How to make a 32gig ssd (sata II) useful, if any?

[JEDI]

just upgraded my desktop to a 128gig ssd.

that got me thinking about an old 32gig ssd I have just sitting there.
I want to do something with it.

I thought about putting it in a 6yr old laptop (Pentium Dual Core SU4100).
but from my desktop install, Win7 ultimate/Office 2010/updates were 34gig.

How can I make a 32gig ssd useful, if any?

 

[Malogeek]

It's useful in a HTPC as long as it's for playback only and not for storing or recording any media.

 

[mxnerd]

Convert it to a Chrome OS PC

https://www.neverware.com/freedownload

Or install LibreOffice/WPS Office free instead Office 2010 on Windows 7

MS Office is just ridiculous huge.

 

[whm1974]

Convert it to a Chrome OS PC

https://www.neverware.com/freedownload

Or install LibreOffice/WPS Office free instead Office 2010 on Windows 7

MS Office is just ridiculous huge.

There are some Linux distros that will fit on a 32GB SSD with room to spare.

 

[mxnerd]

There are some Linux distros that will fit on a 32GB SSD with room to spare.

Yep. Like LinuxMint or KDE Neon.

Don't know if OP wants to install Linux.

 

[mxnerd]

Yet another option: convert it to an Android PC.

http://www.jide.com/remixos-for-pc

 

[whm1974]

Yep. Like LinuxMint or KDE Neon.

Don't know if OP wants to install Linux.

And yet you pointed out ChromeOS. Linux is way better.

 

[mxnerd]

And yet you pointed out ChromeOS. Linux is way better.

Chrome OS is based on Linux, but basically hide everything with its UI.

A lot of people are afraid of dealing with Linux and its software installation, let alone you constantly have to resort to its command line terminal.

 

[whm1974]

Chrome OS is based on Linux, but basically hide everything with its UI.

A lot of people are afraid of dealing with Linux and its software installation, let alone you constantly have to resort to its command line terminal.

That really depends on the distro.

 

[sdifox]

install into current pc and use it as a swap partition

 

[mxnerd]

That really depends on the distro.

IIRC, Cloudready basically turn your laptop/PC into Chromebook. So you run everything from Google Chrome browser.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Should be able to install a Linux distro on it and use it as the OS drive for a server or something. HTPC is a good idea if you don't already have one. Though I personally prefer a Raspberry Pi for that as it's even smaller foot print. All content is stored on the NFS server.

 

[XavierMace]

Everyone's ignoring the obvious question. How old is this 32Gb SSD? If it's an old OCZ, it's likely about at the end of it's life anyways.

 

[Smoblikat]

You could make it a router, use it to install a bunch of emulators on and have a nice Arcade machine, you could dedicate it as a pagefile, might be useful as cache for slower drives, it makes a nice desk decoration, you could convert it into an external drive and have a pretty fast 32gb USB drive, you could install windows XP on it, use it for a game or two, maybe install some light applications on it etc..

 

[whm1974]

IIRC, Cloudready basically turn your laptop/PC into Chromebook. So you run everything from Google Chrome browser.

So what? The OP can do the same with Linux.

 

[mxnerd]

I was just pointing out the differences between OSes and the options he has, I didn't just ask OP to install Cloudready, calm down.

Some people don't want to deal with command lines at all.

He can try Android PC, or Linux too. I'm not an advocate of Cloudready.

 

[JackMDS]

If you do clean install of Win 7 U and Office it would take around 20GB (No 3rd party Junk Security software).

So, if you do not load back any ""Junk"" that you have on the Desktop you can use it for the Laptop.

Win 10 Home and Office takes about 24 GB which still leaves space.

"Disparately needed Junk" (like movies and movies) can be stored on USB Flash Drive.

 

[mxnerd]

If you do clean install of Win 7 U and Office it would take around 20GB (No 3rd party Junk Security software).

So, if you do not load back any ""Junk"" that you have on the Desktop you can use it for the Laptop.

Win 10 Home and Office takes about 24 GB which still leaves space.

"Disparately needed Junk" (like movies and movies) can be stored on USB Flash Drive.

OP probably have more than 4GB memory and have hibernation turned on, pagefile.sys and hiberfil.sys files will takes up some precious space.

So yes, in normal case if he can keep junk software away and turn off hibernation, he should be able to fit Win7 & Office in 32G SSD.

 

[JEDI]

OP probably have more than 4GB memory and have hibernation turned on, pagefile.sys and hiberfil.sys files will takes up some precious space.

So yes, in normal case if he can keep junk software away and turn off hibernation, he should be able to fit Win7 & Office in 32G SSD.

laptop had 4gig ram.
system restore is set to 5.5gig (on desktop install I just did) altho I can probably reduce that.
page file/virtual memory is 4 gigs.

but the main thing is the various Window/Office updates.
That takes up gigs.

and I definitely will have a hibernation file since I usually put my laptop in sleep mode when not in use, instead of shutdown.
altho I do that mainly because of speed. It takes soooo long to boot up.
but since it will be a ssd, bootup time should no longer be a problem?

hm.. I assume the hibernation file size = ram size? ie: 4gigs
so 34gigs - 4gig - 3gigs (restore file) - 2gigs page file = 25gigs?

 

[mxnerd]

You don't need hibernation mode, all you need is sleep mode. Hibernation save everything in RAM and copy to hard disk and shuts down PC, so it will be faster next time you boots up.

If you maintain system restore, that takes up space too, but I don't.

Yep, since you are using SSD, booting up is no issue even if you shuts down completely.

===

Just restore my 8GB laptop to default performance settings to answer your question partially.

The hyberfil.sys is 6.6GB and pagefile.sys is 2.8GB, so hyberfil.sys takes more than double space than pagefile.sys does.

I always turn off hibernation mode for my PC/laptop, it's useless to me.

===

You can adjust pagefile.sys size manually via Advanced System Settings, Advanced tab, Performance option, then Advanced, Virtual memory. 2GB should be enough for your 4GB system.

 

[whm1974]

You don't need hibernation mode, all you need is sleep mode. Hibernation save everything in RAM and copy to hard disk and shuts down PC, so it will be faster next time you boots up.

If you maintain system restore, that takes up space too, but I don't.

Yep, since you are using SSD, booting up is no issue even if you shuts down completely.

I wouldn't use hibernation mode with with an SSD anyway as that will increase the wear and tear of the SSD.

 

[JackMDS]

Well the OP seems to be Particular about certain things and thus 32GB will Not work for him.

Lucky, One can Find on ebay 40GB for about $24 and 64-80GB for $30.

That the way life is Being Particular it Costs. .

What is that I do? I do not waist even 10 KB on backup and recovery on my computers.

I use Acronis True Image to store on a separate drive (big 3 TB) images of the computers. At the long run it is less expensive and more secure (if a computer falls apart its recovery image dies too).

 

[Ichinisan]

Use as cache drive. Shouldn't matter if it's near death.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Oh right if it's OCZ I probably would not use it for anything too important. So use as cache drive or something like that as suggested.

 

[JEDI]

Oh right if it's OCZ I probably would not use it for anything too important. So use as cache drive or something like that as suggested.

why is ocz 32gig ssd = bad?

and the one i have is patriot torqx2