Basic SSD Configuring Question

[Wesablo]

Hey, I have just gotten my first SSD drive recently. I know that usually SSDs are used solely as a primary drive with OS and other essentials installed only, along with a regular hard disk to hold the rest of your major storage. I want to do this, but I'm not exactly sure what should and shouldn't be relegated to the SSD, and what should be reserved strictly for the secondary HDD for optimal performance. Also, I was curious if the SSD should have a certain amount of room clear in relation to its maximum space to run optimally, like a regular HDD does (i.e. 20gigs free in an 80gig drive for 'breathing room' for the drive, so to speak).

I'm getting a large 1tb WD black drive for storage.
The SSD I got was a Mushkin 120gb Chronos, so there's actually a decent amount of room on it for some things but I don't know if I should just leave it be. I mainly use the computer for gaming, school work, and just regular use. I've only used about 35gb of the SSD with just the OS and basics, so should I feel free to put a few things/programs on it as well and if so, what would be priority?

Thank you for the help!
~Wes

 

[jsrudd]

I have a much smaller (80gb) SSD and two 1TB mechanical drives. I have the OS and all programs besides games on the SSD. I have all my user folder (Videos, Music, Desktop, Downloads, etc.) as well as steam and all my games on the mechanical drives.

The only downside is that my mechanical drives sometimes power down to save power and it takes a few seconds for them to spin back up.

If there are a few games you play a lot or have long load times (like maybe skyrim or something) then you could consider installing them to the SSD.

As far as I know the "breathing room" requirement doesn't exist for an SSD. I think with mechanical drives full drives were slower because there was more seek time.

 

[Wesablo]

Thank you for the reply. Yea I have a game or 2 that I play often and maybe I could just set it up on my SSD. If anyone else could give their SSD setups as examples too, that could help.

As far as I know the "breathing room" requirement doesn't exist for an SSD. I think with mechanical drives full drives were slower because there was more seek time.

Got ya - I was figuring that might be how it is, but I wasn't sure.

Also, I've heard that its not so easy to swap your Users folders from SSD to HDD once you've already installed your OS because it is kind of stuck there sorta as a main directory. Is that true? I read that keeping your applications folder on your main boot drive is good as well, but what exactly occupies your application folder? Is that in reference to the Applications Data folder, or just referring to important work programs like Excel, or Photoshop?

 

[aicom]

If you change the location of a directory in your user folder, Windows will offer to move the existing files with it.

 

[photonboy]

Some points:
- a 120GB has about 111GB of usable space
- space will decrease over time due to the wear-levelling algorithm but its so slow don't worry about it.

SPACE:
- with 8GB of RAM a Windows 7 install will quickly use about 35GB of space
- after six months I was up to 55GB (no games, but System Restore, Microsoft updates, Nero, Office etc.)

Recommended setup:
Drive #1 - 120GB SSD (Windows and applications, pictures etc)

Drive #2 - large hard drive:
- Downloads (if a lot)
- Pictures/Videos etc (if a lot)
- Backup Images of Windows (Acronis True Image. recommend the free version with WD or Seagate drives)
- *GAMES

GAMES:
I have my games installed on my hard drive like this:
1) E:\STEAM GAMES
(I just created this folder when installing Steam. Now all my downloaded Steam games automatically install there. The really cool thing with Steam is you can RESTORE your Steam folder even if you reinstall Windows. There are steps, but you don't have to re-download or re-install any games.)

2) E:\GAMES
(this is for non-Steam games. When installing use a "custom" install so you can point to the folder instead of using the normal C-Drive install. You only have to reinstall games here if you reinstall Windows or apply a RESTORE image that preceeds the game install.)

 

[Wesablo]

Thanks very much! Lotta good info here.

 

[k1114]

As far as I know the "breathing room" requirement doesn't exist for an SSD. I think with mechanical drives full drives were slower because there was more seek time.

Both ssd and hdd need breathing room or else will slow down.