• Fine-tuning an SSD drive - an optimization guide. Heart-to-heart conversation: installing an SSD in a computer. Is it worth installing an SSD? Personal experience

    There are several ways to install an SSD in a laptop, depending on the purpose of using solid-state storage. The device can be used as a primary or additional storage space for information. Many users use a solid-state storage device as a system drive, which can significantly speed up Windows.

    Installing an SSD in a laptop

    New models of solid-state storage devices have a large amount of memory for storing multimedia files and resource-intensive programs.

    Choosing an SSD drive for a laptop

    The standard solid-state drive has a 2.5″ form factor, which is compatible with the dimensions of a laptop HDD. When choosing a model, you should pay attention to this criterion. The drive must be connected to the SATA interface. Modern technologies provide the ability to use several file storages in a laptop, which expands the choice.

    To install the operating system, purchase models with a memory capacity of up to 120 GB. This solution has an affordable price and speeds up system booting and operations related to system files by 5-6 times. Larger solid-state storage is designed for storing high-quality multimedia files and working with resource-intensive programs.

    Replacing HDD with SSD

    To replace the hard drive with a modern analogue, you need to disassemble the laptop. To do this you will need a Phillips screwdriver. In most laptop models, the HDD is located immediately under the back cover - unscrew the mounting bolts and carefully remove the cover.

    Smoothly remove the HDD by pulling it in the desired direction marked with the guide arrow. An SSD, like a standard HDD, is connected to a SATA interface. Install the drive into the 2.5″ hard drive slot and secure the laptop cover with bolts.

    This solution allows you to install a modern storage device as your main file storage. Install the operating system on the new device, and further configuration of the storage device will be described below.

    Installing an SSD instead of a disk drive

    Modern technologies and the availability of the necessary adapters allow you to install an SSD in a slot for an optical drive. This solution allows you to expand space on your laptop and save data from the old HDD drive. You can use several file storages at the same time.

    To install a solid-state drive instead of a disk drive, you will need to purchase an additional adapter - SATA 2nd HDD Caddy for Laptop. When ordering an adapter, check compatibility with your laptop model. To install the adapter, you must remove the back cover of the laptop.

    Some models limit access to the drive, which forces you to deeply disassemble the laptop. Follow the instructions to maintain the integrity of the case and ensure successful disassembly.

    Remove the drive and connect the adapter. The adapter supports 2.5″ drives.

    Reassemble the laptop case.

    Setting up an SSD drive

    After replacing the HDD with an SSD or installing an additional drive, you need to make subsequent settings in the operating system. If the solid-state drive is used as a disk for the operating system, you need to configure disk loading.

    Enter the BIOS to the BOOT section and move the required disk to the first position. The operating system will automatically boot Windows from the required drive.

    Configuring and disabling services in Windows

    The Windows family of operating systems is designed to work primarily with HDD drives, which have some differences in the operating principle of SSDs. To improve the functioning and lifespan of the device, you need to make a number of changes in the Windows settings.

    Disabling hard drive defragmentation

    Defragmenting a hard drive allows you to speed up the operation of the HDD by optimizing its logical structure for faster data reading. This function is not needed for an SSD; on the contrary, it can harm the solid-state drive. You can disable defragmentation by executing the command in the “Start menu - run - dfrgui «

    In early versions of Windows 10 and subsequent updates, this section was called “Disk Optimization,” where defragmentation was redesigned for modern systems. In Windows 10, there is no need to disable this process.

    Disabling the page file

    If you have enough RAM, it is recommended to disable the page file, which has a positive effect on the speed of the hard drive.

    To perform this operation, you need to open the performance options. Select "No paging file".

    Enabling the TRIM function

    Starting from version 7, the Windows family began to actively support work with solid-state drives. The developers have added a TRIM function that interacts with the SSD drive. The system sends information about unused blocks to be deleted. This speeds up system performance and increases the service life of the device.

    You can check the activity of the service in the following way:

    1. Open a command prompt
    2. Copy the command fsutil behavior query disabledeletenotify
    3. The received response must contain the value DisableDeleteNotify = 0 or DisableDeleteNotify = 1. If the received value is 0, the TRIM function is active, if the value is 1, TRIM is not functioning.

    This feature is enabled by default in Windows 7 and newer versions.

    Disabling hibernation - sleep mode

    The system startup speed on an SSD drive is 5-6 times faster than on an HDD. The sleep mode function loses its relevance when using a solid state drive. Hibernate mode creates a system writable file. Disabling this feature simplifies system operation and optimizes device performance.

    Disabling file indexing

    File indexing occurs continuously and creates a writable file, which could theoretically shorten the life of the SSD drive.

    Disabling indexing will not affect the speed of file search, since the SSD has a high speed of working with files. You can disable indexing as follows:

    • Open the “My Computer” shortcut;
    • Open the properties of the required disk;
    • Uncheck the “Allow file contents to be indexed...” tab.

    Installing a modern storage device not only speeds up the system, but also requires maintenance and detailed configuration.

    Nowadays, SSDs are no longer a curiosity, but mandatory equipment for any productive computer.
    Although mechanical HDDs have not yet completely disappeared from desktop systems, to speed up a disk system, installing an SSD as a system drive is more of a necessity than a luxury.

    So, if you have already read our article, selected and purchased an SSD, then all that remains is to install it.

    First of all, we determine the place in the system unit for installing the SSD.
    Included in delivery some SSDs come with special 2.5" -> 3.5" adapters for installation in a standard bay.

    But if you become the owner of an SSD without such an adapter, then you can install it in any place convenient for this.
    For example, I decided to install my Crucial M4 128Gb SATA III 6Gb/s on the side and secure it with regular vinyl clamps.

    It is better to connect the SSD to the SATA III 6Gb/s port, if your motherboard has one.
    My ASUS P8P67 LE has two such ports, and they are designated as SATA6G_1 And SATA6G_2

    My motherboard also comes with two special SATAIII 6Gb/s cables.

    If you do not have SATA III ports and cables, you can connect a regular SATA cable to a SATA II port.

    Don’t forget to also connect the power supply to the SSD, the connector from the power supply for connecting SATA devices:

    So we have already installed and connected our SSD. Moreover, if you connect an SSD, then only to the first numbered SATAIII or SATAII port. We will install the OS on our SSD and boot from it first.



    Go to settings Advanced/SATA Configuration and see the connected devices.
    In this case, my HDD is connected to the first SATA II and the SSD, which is connected to the first SATA III.
    IMPORTANT! Don't forget to switch the SATA controller to mode.

    And we set our SSD as the first boot disk. Otherwise, the system will continue to boot from the HDD.


    Then we save all the settings we have made by clicking . And at the same time we make sure that the SSD is installed first boot HDD .
    You can leave the CD/DVD first to install Windows. Or leave the SSD first, only at the first boot one time (via ASUS boards) select boot from CD/DVD.

    Important!
    On many Internet resources, when installing an SSD, they advise cloning, copying, transferring, restoring from an image (and similar perversions) the C:\ HDD drive with Windows installed.
    But this should under no circumstances be done!!!
    Before installing an SSD, be prepared to completely install Windows from scratch.
    Since, when Windows is installed on the HDD, then, accordingly, all its services are launched for the HDD to work. But if you transfer such a system to an SSD, then many services will not only not help you work faster, but in addition will contribute to the rapid wear of the new SSD (for example, defragmentation).
    In order for an SSD to work correctly and for a long time under Windows, it must be installed “from scratch” on a clean SSD.
    And then.
    After all, this article is not about how to install an SSD in a computer, but how to CORRECTLY install an SSD in a computer :)

    We start the installation of Windows 7, in my case it is Windows 7 x64, since I have 8Gb of RAM installed.
    We make basic language and time settings for Windows 7 and get to the point of selecting a disk for installing the OS.
    We see ours not marked SSD (Disk 0) and sections of our HDD (Disk 1).
    Select unmarked Disk 0 and press Disk setup

    Modern technologies do not stand still. More modern devices are constantly appearing, which are distinguished by a greater range of capabilities, better quality and higher performance. One such device is a solid-state hard drive. In this regard, the question often comes up: how to install an SSD in a computer?

    But before we proceed with the installation, let's figure out what it is and why this device is needed?

    What is SSD

    SSD stands for Solid-State Drive, which translated into Russian roughly means a solid-state hard drive. But why is it needed? This is a new type of hard drive that is characterized by high speed of reading and writing information. In other words, if you compare SSDs with older HDD drives, the former have much higher data transfer rates.

    This, in turn, increases PC performance and reduces operating system boot time. But there is also a drawback. Such drives have certain restrictions on the number of writes and deletions of files. In other words, if you constantly copy and delete various files on an SSD hard drive, it will fail after some time, which cannot be said about HDD drives.

    But still, even with such restrictions, the service life of the drive is quite long. And the performance increase, even in games, is quite noticeable. It is worth noting that modern HDD drives have the same connection interface as their solid-state counterpart, making installing an SDD drive into a computer easy and quick, without much expense or difficulty.

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    How to choose a solid-state hard drive

    So we come to the question of how to install an SSD in a computer. Everything is simple in principle. First, let's look at what the interfaces for connecting a hard drive can be. There are several of them:

    • ATA (the so-called IDE) is an outdated interface that has not been used for quite some time. The data transfer speed in this case is low, and if you have an outdated computer model that uses such a connector, there is simply no point in buying an SDD.
    • SATA is a newer interface that replaced the previous one. It has a higher information transfer rate. In turn, SATA is divided into three types:
      • SATA 1.
      • SATA 2.
      • SATA 3.

    These types also differ in the speed of data exchange. For example, the speed of SATA 2 is higher than that of SATA 1, and SATA 3 is the most modern and fastest interface.

    Thus, before buying an SSD, you should find out which connector is available in your PC. For example, there is no point in taking an SSD with a speed rating of 600 MB/s if it is connected to SATA 1, since the connection itself will limit the speed to 150 MB/s.

    It is worth noting that all SATA interfaces are interchangeable. This means that if the motherboard is equipped with SATA 2, then you can connect a SATA 3 or 1 cable to it.

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    How to install SDD

    So, we have made our choice. Now you can move on to the question of how to install an SDD in a computer. What does this require? First of all, you need to make sure that the interface controller is operating in AHCI mode. This can be done in the BIOS, in the SATA Mode item. .

    If your computer has the ability to use additional hard drives, then you just have to disassemble the system unit and connect the SSD to one of the SATA interfaces. Most likely, Windows will require you to format the new drive. This is necessary because during the formatting process, Windows writes the file system to the drive for further work with it.

    In this case, you can boot the operating system and copy all the necessary data to the new hard drive. However, due to the fact that SDD has the above disadvantage, it is not recommended to use it for storing files. Typically, it is used to install the operating system. In this case, in order not to reinstall Windows after replacing the hard drive, you can install it on a solid-state analogue.

    This way, you will be able to use your usual and customized system, but on a new, faster and quieter SDD drive. If the computer does not provide the ability to use several hard drives at the same time, as, for example, in most laptops, then you will have to perform certain actions.

    In the case of a laptop, you will have to disconnect the old hard drive from the computer interface. We see that the device is located in a special housing. We need to remove it and replace it with a new solid-state analogue. As a rule, the housing is secured with 4 bolts. After reinstalling the case, insert the hard drive back in the same way as you took it apart, only in reverse order.

    This is complete. No special drivers are required. The operating system already contains all the necessary software. After the first boot, Windows will detect the new device and automatically install the driver. After this, the system will ask you to restart your PC.

    How to install an SSD hard drive in a computer: Video

    We have talked about the many advantages of so-called solid-state (SSD) devices many times. Switching from a classic magnetic disk to an SSD will speed up your computer to such an extent that the difference will be noticeable, so to speak, with the naked eye, that is, without the help of specialized tests. We are talking about super-fast file copying, instant launch of the operating system and applications, including heavy-duty games and graphics programs such as Adobe Photoshop.

    And despite this, many users are still wary of taking this extremely beneficial step. They have their rationale, of course, rooted in some still unresolved weaknesses in SSD technology. However, with careful planning and the willingness to invest a little personal time and effort, they can be easily neutralized. Here's how.

    Divide and conquer

    It's no secret that in order to get the most out of an SSD device, it must be used as a system drive. In other words, the operating system must be installed on it.

    When running, Windows (and any other operating environment) makes a large number of accesses to the system disk. Thanks to its high speed, an SSD disk can reduce the time of these calls several times and speed up the overall system performance by several times.

    Unfortunately, the lightning-fast response of this class of drive still comes from the prohibitive price per gigabyte of space. As a result, most users get a device with very high speeds and relatively limited (by today's standards) capacity - often ranging from 120 to 250 GB.

    This is further complicated by the fact that the performance of an SSD gradually decreases as its capacity is filled. This is due to the specific features of the technology for recording and storing information that is used by this type of disk. Therefore, to get the most out of a solid-state drive, it is recommended to keep at least 30-40 percent of its capacity unused.

    Most operating systems, and especially Windows, love to write whatever they want to the system partition. As a result, if you let the operating system decide where to save files and install applications, you may receive a warning that there is not enough free space on the system disk.

    It makes the most sense to install on the SSD only the operating system (Windows) and a few important programs that you work with every day - say, Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, Skype, antivirus software. But in this case, a reasonable question arises: “Where should I keep everything else?”

    One possible option is to connect a regular hard drive in addition to the SSD. This is an ideal solution for bulky programs and files, which, however, do not necessarily need the high speeds provided by an SSD. This may include a collection of music files, digital photo albums, and films in digital format. If you are an avid gamer, then this can be most games. In principle, you can install only the game you are currently playing with on the SSD, and leave the rest of the collection on the HDD.

    But what if you have a laptop and its design does not allow installing a second drive? In this case, you can save your files and install applications on your external hard drive. If using a bulky HDD seems far from the most practical solution, then use a USB flash memory. Today, the market offers models with impressive volume and super-compact sizes that are incredibly small and almost invisible when connected to a laptop’s USB port.

    Of course, there are certain inconveniences in storing some information on external media, because you must always carry it with you. If you forget a USB flash drive or external HDD at home, you will forget everything stored on it.

    Move programs

    Now that you know what the pros and cons of storing files on an SSD and an additional drive are, it's time to say a few words about how to put it into practice.

    The easiest and fastest way is to select an alternative drive instead of the default location during installation of the corresponding application (usually the Program Files folder on the system drive). But how can you move already installed programs without wasting precious time reinstalling them?

    Some applications, such as Steam (a client that manages a library of games distributed through Valve's digital service of the same name), offer a simple and fast solution for just this. In particular, Steam allows you to move all your installed games with a few clicks.

    Just open the settings menu, find the “Downloads” section, click on the “Steam Library Folders” button and, instead of the default system partition, specify a new location. The Steam Agent will take care of the rest of the work and move all downloaded and installed games to the new location you specified.

    Unfortunately, not all installed programs can be moved as easily, and if you simply copy their folder to another drive or partition, they may no longer work correctly, or stop working altogether. Fortunately, Windows has a solution to this problem - so-called “symlinks”. They are created using a special system command, and their purpose is to “trick” Windows that the program is installed on a certain (disk) partition, when in fact it is located on something completely different.

    Let's say you have a program installed in the C:\Programs folder. Move it to another drive in a folder with the same name: D:\Programs. The mklink command, which works on the command line, will help you create a symbolic link between two folders. In our specific example, the command would be:

    mklink /d C:\Programs D:\Programs

    After executing the command, Windows will have a symbolic link between the two folders, i.e. the program will be on the D: drive, and the operating system will think that it is on the C: drive.

    Move system folders

    As you know, Windows organizes all user files in special folders called Libraries. They are designed to store music and video files, digital images and documents.

    Although by default these folders are located on the system drive, they can be easily moved to any drive and even to external media.

    As already stated, this is an extremely simple operation. Locate these folders on your system drive where they were created by default during Windows installation (C:\Users\Username). Then right-click on the one you want to move, select Properties, Location, Move and select the directory where you want to move the folder. After doing this, the moved folder will still appear in C:\Users\Username, but any files it contains will actually be written to the alternate drive you specified. Using this simple sequence of steps, you can move all the Libraries folders - Music, Videos, Pictures, Documents and Downloads.

    Keep it clean

    Moving non-essential files and applications is a big first step, but it's not at all sufficient if you want to keep at least 30-40% of your SSD's capacity idle. Once you start actively using it, it will slowly but surely become filled with files, some of which are completely unnecessary. We are mainly talking about temporary files created while various programs are running, which are not always deleted after they are closed; browser cache and unzipped installation files.

    For example, two large, competing companies that produce graphics processors - AMD and NVIDIA - regularly release updated versions of their drivers. They can be downloaded and installed automatically, but not all users know that before this they are written to a special folder on the system drive - usually C:\Nvidia or C:\AMD. Over time, the size of this folder increases significantly, since new versions are released almost every month, and each of them weighs several hundred megabytes.

    As for other causes of “disk contamination,” they can be easily eliminated using a small but very useful and completely free program, which I have already mentioned several times on the pages of the site. It scans and removes from the disk all unnecessary temporary and spooled files, old system libraries, outdated operating system archive records, and more.

    If after all this you find that your SSD space is still low, check what exactly is taking up space using another small and free tool: WinDirStat. It will tell you who is the culprit of occupied valuable gigabytes.

    Limit the number of entries

    In addition to the high price per gigabyte, there is another reason why many people are still reluctant to consider solid-state drives - their relatively limited lifespan. The technology on which they are based provides a certain number of rewrite cycles, after which the flash memory chips from which the SSD is made wear out and the device stops working. However, SSD manufacturers are constantly trying to increase their lifespan and have recently made significant progress in this regard.

    A recent independent study by Tech Report proved that even budget SSD drives can easily provide 1 PB recording, i.e. 1 petabyte or 1000 terabytes. This is 4-5 years of uninterrupted operation - an indicator by which current-generation SSD drives are fully comparable to hard drives, which usually have an active life of about 6 years.

    However, it makes sense to take some precautions to minimize the amount of wear on the disc and ensure its longevity.

    For example, you can limit the number of writes to it by simply preventing certain programs (all browsers and tools such as Adobe Photoshop) from using the disk buffer. To do this, you need to enter the settings menu of the corresponding program and specify an alternative partition or disk for recording temporary files (cache).

    Do not defragment your SSD under any circumstances! This is not only unnecessary, but also a dangerous operation that can shorten the life of the disk.

    Defragmentation is a remnant of another technological era and a system for organizing files on a hard drive. For SSD technology, which already provides several times higher file transfer speeds, defragmentation becomes completely unnecessary and even dangerous, since this process involves multiple read and write cycles, which, as already mentioned, can significantly reduce the life of the solid state drive.

    Have a great day!

    SSD is a solid-state drive that differs from traditional hard drives in its compactness and data transfer speed. There are several reasons why many users switch to using such storage media, namely:

    1. Reliability. They, in fact, have no moving elements, which greatly reduces the likelihood of data damage during recording and eliminates physical wear and tear.
    2. Access speed to data is much higher, which has a beneficial effect on work.
    3. Compactness. Such drives easily fit into a pocket and are convenient to transport.
    4. Low noise and temperature. SSDs do not make any noise at all, unlike their HDD counterparts.

    The only downside is limit on the number of entries each sector, so many people prefer to purchase such disks for installing an operating system - the disk does not wear out so much and the operating speed of the OS can increase.

    Installing an SSD in a computer

    Before installing the disk into your computer, it need to de-energize:

    1. Pull out the power plug of the system unit from the outlet
    2. Press the power button on the power supply (usually located on the back of the system unit. May not be present on some models)
    3. Press the button turn on the computer for 5-10 seconds so that all circuits are de-energized

    Now we remove the cover of the system unit and determine the place where the drive will be installed. Many modern SSDs and PC cases are equipped with special pockets, which will allow you to install the disk.

    Unfortunately, cheaper case models can only be equipped with shelves for 3.5-inch devices, and the SSD form factor is 2.5 inches. In this case, you will need a special pocket or adapter. This should be taken care of even before purchasing the disc.

    Now we install the drive into the desired 3.5 or 2.5 inch connector and secure it with screws or latches (depending on the characteristics of the PC case)

    The next step would be power connection and data loop. SSDs are equipped with L-shaped SATA connectors. The larger one is power, it comes from the power supply. The second, smaller one, transmits data and connects to the motherboard. It is quite difficult to connect them incorrectly, because... there are keys on the cables.

    Now we assemble the PC, launch it and go to the BIOS.

    Here we have to install modeAHCI for SSD operation. Then follows:

    1. If Windows is installed on the drive, you must change download priority. The first place should be the flash drive or disk from which the installation will be performed, and the second place should be the newly installed disk.
    2. If you plan to work in the old system, then the HDD with Windows should come first in boot priority.
    3. Now all that remains is to make the necessary settings in the BIOS, depending on the firmware version and the purpose of using the drive.

    It is worth noting that on modern motherboards, SATA ports may differ in speed. Therefore, the connection should be made in more high-speed port. Information about the speed of motherboard ports can be found in the instructions or on the manufacturer’s website. Sometimes such information is indicated on the box of the board itself.

    How to connect an SSD to a laptop

    Installing a drive in a laptop is somewhat simpler. To begin with, as in the case of PCs, turn off the power and pull out the battery. Press and hold the key turn on for 5-10 seconds, after which we proceed to disassemble the device.

    First, turn the laptop over and look for the lid, near which you can see inscriptionHDD or a hard drive icon is drawn. Unscrew the bolt near the inscription and remove the cover. Most often, the disk is installed in a steel slide, which also bolted. Unscrew and remove the hard drive again.

    Now we put the SSD in its place and do the above procedure in reverse order. Unlike a computer, you will have to reinstall the system, because... Often laptops do not provide for the installation of two or more drives.

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