SSD strategies

[cletus_slackjawd]

Hello,

Need a second opinion here on SSD long term strategies for wear in. I recently installed a Crucial F60 60gb SSD with windows 7 x64. I have two more HDD (WD greens) in the system. Should I install the Anti virus / malware programs on the HDD or the SSD?
I was thinking to install on the HDD, as it will constantly be writing new virus signatures to save on the wear of the SSD? Then again, I don't know if there is some drawbacks to this. Is there any other directories I should point off the C: drive (SSD) to save space and wear for the long run O/S drive stability and health? Thanks.

 

[JohnnyLucky]

I can't recall any articles indicating anti-virus software should not be installed on a solid state drive. I know some of the technical reviews use anti-virus software when performing some of the real world benchmarks. There was no mention of any problems.

 

[cletus_slackjawd]

Best answer selected by cletus_slackjawd.

 

[photonboy]

The frequency of updates is very low. These are only daily updates.

On the other hand, there are people who have moved their PAGEFILE and/or Internet browser caches to hard drives.

I recommend not doing ANYTHING.

The wear-levelling algorithms mean that your SSD will slowly lose space over time as it decides those areas are no longer reliable.

Your only issue should be to ensure that 60GB (55GB usable) is enough. You should have 20% left as a MINIMUM. You will find that Windows will slowly use more space as time goes on even if it's just to create the occasional RESTORE POINT which is recommended.

My advice is to get a second 60GB SSD (exactly the same model. read about 34nm vs 25nm) and create a RAID0 setup. Also create an image backup.

I'm at 60GB with no games and nothing fancy besides Nero and a few other programs. I saw the size of Windows slowly rise from 35GB to 60GB over six months.

The only problem with RAID0 is that TRIM is no longer supported, but I'm not too worried as long as I have enough space. Updating is also problematic as currently the update software won't work with RAID setups.

Once you understand how to update it's not too bad. The easiest method is this:
1. Borrow a PC or clone Windows to a spare hard drive
2. Use a USB drive or add each SSD to a spare SATA connection
3. flash the firmware

It's even possible to flash a RAID0 setup without removing hardware. It goes something like this:
1. Prepare a USB stick with the firmware (see more info for USB flashing firmware for SSD. OCZ or Google...)
2. Disable RAID0. change to IDE mode (not AHCI) *don't enter the RAID setup page and wreck your actual RAID setup (don't use CTRL+G or whatever to enter the RAID setup)
3. run the USB flash program

I forget the main details, but I recently used this to flash a 3xRAID0 setup of three 60GB OCZ Vertex 2's.

**Warning: I don't know if my SSD overheated but I have three almost exactly next to each other and the middle one just died.

Summary:
1. ignore moving directories and let the wear-levelling simply shrink the drive capacity slowly over time
2. 60GB is not likely enough. Recommend 2xRAID0

 

[psc777]

Good reply! Helped out a fellow co-worker who was asking about the same thing! Love this place!

 

[cletus_slackjawd]

yeah I love this place too. Always lots of good people willing to share experience and advice.

 

[Mousemonkey]

This topic has been closed by Mousemonkey