SSD usage questions

[Ozpa]

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

5 - CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY (about 3 seconds)
6 - FORMAT FS=NTFS
7 - ACTIVE
8 - EXIT

Anything in the BIOS I should change?
So excited btw

 

[digibucc]

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

 

[fullinfusion]

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.

 

[digibucc]

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

 

[Grnfinger]

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/

 

[Hayder_Master]

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.

 

[Ozpa]

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?

 

[Ozpa]

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?

 

[digibucc]

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.

 

[Ozpa]

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"?

 

[Grnfinger]

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

just hit the auto tweak and reboot

 

[Ozpa]

Ok thanks.

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

 

[digibucc]

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.

 

[Ozpa]

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

 

[digibucc]

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

 

[Ozpa]

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

 

[Grnfinger]

SSD tweaker will disable indexing.

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

 

[Ozpa]

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.

 

[digibucc]

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.

 

[Ozpa]

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?

 

[digibucc]

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

 

[Ozpa]

Ultimate :>

 

[Ozpa]

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?

 

[digibucc]

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.

 

[Ozpa]

Thanks digibucc.

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