How to CORRECTLY optimize your SSD for windows 7

[GlacierFreeze]

quick question for you guys.i have a corsair 128GB SSD and its has an installation of windows 7 on it.but i need to do a reinstall.so can i just do a reinstall like i would normally do with a regular HD?i mean,is there anything i need to do besides start my new install and with the win7 disc and just install?
im only asking because i thought i read somewhere about not neing able to re-write over and over.

Probably not a good idea to read MonkeyBusiness's posts...

Reinstall.

 

[Synomenon]

Why does everyone recommend imaging a SSD after you've setup everything the way you want it?

Does doing a fresh install of Windows + your apps. cause more wear on the SSD than restoring an image?

 

[gmjimmy]

I haven't read all the posts to see if anyone has found this but there is a page on Intel's site "Users Guide for SSD" http://www.intel.com/support/ssdc/hpssd/sb/CS-031549.htm

And the guide: http://download.intel.com/support/ssdc/hpssd/sb/newusersguide.pdf

It doesn't say to do more than disable superfetch?
Jim

 

[GlacierFreeze]

Why does everyone recommend imaging a SSD after you've setup everything the way you want it?

Does doing a fresh install of Windows + your apps. cause more wear on the SSD than restoring an image?
...

Because imaging or fresh install isn't really about wear and tear, although there is probably some difference and wear leveling should make it not that big of a deal. Imaging is pretty much just about saving time. Reimaging a fully updated OS + Apps + OS/Apps settings is much quicker than doing it from scratch, obviously.

 

[Synomenon]

Thanks, I though it might be just about that.

Anyone else have even more advice regarding my other questions?

My notebook is running Windows 7 Pro. x64 and has 4GB of RAM. So far, this is what I have on my list:

- Set static page file Initial and Maximum of 2GB.
- Check to make sure Windows disabled automatic defragmentation
- Disable System Restore
- Disable Hibernation (never use it)
- Disable activation until I have everything setup (how do you do this?)


Anything else I should add or anything on that list I should not do?

Besides the chipset driver for my notebook, do I need to install the Intel AHCI driver?

What about the OCZ SSD Toolbox? Should that be installed after installing all my other software and drivers?


Finally, what do you guys mean by this:

7. Power Settings - TRIM runs on its own accord and not only when you delete a file. If the power settings arent set at boot up, well...its like grammar school now isnt it.

Which of the power settings in Control Panel need to be configured and what should they be set to?

 

[Sunburn74]

Hibernate is a useful way to gracefully shut down a computer without losing/trashing any unsaved/modified files if you have battery backup of any kind (laptop w/battery or desktop with UPS).

That said, windows update which forces unattended reboots on occasion has caused me more lost production from losing unsaved files than the total damage I have suffered at the hands of virus/worms/etc.

I don't personally use the hibernate feature on my desktop but I keep it enabled so my UPS can hibernate my rig (160GB G2) in the event of power outage while I am away from the desk. If a power outage were to force a shutdown w/o hibernation I would lose my unsaved work which would mean there is basically no value added in having the UPS in the first place.

Some people use it, some people don't. I just think people should be aware that turning it off can save you space equivalent to your max system RAM. A lot of people on this forum have a single SSD with just a few GBs left to spare. If they had 8gb of ram (like myself) and hibernate on, turning it off would generate 8gb of space 10% of a single x-25m!

I definitely use hibernate for my laptop, but really haven't found a use for my desktop.

 

[Idontcare]

Because imaging or fresh install isn't really about wear and tear, although there is probably some difference and wear leveling should make it not that big of a deal. Imaging is pretty much just about saving time. Reimaging a fully updated OS + Apps + OS/Apps settings is much quicker than doing it from scratch, obviously.

So it is one of those things, yet again, that really has little to do with SSD's specifically and rather falls into the category of "its a personal preference in how I manage my rig, I'd do it this way even if I were using spindle-drives".

(I use acronis and backups as well, not bagging on the approach, just saying a lot of people's frustrations relating to SSD's in my opinion would be negated if people stopped infusing their own preferences on operating system optimizations, etc, into their "here's what you gots to do with yer SSD" advice)

 

[GlacierFreeze]

So it is one of those things, yet again, that really has little to do with SSD's specifically and rather falls into the category of "its a personal preference in how I manage my rig, I'd do it this way even if I were using spindle-drives".

(I use acronis and backups as well, not bagging on the approach, just saying a lot of people's frustrations relating to SSD's in my opinion would be negated if people stopped infusing their own preferences on operating system optimizations, etc, into their "here's what you gots to do with yer SSD" advice)

Well, I mean unless there is some type of external device that could measure the amount of writes for doing a reimage (fully setup) and compare it to the amount of writes it takes to do all of that from scratch, it's probably no way of actually knowing. I really doubt there's that much of a difference. I could see a reimage being less writes, but how much really? Probably not significant enough to matter in the least. Even so, there's write leveling which is made to prolong the life of the blocks. I doubt there's that much "wear and tear" difference between the two.

And I could definitely see your last paragraph as being true. I'm sure some things benefit much more than others, though, and some not much difference, if any, at all.

 

[Zap]

i need to do a reinstall.so can i just do a reinstall like i would normally do with a regular HD?i mean,is there anything i need to do besides start my new install and with the win7 disc and just install?

Uh, make sure BIOS has AHCI enabled (if it is an option). That's it! Go for it!

Does Acronis require installation of software IN Windows or is it something you burn to a CD or install to flash drive that you can then boot off of to run?

When you buy a retail copy of Acronis, the CD is both an installable disc (for regular backups) as well as a bootable disc (for imaging). I think the downloadable version is an ISO of the same thing. So, yes, it is a bootable CD that you can use for imaging/cloning without ever having to install it.

That said, windows update which forces unattended reboots on occasion has caused me more lost production from losing unsaved files than the total damage I have suffered at the hands of virus/worms/etc.

OMFG... I HATE how it does that. It doesn't care that it is set by default to 3am, it just DOES IT whenever it wants. I've had it close me out of stuff that I didn't get a chance to save. I've had it happen at a LAN party where I was in the middle of a game and it just did a proper shutdown and restart on me. FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK when that happens I turn that shit off! Just like UAC with Vista, it is so obnoxious that I turn it off thus negating the benefits. I've been SOOOO pissed off you wouldn't know... wait, okay I guess Idontcare does know. D:

Why does everyone recommend imaging a SSD after you've setup everything the way you want it?

Does doing a fresh install of Windows + your apps. cause more wear on the SSD than restoring an image?

It's saving time. Especially if you're going off a HDD, you can restore your setup (whatever you created to begin with, your OS, drivers, updates, software, etc.) back to the way it was in like 5 minutes. How long does a Win7 install take, with drivers and all updates?

- Disable activation until I have everything setup (how do you do this?)

Anything else I should add or anything on that list I should not do?

Besides the chipset driver for my notebook, do I need to install the Intel AHCI driver?

What about the OCZ SSD Toolbox? Should that be installed after installing all my other software and drivers?

During installation you will be asked for your product key. Right below the text box to enter the key is a check box for "Activate Windows once online." Uncheck it. In fact, you don't even need to enter your product key if you don't want to - you'll just be asked for it when you get around to activation.

There's nothing else you "need" to do or not do. Everything else is personal preference.

Just install the normal Intel chipset INF installer.

AFAIK you only need the SSD Toolbox if you aren't running Windows 7.

a lot of people's frustrations relating to SSD's in my opinion would be negated if people stopped infusing their own preferences on operating system optimizations, etc, into their "here's what you gots to do with yer SSD" advice

Absofuckinlutely!

 

[Synomenon]

Thanks Zap. So this is what's on the todo list so far:

- Flash the drive to latest firmware before installing Windows
- Install Windows 7 x64
- Install GS45 Express chipset driver
- Set static page file Initial and Maximum of 2GB.
- Disable automatic defragmentation
- Disable System Restore
- Disable Hibernation (never use it)
- Disable activation until I have everything setup

- Proceed installation of all my other software

Also, no need for the OCZ SSD "Performance Tool" since Windows 7 automatically TRIMs.

Does that look right to everyone? Just want to make sure before I do this install.

 

[flamenko]

Work...work...work...sorry to be late answering your question.

With respect to Power Settings, the adjustment being made is simply to eliminate the automatic turning off of the hard drive after a static period which allows TRIM to continue to work. TRIM is a new and little known activity that is the average user cannot observe as it is done so quickly. Even the commands don't tell you that it is finished, but rather, that the OS is passing the command to the hardware.

There are a number of scenarios where the hardware isn't fulfilling the request but you get the same result in the OS DOS request which is that it is stating that the commands are being sent.

There is another comment above that speaks of so many people putting guides together and inserting their own ideas. Yup...thats the way it is. One day there is nothing and the next there are thousands and everyone may have a bit of a different twist. Many sites state that Pagefile can be turned off yet some will jump on this in a second to this day.

There is a common theme to all, however, and that there are key ideas that always seem to come across exactly the same and these, specifically, you should consider.

It wasn't too long ago that people thought me nuts suggesting to shut down System restore but once I figured out a simple way to test whether TRIM may or may not be working, many started to turn their heads. I can't say whether TRIM is working to this day but I can say that System Restore, in most cases and it appears all cases of Intel drives specifically, wreaks havoc on the SSD because of the way it allocates its storage points.

Enjoy the drive!

EDIT.... With respect to ghosting or imaging your drive, my advise is not to unless absolutely avoidable. Its best with an ssd to start everything brand new and there are numerous instances around the net where users are getting subpar performance from their new installations. Most of the time the reasoning cannot be pinned down BUT a fresh install seems to tackle it.

I am a bit curious regarding this actually because I just got a new OWC drive to play with and I am going to test it with a fresh install and then a disk image of the way my Intel is et up now. I will jump in if there is any performance differences which may verify the point.

 

[taltamir]

- Disable automatic defragmentation

unless windows somehow mistakes your SSD for a spindle disk it would be off by default.
I would very much like to hear from someone to whom that actually happened. because so far there is just a warning that it might happen.

defrag should be disabled for the SSD, and enabled for non SSD drives you own (in case you have an SSD+Spindle drive)

 

[flamenko]

In most cases, the Defrag schedule is not set but Defrag is still on and running. I know of several who have said that Defrag was on but wuld suggest that it is simply that the schedule was not set yet Defrag left active in Services.

My suggestion is to disable it completely even within services much the same as the other things.

Of interesting note since we discussed Superfetch, just rleased from Intel... a New Users Guide to SSDs...

Disable Superfetch(For Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows 7)
•On your “Start” search menu, type “services.msc”. Scroll down and find the “Superfetch” line, and double click it to open up its properties.
•Change the “Startup Type” to “disabled”.
•Superfetchis designed to open your frequently used programs more quickly. However, this technique doesn’t speed up an Intel SSD’s performance significantly and can ultimately have a negative effect on the performance of the drive. Superfetchis not a feature on Microsoft Windows XP.

 

[taltamir]

In most cases, the Defrag schedule is not set but Defrag is still on and running. I know of several who have said that Defrag was on but wuld suggest that it is simply that the schedule was not set yet Defrag left active in Services.

Of course the defrag SERVICE is running... but so what? as long as it doesn't actually perform defragging on your SSD. And you need it in case you also have a spindle drive.

My suggestion is to disable it completely even within services much the same as the other things.

Which then prevents it from running on your spindle drives, which you want.

•Superfetchis designed to open your frequently used programs more quickly. However, this technique doesn’t speed up an Intel SSD’s performance significantly and can ultimately have a negative effect on the performance of the drive. Superfetchis not a feature on Microsoft Windows XP.

So it does improve performance, just not "significantly". And do remember that manufacturers originally said that random writes don't matter; just because a manufacturer said something doesn't make it gospel.
I do wonder as to how exactly they think it "can ultimately have a negative effect on the performance"... how does it improve performance in a non significant manner and ultimately degrate performance at the same time?

Anyways, it does speed it up. And it is especially useful for people who have an SSD and a spindle drive in the same system.

 

[flamenko]

Taltamir,

Yes I agree totally with you 'if someone also has a hard drive within the same system as a ssd' and I would believe this is a common sense logic.

The 'so what' part brings into play a thought that I have always stood by which is 'Why would I allow any services that are not needed to continue running and slow my system?' Yes, I will concede that, indicidually, there is little if any reduction in things such as boot time when you shut many unneeded services off but collectively, it can speed up your start time quite a bit.

If I can demonstrate, simply go to to MSConfig in the Run command and shut down all of your services temporarily. It is similar to starting in Safe Mode. Check your start time and then check again when you turn the services back on again. I suggest the same when fine tuning the Startup there as well.

These details are the things that enable many to fine tune their system.

 

[taltamir]

I am aware of msconfig, shutting down services, etc.
the services in question do not have a noticeable impact individually and could be very useful under various circumstances. Only under very specific circumstances would such an "optimization" help... and in such cases it will shave a fraction of a second off of boot time, and that is all. Not worth it for a layman to mess with their system configuration over, especially if they don't know exactly when they should or shouldn't.

TRIM is serious business, alignment is serious business. Both of which are worth it for everyone to ensure that they work. Disabling disk defragmentation service if you have SSDs but no spindle drives is not, I would say that a human would not be able to perceive the difference. (especially when loading from an SSD)

All of which doesn't really matter because in windows 7 disk defragmenter service is automatically enabled when it is scheduled to run, and automatically disabled when finished.
My disk fragmentation service is currently stopped under windows 7, my SSD has never been defragmented and doesn't have a schedule, my spindle drive is regularly defragmented, has a schedule, and has 0% fragmentation.

So in windows 7 there is no need to disable the defragmenter service, it is always disabled unless currently running; and this guide is specifically for windows 7.

 

[flamenko]

Help me here....aligning.... In my experience the advice if only valid for XP and not necessary for Win7 whatsoever yet we always see people saying to do it regardless of the OS. I have never aligned in all of my SSDs to which I just received a new one today and am going to play with it as well (ne OWC just released).

Wha are your thoughts? Align a W7 partition? I cannot see a purpose whatsoever and am wondering if this advise to align is being dolled out carelessly without even knowing ones OS.

 

[taltamir]

Help me here....aligning.... In my experience the advice if only valid for XP and not necessary for Win7 whatsoever yet we always see people saying to do it regardless of the OS. I have never aligned in all of my SSDs to which I just received a new one today and am going to play with it as well (ne OWC just released).

Wha are your thoughts? Align a W7 partition? I cannot see a purpose whatsoever and am wondering if this advise to align is being dolled out carelessly without even knowing ones OS.

Alignment is something that happens to any drive, spindle or SSD based. There have been issues with alignment for spindle drives in the past, and there are now issues with top of the line spindle drives using advanced format (which is necessary to go beyond 2TB drives).

Any partition is aligned. the question is it aligned correctly or incorrectly. Which depends solely on whether the program you are using to create it recognizes the drive you are using and uses the correct defaults.
Windows 7 will correctly align SSD partitions it creates. So there is no need to do so manually.

 

[flamenko]

Agreed tx.... I just see so many people being told to align even in Win 7 which I believe improper and, quite frankly, wanted an outside view....

I thought I was missing something here.

 

[hclarkjr]

I took taltamir's advice and set the bios to AHCI and installed 7 and that is all i did. things are real fast and i am very happy i bought it. i left superfetch and everything else alone. only thing different i did was i integrated the intel raid and AHCI driver to my install DVD. i checked to see if trim was enabled and it was. i see you guys discussing alignment, how do i check that?

 

[Idontcare]

i see you guys discussing alignment, how do i check that?

Same here, superfetch service was already set to "manual" by default anyways, was not started when I looked.

checkout Binky's post:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=29790099&postcount=90

 

[flamenko]

If u are in Win 7...don't worry about or concern yourself with Win7. If you are wondering about the performance, post up a Crystal Sisk Score...

 

[Voo]

To check the correct offset you can use the wmic (just type that in from cmd) -> partition -> StartingOffset.. But shouldn't be a problem for a standard Vista/Win7 install.

 

[killster1]

If u are in Win 7...don't worry about or concern yourself with Win7. If you are wondering about the performance, post up a Crystal Sisk Score...

what is crystal sisk? is it a new program? i cant believe this thread is still going! im about to install another ssd all ima do is Nothing im just going to slap it in install windows 7 ultimate and copy some games over

Ok i lied i changed the page file to min / max 1gb static Took off indexing, but thats it..

 

[taltamir]

I know of crystal diskmark http://crystalmark.info/?lang=en
but not of a crystal sysdisk or whatever