Advice migrating to SSD

fastar1

fastar1

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I know there are a lot of computer-savvy folks here, and a quick Google search didn't help me with any of my questions.

So my laptop is about 5 years old and still in great shape, but the HD is full and I've been needing to clean up the files for a while now. I figure I might as well just swap in a new SSD and keep my existing drive as an external drive. I already have an image of the OS when I first installed it (so it will fit a smaller SSD), I just need to figure out a few more details.

For one, what should I look for in SSD specs so I get decent performance, reliability, and price? Also, will I still need a cooling fan? I'm thinking that all the SSD devices I know about don't have cooling fans, but maybe that's more to do with ARM processors? Are there any drawbacks to SSD that people don't always think about, and any pitfalls to watch for when migrating?

Thanks.
 
fastar1 said:
I know there are a lot of computer-savvy folks here, and a quick Google search didn't help me with any of my questions.

So my laptop is about 5 years old and still in great shape, but the HD is full and I've been needing to clean up the files for a while now. I figure I might as well just swap in a new SSD and keep my existing drive as an external drive. I already have an image of the OS when I first installed it (so it will fit a smaller SSD), I just need to figure out a few more details.

For one, what should I look for in SSD specs so I get decent performance, reliability, and price? Also, will I still need a cooling fan? I'm thinking that all the SSD devices I know about don't have cooling fans, but maybe that's more to do with ARM processors? Are there any drawbacks to SSD that people don't always think about, and any pitfalls to watch for when migrating?

Thanks.
Click to expand...


If you're running Windows 7 (or XP has it as well, really) You could always run the Easy Transfer Wizard. It is located under Accessories -> System Tools in the start menu.

You will need a USB Hard drive that can hold all of your data to use it, but it should be quite smooth.

You would install Windows on your SSD from scratch and then restore from your Transfer from the old hard drive. The best part of this is you have no chance of losing your data if it doesn't work and you can always go back and try another method.

I'm sure others will have many great suggesstions but this is probably the most basic.
 
I wouldn't recommend restoring the image from your regular mechanical harddrive onto a SSD, instead install Windows from scratch on the SSD.

I like the Intel SSD devices, they seem to be the most reliable. I've been running their Intel 520 Series for about 2 years now on my home desktop without any issues.

You'd still need a fan in your laptop since the fan is used to cool the processor more than the hard drive.

Pitfalls of SSDs are typically the price per GB and the fact that the more writing / deleting you do, the slower they get. The Intel drive was the best at managing this issue, at least back when I got mine.
 
Look for good rrad/write speed. I think anything at 500MB/sec is average

Sent from my tablet using my paws
 
You will want a fresh install of Windows on that SSD. If you are running Windows 7 then you should not encounter any compatibility issues with the OS. That said, you may run into compatibility issues with your chipset given that your machine is 5 years old. You will want to ensure that you have AHCI set in the BIOS (vs SATA). This enables the Advanced Host Controller Interface, which is critical for SSD's (involves garbage collection and handling deleted data, which will vastly impact the lifespan of the drive).

With a fresh install, you could then just copy the files from your old drive to the SSD via a USB enclosure, or something similar. Another OS setting to check for is the enabling of TRIM. This also relates to the handling of deleted data by the OS. Proper garbage collection is critical to an SSD. Conventional spinning disks handle deleted data in a way that would spend an SSD in short time, but the operating system needs to be aware of this.

In terms of drive recommendations, I've also been running an Intel 520 series for a couple of years in my HTPC, and it is fantastic. 120GB reasonably priced, and the performance is great. I would recommend looking at Intel's RST (Rapid Storage Technology) software if you notice that you have strange performance issues, after all is said and done. It is a piece of software largely dedicated to handling RAID configurations of odd drive, but does a great job of handling independent SSD's.

If all of that was a tad rambling, give this a read. Hell, give it a read anyway, it's good stuff.


http://blogs.msdn.com/b/e7/archive/2009/05/05/support-and-q-a-for-solid-state-drives-and.aspx

Good luck!


Edit: If you happen to be looking for a good deal on a drive, make sure to check the age and manufacturing date. Specifically, you want to look out for older drives which use dated SandForce controllers. These are known to be finicky, and have the potential to cause you trouble. You could get lucky, but it's a bit of a gamble. SSD's have come a long way in a short period of time.​ I am a big fan of Samsung and Intel SSDs from the last couple of years, and recommend one of those.

Second Edit: Heat is a non-issue. SSD's use less power and produce less heat than spinning disks because there are no moving parts. Another benefit of no moving parts is that they are rather resistant to knocks and vibrations. You can toss your laptop around while it's on, and your drive will stand up to it (not that the rest of the laptop would :P).
 
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Thanks for all the tips and info, this is very helpful.

What is this TRIM, and how do I enable it (Win 7)?
 
fastar1 said:
Thanks for all the tips and info, this is very helpful.

What is this TRIM, and how do I enable it (Win 7)?
Click to expand...

run Command Prompt as an administrator and type:
fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify

Trim is the garbage cleaner in SSD's

A zero indicates that TRIM is enabled correctly, a one means that it is not. If you have a TRIM-compatible SSD, but find that Windows 7 hasn't enabled the command, you can easily do so by running this command:fsutil behavior set DisableDeleteNotify 0

If you're migrating from XP you'll have to align the partition, but windows 7 aligns the partition on format when you do a fresh install or came with it installed OEM.
To check the alignment of your SSD's partition, it is quite simple. In windows 7, run msinfo32 by typing it into the search box on your start menu and hitting enter. click on: components => storage => disks

Look for your SSD and check the partition starting offset.
It needs to be divisible by 4 (ie return a whole number when you divide by this) otherwise the alignment is not correct. Paragon makes a tool to correct this without losing your data.

To do a proper image transfer use Acronis disk image, not all backups will do a proper alignment.
Also if your make sure that AHCI is enabled. Go to the registry and change the parameter: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services, in the left pane click "msahci", in the right pane right click "start" then click "modify" Might be set to "1"
In the window that opens change the value to "0" and click OK. Now you'll need to restart the PC and go into the BIOS and enable AHCI; when Windows boots up it will finish installing the AHCI drivers. You might also make sure you have the latest chipset drivers installed.
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