Computer mavens, need advice

[SamSpade]

So I successfully added an SSD drive - an extra one - to my otherwise cheap laptop (which I also upgraded the memory to 16G).
It took me a while to figure out how to tell the BIOS it was there, disk management to see and prepare it.

What I don't know is how best to exploit it.

It has half a terabyte on it. The laptop itself comes with about 180G.

Is there a way to say, tell Win 10, use this part for - damn I can't think of the word - temporary storage?
I don't NEED it for apps - I just want a boost in performance. If need be I suppose I could copy the one disk to the other and use it as my startup.

Ideas?

 

[Kyle]

So I successfully added an SSD drive - an extra one - to my otherwise cheap laptop (which I also upgraded the memory to 16G).
It took me a while to figure out how to tell the BIOS it was there, disk management to see and prepare it.

What I don't know is how best to exploit it.

It has half a terabyte on it. The laptop itself comes with about 180G.

Is there a way to say, tell Win 10, use this part for - damn I can't think of the word - temporary storage?
I don't NEED it for apps - I just want a boost in performance. If need be I suppose I could copy the one disk to the other and use it as my startup.

Ideas?

I haven't made the leap to a SSD on my desktop at home yet but we did several at work.

Use it to speed up the OS, cache etc. and just store data on the SATA.

You'll love the speed.

P.S. if you do any media editing it will also help.

 

[SamSpade]

I haven't made the leap to a SSD on my desktop at home yet but we did several at work.

Use it to speed up the OS, cache etc. and just store data on the SATA.

You'll love the speed.

This is the thing - my existing drive is also SSD. Actually I am loving this 350 dollar laptop. Screen is fantastic and it is really fast.
I originally got it just so my son could do teleconferences - but it's so good I think I'll swap it out for my older POS's.

 

[Chris0nllyn]

You could put Windows and required library files on the smaller drive, then put everything else on another. That would protect your Windows install.
Set up a RAID 0 and have one fast drive (not sure if your motherboard can do it though) or RAID 1 to protect everything (essentially a backup of everything). See Microsoft Storage Spaces.
You can set it up to dump any videos and pictures on the drive so they are all in once place (though this is better suited for an external HDD). They should really all be on the slower drive anyway since drive speed isn;t required to watch videos or look at pics.

Your better bet, assuming the old drive is not SSD, is to move your page file to the faster SSD drive. You also upgraded your RAM so unless you're using memory-intensive programs, it may not be worth it. If your computer did need to use its page file, having it on the faster drive is the way to go.

 

[Kyle]

This is the thing - my existing drive is also SSD. Actually I am loving this 350 dollar laptop. Screen is fantastic and it is really fast.
I originally got it just so my son could do teleconferences - but it's so good I think I'll swap it out for my older POS's.

Curious, was this an express SSD or a 2-1/2" drive type?

 

[Yooper]

I would run the OS and apps/programs on the 180GB main drive (Drive C) and designate the new one as Drive D to store your data there (repoint/relocate Docx, Photos, Pics, Videos, etc. to this new drive). This is what I do.

A similar approach to what Chris recommended but not as complicated. Less complicated, but more risk than his approach; it doesn't protect the OS, but it would protect your data (on Drive D if the C Drive has a problem and requires reinstallation).

--- End of line (MCP)

 

[GURPS]

I'm going to go against the grain

For faster boot times and OS Access Windows should be loaded on the Fastest Drive



Never Mind ...... I missed the existing SSD

Is this a SATA SSD or NVMe ?

 

[Sneakers]

I'm going to go against the grain

For faster boot times and OS Access Windows should be loaded on the Fastest Drive

And since the primary drive is SSD already, moving the OS temp and swap files is not warranted.

 

[GURPS]

And since the primary drive is SSD already,

I missed that

 

[SamSpade]

I'm going to go against the grain

For faster boot times and OS Access Windows should be loaded on the Fastest Drive



Never Mind ...... I missed the existing SSD

Is this a SATA SSD or NVMe ?

Just checked - m.2? NVMe? (What's the difference?)
Second disk is SATA SSD.

I really don't know a lot about this stuff anymore (sigh) - time was, twenty years ago, I'd be assembling the whole computer from parts.
Once I no longer had the freedom to piss away money on hobbies - I lost interest.

Thanks. I think the way I have it is as Yooper suggested. That works for me.

BTW I can't tell y'all how much I like this thing. Seriously, I bought it as "extra". Never dreamed it'd be better than everything I have.

 

[Yooper]

Just checked - m.2? NVMe? (What's the difference?)

Unless I'm mistaken, it's a HD that looks like a RAM chip with a RAM chip type connection. Some folks swear by them; I'm not one of them (but mostly b/c my experience with them is really limited).

--- End of line (MCP)

 

[GURPS]

Just checked - m.2? NVMe? (What's the difference?)

Second disk is SATA SSD.

Unless I'm mistaken, it's a HD that looks like a RAM chip with a RAM chip type connection.

--- End of line (MCP)

https://www.userbenchmark.com/Faq/What-s-the-difference-between-SATA-PCIe-and-NVMe/105

SATA is the market incumbent and dominant interface for connecting an SSD to the PC. It employs the command protocol AHCI (it also supports IDE) which was built with slower spinning disks in mind rather than flash memory. SATA transfer rates begin at 150 MB/s and max out at 600 MB/s for third generation technology. For most consumers this is adequate.


PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express ) supersedes SATA as the latest high bandwidth interface that connects hardware: CPUs, GPUs, SSDs, sound cards, network cards, and other PCIe cards. Entry level PCIe 3.0 SSD speeds are two to three times faster than the older generation of SATA 3.0 SSDs mainly due to the number of channels contained by each to transfer data (roughly 10 for SATA and 25 for PCIe). However, depending on usage, real world benchmarks may not reflect this massive gain due to bottlenecks elsewhere in the PC. Here is a comparison between the two market leading NVMe and SATA SSDs: Samsung 970 Pro vs 860 Pro.

NVMe is the latest high performance and optimized protocol which supersedes AHCI and compliments PCIe technology. It offers an optimised command and completion path for use with NVMe based storage. It was developed by a consortium of manufacturers specifically for SSDs to overcome the speed bottleneck imposed by the older SATA connection. It is akin to a more efficient language between storage device and PC: one message needs to be sent for a 4GB transfer instead of two, NVMe can handle 65,000 queues of data each with 65,000 commands, instead of one queue that with the capacity for 32 commands, and it only has seven major commands (read, write, flush etc). As well as delivering better throughput NVMe offers reduced latency. NVMe will be the protocol of choice for the next generation of storage technologies such as 3D XPoint.

 

[awpitt]

So I successfully added an SSD drive - an extra one - to my otherwise cheap laptop (which I also upgraded the memory to 16G).
It took me a while to figure out how to tell the BIOS it was there, disk management to see and prepare it.

What I don't know is how best to exploit it.

It has half a terabyte on it. The laptop itself comes with about 180G.

Is there a way to say, tell Win 10, use this part for - damn I can't think of the word - temporary storage?
I don't NEED it for apps - I just want a boost in performance. If need be I suppose I could copy the one disk to the other and use it as my startup.

Ideas?

If you want to use the new SSD for your storage and keep your OS on the original, you can "reassign" the location of your Documents, Pictures, Videos, etc. You just need to go to the particular folder, right click, click properties, click the Location tab, then select where you want that folder to be physically located.

 

[SamSpade]

If you want to use the new SSD for your storage and keep you OS on the original, you can "reassign" the location of you Documents, Pictures, Videos, etc. You just need to go to the particular folder, right click, click properties, click the Location tab, then select where you want that folder to be physically located.

View attachment 149531

THAT is a good idea. I will probably try that. I'm just impressed by the fact that this thing runs so well - I bought it for telemeetings for the kids.

 

[awpitt]

THAT is a good idea. I will probably try that. I'm just impressed by the fact that this thing runs so well - I bought it for telemeetings for the kids.

A couple of months ago, I put a 500GB SATA SSD in my vintage 2012 Dell Inspiron laptop put the OS on it. Put the old 1TB mechanical HD in the extra slot for bulk storage. I was floored at how fast it is. Literally a 5 second boot up time. Acts like a new machine.

 

[SamSpade]

A couple of months ago, I put a 500GB SATA SSD in my vintage 2012 Dell Inspiron laptop put the OS on it. Put the old 1TB mechanical HD in the extra slot for bulk storage. I was floored at how fast it is. Literally a 5 second boot up time. Acts like a new machine.

I have one of those too. I might give that a try - it's my main desktop.

 

[awpitt]

I have one of those too. I might give that a try - it's my main desktop.

Yea. It's my main desktop also. Has served me well but the CPU and GPU are dated now so that's why I'm looking at doing a new build. I'll use this laptop for content streaming, travel, and stuff like that. The new build is going to be my MS Flight/VATSIM machine.

 

[GURPS]

My DT has a pair of 256gb NVMe Drives in RAID 0

when I 1st built it 2 yrs ago boot times were less than 20 sec to a usable desktop since a few windows ' Feature updates ' its is a little slower

 

[SamSpade]

Yea. It's my main desktop also. Has served me well but the CPU and GPU are dated now so that's why I'm looking at doing a new build. I'll use this laptop for content streaming, travel, and stuff like that. The new build is going to be my MS Flight/VATSIM machine.

Do you mind if I ask what model Dell? I just checked and that is about when I bought my Dell - 2TB drive, 8G - but I can't for the life of me figure out MY model, at least not without pulling it out of its cubby.

Bought it in Nov 2012, back when all that sounded impressive. Now it runs like a slug, and I use it mostly for bills and email.
I am not sure if it is worth upgrading or giving to the kids.

 

[GURPS]

- but I can't for the life of me figure out MY model, at least not without pulling it out of its cubby.

dell.com/support

Install the Support Assistant ... this will pull the model