license keys. I've used them multiple times when a client didn't bother to make recovery discs. On the off chance that they did make restore discs it's nice to get a bloatware free install.

If it's just a bad virus, I take their data off (docs, pics, etc) then do a fresh Windows install with those ISOs and use the license key on the bottom of their computer.

You're probably intelligent enough to make backup discs though.

 

[steve149]

Thanks ... The big decision is still whether to try and reinstall 6 years worth of apps or to just clone the existing Win7 disc. If I don't, I'll either need to get a code key extractor to pull out the MS Office and other codes .. or .. I'll need to get a program transfer app like LapLink.

 

[Dan The Man]

Thanks ... The big decision is still whether to try and reinstall 6 years worth of apps or to just clone the existing Win7 disc. If I don't, I'll either need to get a code key extractor to pull out the MS Office and other codes .. or .. I'll need to get a program transfer app like LapLink.

Ouch, I'd opt for cloning.

 

[steve149]

Ouch, I'd opt for cloning.

If I clone, then I'd still need to move some apps to the HD since it's only a 120Gb SSD .. decisions, decisions

 

[Dan The Man]

If I clone, then I'd still need to move some apps to the HD since it's only a 120Gb SSD .. decisions, decisions

I'd go for the nuclear option then. Fresh install.

Doesn't Windows get pissy if all installed apps aren't run from C:\? Or is that just a holdover principle from the old days?

 

[steve149]

I'd go for the nuclear option then. Fresh install.

Doesn't Windows get pissy if all installed apps aren't run from C:\? Or is that just a holdover principle from the old days?

We will find out

 

[Cap Capello]

You guys killed me. After reading the first two or three posts, I said to myself, "Self, let's do this thing." I ordered the Samsung 128gb SSD, installed it into a conversion case to 3 1/2", used the two programs that came with the drive (one for optimizing, one for cloning), and had my total desktop system back up and running completely in less than two hours.

Win XP SP2, 2gb ram, NVidia 6800, original C:\ drive was a 40gb 10,000rpm WD Raptor about 10 years old, multiple external drives, etc. Boot time was 1 minute 20 seconds. Now 40 seconds. Program access obviously faster. Windows navigation much faster. Much much improved speed editing with Adobe Audition, Photoshop, Sony Vegas, et al.

Environmentals are all on another internal drive (My Docs, My Photos, My (everything), custom swap file, TEMP, etc).

Gave consideration to loading a fresh Win 7 32bit but, naw, not without updating the total internal package.

Thanks for the nudge, gents.