some quick pointers for a new SSD user

[imported_Freeco]

I just bought a new Intel G2 80GB SSD. My new motherboard, CPU & memory will be delivered next week, so I have some time to get this right from the start.

For the moment I've installed the SSD in my current Win7 desktop as a second drive. I already made 3 partitions:
* 100MB for the reserved system partition
* 50GB for OS & apps
* 20GB scratch partition for my temp folder, CameraRaw cache and other stuff
* rest (=4.43GB) I left unpartitioned

I didn't want to exagerate with the unpartitioning stuff, as the G2 supports TRIM, and Intel already ships it SSDs with a farely large hidden spare area. So do these number look OK?
For the moment my OS partition is also 50GB, and only 17GB is used.
Data is stored on my NAS, so I don't need that much space locally on the computer.

What about the swap file? I have 4GB of RAM and don't fill it up that often. So I tend to keep the swap file small: custom size of 512MB to 2048MB max. Never had any problem with that.
Where do I store this on my next computer? On the OS partition as I do now (as that's the fastest part of my current mechanical drive), or am i better off putting it on the 20GB scratch partition once I use the SSD?

What about defragmentation on an SSD? For the moment I use PerfectDisk, and even though I thought fragmentation was no issue at all on an SSD (as the controller will scatter data to preserve the NAND from wearing out), they do advise to defragment SSDs:
http://www.perfectdisk.com/support/kb/791. Is that really true, or are they getting prepared for the future, when SSD will be the rule so they'd loose customers?

 

[SimMike2]

I don't understand why Windows 7 has that stupid 100MB system partition. No hard drive I setup in the past has this partition.

Update: It bothered me that Windows 7 assigned a drive letter, or maybe I did by mistake, so I was seeing this partition in explorer. I finally removed the drive letter, so now it can remain hidden.

 

[SolMiester]

I just bought a new Intel G2 80GB SSD. My new motherboard, CPU & memory will be delivered next week, so I have some time to get this right from the start.

For the moment I've installed the SSD in my current Win7 desktop as a second drive. I already made 3 partitions:
* 100MB for the reserved system partition
* 50GB for OS & apps
* 20GB scratch partition for my temp folder, CameraRaw cache and other stuff
* rest (=4.43GB) I left unpartitioned

I didn't want to exagerate with the unpartitioning stuff, as the G2 supports TRIM, and Intel already ships it SSDs with a farely large hidden spare area. So do these number look OK?
For the moment my OS partition is also 50GB, and only 17GB is used.
Data is stored on my NAS, so I don't need that much space locally on the computer.

What about the swap file? I have 4GB of RAM and don't fill it up that often. So I tend to keep the swap file small: custom size of 512MB to 2048MB max. Never had any problem with that.
Where do I store this on my next computer? On the OS partition as I do now (as that's the fastest part of my current mechanical drive), or am i better off putting it on the 20GB scratch partition once I use the SSD?

What about defragmentation on an SSD? For the moment I use PerfectDisk, and even though I thought fragmentation was no issue at all on an SSD (as the controller will scatter data to preserve the NAND from wearing out), they do advise to defragment SSDs:
http://www.perfectdisk.com/support/kb/791. Is that really true, or are they getting prepared for the future, when SSD will be the rule so they'd loose customers?

DO NOT defrag the SSD, in fact i think 7 turns it off by default. Defraging actually rewrites data, which is counter productive to SSD wear...

 

[gba]

7 turns it off by default

Type "disk defrag" in search to bring up the defrager and confirm that scheduled defrags are disabled.

 

[Binky]

If you didn't let windows7 make the OS partition, you will need to test it to make sure it is aligned.

 

[razel]

Since you mentioned you already have your data off elsewhere, don't bother partitioning your SSD. Just install Win7 on it. During installation at the choose disk portion, delete the partitions you already created. Create a new partition. When you do, Windows will create two. Delete partition 2 and extend partition 1 to cover the entire disk. That will prevent windows from making the 100MB partition.

After installation is complete, do the windows updates, install missing drivers, then run the assesment. Your Intel should score a 7.6. In Disk Defragment, double check that the scheduled defrag is unchecked for your SSD, leave it checked for your mechanical drives. There's no need to worry about alignment as long as Win 7 created it during install.

Then try to click as fast as you can to keep up with your Intel SSD. The faster your system, the faster your fingers will need to be.

 

[gba]

That will prevent windows from making the 100MB partition.

Is there any major downside to going with the 100MB partition if it is already there and I do not feel like starting over? Also, I want to re-set up dual booting with WinXP and it is my understanding that "the use of a separate Boot/Recovery partition is the best possible practice if you are running or contemplating running multiple operating systems." http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/10408-whats-100mb-partition-can-i-delete-2.html

 

[pcslookout]

Since you mentioned you already have your data off elsewhere, don't bother partitioning your SSD. Just install Win7 on it. During installation at the choose disk portion, delete the partitions you already created. Create a new partition. When you do, Windows will create two. Delete partition 2 and extend partition 1 to cover the entire disk. That will prevent windows from making the 100MB partition.

After installation is complete, do the windows updates, install missing drivers, then run the assesment. Your Intel should score a 7.6. In Disk Defragment, double check that the scheduled defrag is unchecked for your SSD, leave it checked for your mechanical drives. There's no need to worry about alignment as long as Win 7 created it during install.

Then try to click as fast as you can to keep up with your Intel SSD. The faster your system, the faster your fingers will need to be.

Yep sadly no one here was able to tell me this when I asked about it. They said that Windows 7 just does that. It never did it on my old main Raptor hard drive. No big deal though I love to redo my system for fun! Quite a addiction I tell you. Guess I am a pc nerd to the extreme!

 

[Voo]

Ahm you could also just use GParted to fix that problem if you really think that those 100MB are more important than RE + Bitlocker support (well ok that's really debatable) and worth the 10minute it takes - don't forget to check the alignment after removing the partition, shouldn't mess up the alignment but who knows.

 

[imported_Freeco]

I don't mind that much about the 100MB hidden system partition. It'll be there for a reason. And a seperate partition for my temp stuff gives me a better overview. 50GB will be more then enough for my OS & apps. As I said currently my OS partition is only taking up 17GB. I even considered buying the 40GB value SSD from Intel, but finally didn't as it's slower. (Well "only" 17GB... back in the days of XP that was less then 10)

The MS Disk Defragmenter isn't that clear to me: scheduled defrag is turned on, and for my SSD partition in the Last Run column it says Never run. Does this mean it's scheduled to never run, or that it hasn't run yet but it will on the next schedule.
Actually, I can simply turn it off completely, as I defrag every month with PerfectDisk. Until I understand what PD does while defragging an SSD, I won't do it. They do claim they do it another way than on HDDs.

The 3 partitions I already created should be well aligned as I created them with the Win7 install CD. I cancelled the install after disk partitioning and restarted the PC booting from the old OS install. When I have my new hardware, I'll reformat the OS partition and use that one from then on.
My current 1TB drive will become a large temporary data store for holding photo's I still have to process, some downloads I don't keep for months, etc. 1TB is actually way too big, but I wanted that green HDD in particular, and they don't cost that much, so...

What about the swap file? Keep it on the SSD with a max size of 2GB, on the OS partition, on the scratch partition, or store it on the HDD?

@Razel, yep I hope I can keep up while typing & clicking! The new install will be a Asus µATX board with P55 chipset, Intel Core i5 750 and 2x2GB of DDR3. Well, the main reason to upgrade was LightRoom & Photoshop. I converted to RAW photography and the real-time manipulations in LR where a bit "jumpy". I couldn't complain about my 'old' C2D E6600 for everything else though.

 

[Binky]

This may help.

http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?49779-SSD-Tweak-Utility

 

[vj8usa]

* rest (=4.43GB) I left unpartitioned

I'm curious, what's the reasoning behind this? Isn't the ~5.6GB of reserved space that the 80GB G2s come with enough for TRIM and other maintenance needs?

 

[jimhsu]

I'm curious, what's the reasoning behind this? Isn't the ~5.6GB of reserved space that the 80GB G2s come with enough for TRIM and other maintenance needs?

From empirical observation, no. I notice degradation of performance any time the free space (in windows) is under 20 gb. This usually takes the form of seq writes stalling as the drive tries to do the cleanup process while writing at the same time. I have a 80GB G2 with the latest firmware. Yes TRIM is enabled.