Best SSD/HDD setup?

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Alex920

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Dec 7, 2011
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Hello!

I have a Crucial M4 64GB SSD, and a Samsung Spinpoint F3 1TB Hard Drive that I've recently bought for my new PC. I know how to install them into the case and motherboard and everything, but I'm not sure how to set them up in terms of software.

I've gotten mixed advice. I've heard that all I have to do it set my SSD as the C Drive during installation (Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit), others tell me that I should set it up in RAID.

I was hoping that someone here would have some good advice? Thanks!
 
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nukemaster

nukemaster

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Nov 23, 2004
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You can not RAID the HDD and SSD(Intel Z68 has a feature like this. read on).

For speed, your SSD should be your windows boot drive. The down side would be that 64 gigs is not lots of space. If you can live within that space, do that.

The hard drive can be used for all your files, you can also move the desktop and documents folders onto the hard drive.

For Z68

If you happen to have a Z68 board, Intel has a feature that uses an SSD to accelerate often used files on a hard drive. This mode does require you to install windows in RAID mode, but for all other reasons, RAID does not work on different sizes and types of drives(well, does not work well). With Windows installed in RAID, Then a software from intel(Rapid Storage Technology) can configure up to 64GB of SSD for cache.

You can also install windows on the 1TB and install your most used apps and games on the SSD. This is not always desired as many programs will still use the 1TB hard drive and not get as much of a speed boost.

Hope this clears it up a bit.
 
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Alex920

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Much appreciated! It seems that my friend misinformed me. He got mad that I got an SSD, and said that I would have to set it up in RAID.

Anyway, my motherboard is an Asus Sabertooth TUF Edition (Intel P67).

64GB is fine for me. Only the OS and vital, most-used programs will go there. My movies, music, and games will go into the 1TB.

Thanks again.
 
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nukemaster

nukemaster

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That is the way most people do it.

Once windows is installed, you can set it to move your desktop to the hard drive since desktops tend to collect lots of files over time(or maybe its just mine?)

You can move my Docs or just include another location. Some games act up with a moved My docs folder.

EDIT

Make sure you set your board to AHCI mode not IDE to get the most out of your SSD. And since you are new to SSD's do not use hibernate since it wastes space and never defrag it(Win7 should disable it on its own when it sees an SSD)
 
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Max1m0

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I have ASUS G53SX-NH71
first drive is Crucial M4 128 GB SSD 6 GB/S
second drive is Seagate Momentus XT SATA 3 3GB/S
CHIPSET SANDY BRIDGE HM65 INTEL

I CAN NOT SETUP BOTH DRIVES .....SYSTEM GIVE ME BSOD DURING BOOT ...IF I REMOVE SECOND DRIVE I HAVE NORMAL BOOT AND ITS WORK FINE EVERYTHING ....I DONT KNOW WHAT I NEED TO SETUP IN BIOS ....AHCI OR IDE MODE? IS THAT MATTER?
 
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nukemaster

nukemaster

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Normally AHCI is what you want. The biggest problem is it should be setup BEFORE installing windows.

So it boots fine with the SSD? but not with the SSD and Seagate drive?

If that is the case, check to boot order with both drives. Some Asus boards(maybe laptops) will make a new drive the boot drive so if you had an OS on the Seagate it will try to boot. If that happens the different config(AND AHCI if you have it enabled) can make it BSOD.

Last off IF you installed Windows to the SSD in IDE more, you need to make a slight change before switching to AHCI.

ONLY REQUIRED IF YOU ARE NOT IN AHCI WHEN WINDOWS WAS INSTALLED.
http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?73355-Change-from-IDE-to-AHCI-after-Installation
 
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Max1m0

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Roger,

This looks like good deal, i have installed OS on SSD right now (only SSD , HDD i remove ) so i follow instructions to enable AHCI ...i will try to add HDD today and let you know what's going on ...thanks
 
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Max1m0

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Hello guys :)

Today we have different problem ...i start laptop this morning and he shows me " A disk error occured, press ctrl+alt+del to restart"

I have fresh installation of win 7 x64 yesterday ....only SSD is inside of laptop ....please respond me ..thanks
 
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nukemaster

nukemaster

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Remove and reinsert the SSD into the laptop to run out a contact issue. Failing that, the drive may be faulty.

Does the SSD show in the bios?

If you can pull the SSD and install it into a desktop system or another laptop(as long as it runs windows of its own drive and not the SSD), you may be able to check it SMART status to see if it is in fact failing.

CrystalDiskInfo can give you info on the SSD(and hard drives) it self, but you need to get into the OS first.
http://crystalmark.info/software/CrystalDiskInfo/index-e.html
 
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Max1m0

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I am just thinking about returning this SSD to store and replace for new one ...do you have any proposal which one will be good for ASUS G53SX together with seagate monetus XT ?
 
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