SSD and Windows 7 Info

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05 Nov 2009 01:56 #1085 by garfi3ld
I found this on another forum HERE In no way is any of this info by or from me, I just thought it would be good for people to know as SSD's will becoming more popular very soon.

Increase System Speed
Disable indexing
Description: Indexing creates and maintains a database of file attributes. This can lead to multiple small writes when creating/deleting/modifying files. Searching for files will still work.
Instructions: Start Menu -> Right-Click Computer -> Manage -> Services and Applications -> Services - > Right-Click Windows Search -> Startup type: Disabled -> OK

Disable defragmentation
Description: Defragmenting a hard disk's used space is only useful on mechanical disks with multi-millisecond latencies. Free-space defragmentation may be useful to SSDs, but this feature is not available in the default Windows Defragmenter.
Instructions: Start Menu -> Right-Click Computer -> Manage -> Services and Applications -> Services - > Right-Click Disk Defragmenter -> Startup type: Disabled -> OK

Disable Write Caching

Description: There is no cache on the SSD, so there are no benefits to write caching. There are conflicting reports on whether this gains speed or not.
Instructions: Start Menu -> Right-Click Computer -> Manage -> Device Manager -> Disk drives -> Right-Click STEC PATA -> Properties -> Policies Tab -> Uncheck Enable write caching -> OK

Configure Superfetch
Description: Frees up RAM by not preloading program files.
Instructions: On second glance, I would recommend leaving this one alone. However, there are some customizations that you can follow in the post below.

Firefox - Use memory cache instead of disk cache

Description: If you use Firefox, there's a way to write cached files to RAM instead of the hard disk. This is not only faster, but will significantly reduce writes to the SSD while using the browser.
Instructions: Open Firefox -> Type about:config into the address bar -> Enter -> double-click browser.cache.disk.enable to set the value to False -> Right-Click anywhere -> New -> Integer -> Preference Name "disk.cache.memory.capacity" -> value memory size in KB. Enter 32768 for 32MB, 65536 for 64MB, 131072 for 128MB, etc. -> restart Firefox

Free up extra drive space
Disable the Page File
Description: Eliminate writing memory to the SSD, free over 2GB of disk space. Warning - If you run out of memory the program you're using will crash.
Instructions: Start Menu -> Right-Click Computer -> Properties -> Advanced System Settings -> Settings (Performance) -> Advanced Tab -> Change -> Uncheck Automatically manage -> No paging file -> Set -> OK -> Restart your computer
Alternatively, if you want to play it safer, you can set a custom size of 200MB min and max.

Disable System Restore
Description: Don't write backup copies of files when installing new programs or making system changes. Can free up between a few hundred MB to a couple GB. Warning - Although unlikely, if a driver installation corrupts your system, there won't be an automatic way to recover.
Instructions: Start Menu -> Right-Click Computer -> Properties -> Advanced System Settings -> System Protection Tab -> Configure -> Turn off system protection -> Delete -> OK

Disable Hibernate
Description: You may free up 1GB of space on the SSD if you have 1GB of memory, 2GB of space if you have 2GB memory. You will lose the hibernation feature which allows the equivalent of quick boots and shutdowns.
Instructions: Start Menu -> Type cmd -> Right-Click the cmd Icon -> Run as Administrator -> Type powercfg -h off -> Type exit

Wes

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05 Nov 2009 01:56 #1086 by garfi3ld
Replied by garfi3ld on topic RE: SSD and Windows 7 Info
Rather than disable SuperFetch altogether, a better way would be to set it to cache boot files only. SuperFetch does have a purpose and just turning it completely off will only gain you some disk space, and that is only if you remember to delete the cached files after disabling it. Disabling SuperFetch will cause a busy machine to slow down as it swaps applications from disk to ram. Just because it's an SSD doesn't mean swapping won't occur or won't be noticeable.

Open regedit.exe and browse down to the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Session Manager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters

Find the EnablePrefetcher key on the right-hand pane, and change the value to one of these:

Disable Caching: 0
Cache Applications Only: 1
Cache Boot Files Only: 2
Cache Everything (default): 3

A restart is required before this takes any effect.
Also you can clear out the \Windows\Prefetch folder after making this change to
start with a fresh prefetcher cache, the next boot will probably be slower since
Windows will have to cache everything again.


www.microsoft.com/windows/window ... fetch.aspx

Wes

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05 Nov 2009 03:18 #1088 by Lersar
Replied by Lersar on topic RE: SSD and Windows 7 Info
Speaking of Windows 7... apparently I can get Pro from my college for $30. That good?

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05 Nov 2009 03:21 #1089 by Dreyvas
Replied by Dreyvas on topic RE: SSD and Windows 7 Info
My college offers a hard copy with multiple activations for $30, and single-activation keys through MSDNAA for free.

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05 Nov 2009 03:22 #1090 by Lersar
Replied by Lersar on topic RE: SSD and Windows 7 Info
Pretty sure mine is just one-time activation :(

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05 Nov 2009 03:24 #1091 by garfi3ld
Replied by garfi3ld on topic RE: SSD and Windows 7 Info
can anyone get me a few legal copys? At some point all of our rigs are going to need copys

Wes

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05 Nov 2009 06:29 #1095 by Shibumi
Replied by Shibumi on topic RE: SSD and Windows 7 Info

garfi3ld wrote: can anyone get me a few legal copys? At some point all of our rigs are going to need copys


What he said...

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05 Nov 2009 11:24 #1096 by Dreyvas
Replied by Dreyvas on topic RE: SSD and Windows 7 Info
I don't think the school license lets anyone but me use them. I was stretching it even getting a key for my girlfriend, but there is a site that lets you sign up as a member of the MSDNAA for something like $19 a year, so I'll hook you up with that when I have time later if I can find it.

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05 Nov 2009 13:00 #1101 by Twodavez
Replied by Twodavez on topic RE: SSD and Windows 7 Info
Here's the school bargin!
www.microsoft.com/student/discounts/theu...teal-us/default.aspx
You can even get office for $60.00. I know i have a few emails i can use, but you just need to start askign people you know who are in college, or went to college and see if they still have their email address passwords so they can order you copies!

“Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.” - Mark Twain

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05 Nov 2009 13:16 #1102 by Dreyvas
Replied by Dreyvas on topic RE: SSD and Windows 7 Info
Yeah. The one I was talking about doesn't require a valid student email, though.

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05 Nov 2009 19:48 #1105 by Twodavez
Replied by Twodavez on topic RE: SSD and Windows 7 Info
We need to start offering "online classes" through LAN OC so that we quality for all the great student stuff out there! Come on Wes, i'm sure you can figure something out, plus i need some tech education anyway! We could all pay $40 a class and actually learn stuff, and be non-for-profit so we could buy stuff mega cheap and not pay taxes!
Sign me up for Air-cooling 101!

“Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.” - Mark Twain

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