Intel 320 Series performance on late 2009 MacBook

[span01]

Hey!

This is my first post here on the forums so I wish to say hello! to everyone.

I've made a similar post to this over at MacRumours but as it hasn't generated any response I'm coming here to the real experts

A few days ago I installed my first SSD, an Intel 320 Series 120GB, into my MacBook late 2009 model. When I installed it I first tried a clean install of the OS and then I tried to get the apps and files back to the machine via Migration Assistant. This however resulted in Kernel Panics and the computer wouldn't boot so after a few attempts of this I decided to install directly from my TimeMachine backup.

I've read in some forums that restoring from a TM backup could hurt performance and although I am happy as can be with the improvement with this new SSD over the old 5400RPM crapdisk I'm still a bit concerned over the results I get when running XBench. Therefor I've decided to come here and ask for some expert advice and comments.

I'm attaching a screenshot of my results, do they seem terrible? Awesome? Average?

Thanks
Daniel

 

[j_g_o]

I have an Intel G3 300 GB coming in the mail.

This is what I got with my Intel G2 160 GB AFTER trimming the drive with wiper in ubuntu.


Results 315.54
System Info
Xbench Version 1.3
System Version 10.6.6 (10J567)
Physical RAM 8192 MB
Model MacBookPro5,2
Drive Type INTEL SSDSA2M160G2GN

Disk Test 315.54
Sequential 203.20
Uncached Write 176.15 108.15 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 173.71 98.28 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 162.98 47.70 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 472.78 237.62 MB/sec [256K blocks]

Random 705.68
Uncached Write 766.69 81.16 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 329.78 105.58 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 2345.27 16.62 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 1104.56 204.96 MB/sec [256K blocks]

 

[Emulex]

did you enable trim? the numbers looks good. - besides mac folks aren't benchmark queens like pc dudes. they are straight up queens (j/k j/k).

 

[span01]

Thanks for your input.

I've enabled TRIM with the 10.6.7 hack that is out there and I got the about the same numbers before I installed it. Perhaps it takes some time for the OS to actually trim the drive? Should I "erase free space" to get it trimmed faster?

Anyways, if you think the numbers look ok I guess that's fine, just a bit dissapointing they are almost exactly the same as the G2 although I suppose that was expected since they use the same controller.

 

[taltamir]

did you enable trim?

MacOS is the only OS to not have TRIM support;
nothing to enable

 

[span01]

MacOS is the only OS to not have TRIM support;
nothing to enable

It does have TRIM support... kinda. There has been a leaked Kext and some hexediting to enable TRIM some macs.

 

[span01]

Yeah so I erased the free space and I'm getting pretty much the same numbers. Since this is a new drive it really shouldn't do much difference. I do think however that a clean install of the OS would increase performance, anyone have experience with this? Why would it be a clean install would make a difference since access time is supposed to be 0?

 

[taltamir]

It does have TRIM support... kinda. There has been a leaked Kext and some hexediting to enable TRIM some macs.

leaked alpha code? that requires hex editing to even get working?
And you actually trust it to something as important as your DATA!?

 

[j_g_o]

leaked alpha code? that requires hex editing to even get working?
And you actually trust it to something as important as your DATA!?

It is not like this at all...you make it sound dirty.

The kext file is from a build of OS X that was released for 2011 models only, so it is not "leaked" nor is it "alpha." 2011 models trim Apple branded SSDs. This kext file has been modified so that it will no longer limit trim to APPLE SSD only. It is typical of Apple to slowly cut older models out of new features - not because a 2009 MBP can't "do" trim, but likely because they want consumers to feel as though they need a new computer. Who knows, perhaps 10.7 will allow trim for all SSDs and models.

 

[span01]

leaked alpha code? that requires hex editing to even get working?
And you actually trust it to something as important as your DATA!?

Yeah, I edited my post just when you posted yours as it was not correct as you quoted it. j_g_o has the facts straightened out.

 

[AkumaX]

Trim Enabler - http://www.groths.org/?p=308

Does anyone know if it'll work on 10.6.6?

 

[taltamir]

It is not like this at all...you make it sound dirty.

The kext file is from a build of OS X that was released for 2011 models only, so it is not "leaked" nor is it "alpha." 2011 models trim Apple branded SSDs. This kext file has been modified so that it will no longer limit trim to APPLE SSD only. It is typical of Apple to slowly cut older models out of new features - not because a 2009 MBP can't "do" trim, but likely because they want consumers to feel as though they need a new computer. Who knows, perhaps 10.7 will allow trim for all SSDs and models.

ok, that is better...

Yea, apple limiting it to only "new customers" is par for the course. Heck, so did intel with their G1 thing. (G1, G2, and 320 are all the exact same controller, difference is in chips and firmware. And trim is all firmware)

 

[span01]

Thanks all of you for your replies but I still have one question that I'm curious about and that is if there would be a performance loss when installing from a cloned disk or from a TimeMachine backup instead of installing everything fresh?

Access-times shouldn't be a problem if I've understood things correctly.

 

[span01]

Trim Enabler - http://www.groths.org/?p=308

Does anyone know if it'll work on 10.6.6?

Not sure, but I think I've read "somewhere" that it had to be 10.6.7. This could be false though, perhaps this thread could help you more:
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1125400

 

[j_g_o]

Yeah so I erased the free space and I'm getting pretty much the same numbers.

After erasing free space, how is your boot time?

I once erased free space after doing a trim job via ubuntu live cd, and my boot times went from sub 20 seconds to nearly one minute. Turns out that erasing free space can sometimes cause a permissions problem for the disk that slows boot time. It can not be fixed via the disk utility. I had to look up some terminal commands in the apple support forums.

Regarding the numbers for your G3 - based on the Anandtech article that I read, your numbers shouldn't be that far off from the G2 drives. I love my G2. I only bought the G3 as I wanted more space and a drive that (for me) had been reliable.

 

[j_g_o]

Does anyone know if it'll work on 10.6.6?

I know what WILL trim your drive under 10.6.6

I have been doing this: Click Me

 

[span01]

After erasing free space, how is your boot time?

I once erased free space after doing a trim job via ubuntu live cd, and my boot times went from sub 20 seconds to nearly one minute. Turns out that erasing free space can sometimes cause a permissions problem for the disk that slows boot time. It can not be fixed via the disk utility. I had to look up some terminal commands in the apple support forums.

Regarding the numbers for your G3 - based on the Anandtech article that I read, your numbers shouldn't be that far off from the G2 drives. I love my G2. I only bought the G3 as I wanted more space and a drive that (for me) had been reliable.

Yeah, I read about people having that issue. I think it is because the kexts-cache needs to be cleared and some other things. Check out the MacRumours link I posted above, it has more information about the terminal commands.

My boot time is good, 10 seconds from beep to login screen.