Multi SSD setups

[rynnor]

I am designing my next gaming PC - I would like one SSD drive to just hold the O/S for fast startups (will be Win7) - another for specific games and an old style 1TB HD for everything else.

Presumably I set the 1TB as C: for all the default nonsense/browsing etc. - this should keep the O/S SSD clear right?

SSD's as E: and F: and boot it from E: ?

Edit: Is 64Gb big enough for the pure O/S SSD?

 

[Overdriven]

C:\ is where OSs get installed by default, so SSD on that. Unless you can change it? (Never thought about it/looked for it)

C:\OS + Specific games
D:\Installed crap
E/F: Games N stuff.

 

[Syri]

I partitioned my ssd, got a 50gb windows partition (so i can reinstall if needed without loosing game data) partition for games, and a regular hdd for documents etc. I've set up all the windows libraries (docs, music etc) to point to the regular hdd by default (just right click the shortcuts in explorer, select the location tab then click move to stick it somewhere else). keeps things nice and tidy, and makes sure things like documents and downloads that don't need the ssd aren't wasting space on there. Some apps that don't benefit from the speed get chucked in a program files folder on the hdd too. It's a bit of a pain setting it all up and remembering to put in different install paths, but other than that, seems to run nicely like that. I don't think there's any real benefit to having 2 ssds over 1 with partitions, unless you simply want more space...

 

[Embattle]

Personally there really is no need with SSDs for partitions.

 

[Scouse]

1) Do your O/S install with only one hard drive plugged in - your SSD that will become C:\.

2) After install is complete plug in your normal HDD and the other SSD. Assign them drive letters.

3) Right-click on the libraries in Explorer and click Properties. Add folders from your normal HDD into there and remove the ones from C: - this way you store your documents in libraries on your normal HDD and save your OS drive for programs and your other SSD for games.

4) Bask in the glory of your new PC. Until, of course, your new disk arrangement ends up looking like this:

Spoiler

 

[Bigmac]

1) Do your O/S install with only one hard drive plugged in - your SSD that will become C:\.

2) After install is complete plug in your normal HDD and the other SSD. Assign them drive letters.

3) Right-click on the libraries in Explorer and click Properties. Add folders from your normal HDD into there and remove the ones from C: - this way you store your documents in libraries on your normal HDD and save your OS drive for programs and your other SSD for games.

4) Bask in the glory of your new PC. Until, of course, your new disk arrangement ends up looking like this:

Spoiler

View attachment 15691

Man that is a lot of porn!

 

[Embattle]

My SSDs only carry active data, the rest of it is on a NAS so no need for me to have massive amounts of storage.

 

[Kryten]

Jesus, there's nothing like over-fucking-complicating things is there?
You'll struggle with a 64GB SSD. Of course you can have your libraries pointing stuff at your HDD (been there, done that) but with the price of SSDs don't bother. If price is an issue, get a cheap 120/128GB ssd for boot, programs and documents etc, second for your games and HDD for storage. But to be honest you would be better off with a larger single SSD (256GB) as they are very nearly *always* quicker than the smaller drives. Not a huge amount of price difference either between that and a pair of 64s.

On my 128GB Samsung SSD I dont redirect anything apart from my Downloads folder and have 60GB free. All the usual apps (Office, music & video software et al) all installed there and all my games apart from one are on my HDDs.

 

[Raven]

I have win 7 and WoW (24gig) on an SSD and a 1tb HDD for other games and fluff. Works very well, about 8 gig spare on the SSD. Downloads are all on the HDD.

When I build a new PC next year I will probably get a larger one though.

 

[soze]

I use one 256GB SSD and install everything on there. I have things like my iTunes Library redirected to my NAS. I also then Backup Steam games ect after i have finished playing them to keep it clear. So i would go with one SSD for the OS ect then just have 1 standard disk for your documents and Music ect.

This is after about 6 months and i have about 5 games on it at the moment. The backing up and restoring from Steam makes disk space not an issue. It takes about 10 minutes to backup then another 10 to restore a 10gb game.

Spoiler

 

[rynnor]

This is after about 6 months and i have about 5 games on it at the moment. The backing up and restoring from Steam makes disk space not an issue. It takes about 10 minutes to backup then another 10 to restore a 10gb game.
* SPOILER *

I thought this was a no-no for ssd drives - re-using the same blocks of memory repeatedly?

The best use of SSDs is for stuff that changes very little if you want them to last?

 

[Yaka]

it was a no-no pre TRIM, its not a major issue any more.

i just have a 240gb ssd with win7 and linux on with a handful of my programs, steam/origin is on a 3tb hdd everything else goes to a nas

 

[Embattle]

Most SSDs will fail in some other way or be replaced with a newer model rather suffer write endurance issue, for example the recently used TLC NANDs which have a lower life expectancy will last 23 years at 10GiB writes a day. To see more see - http://www.anandtech.com/show/6459/samsung-ssd-840-testing-the-endurance-of-tlc-nand

 

[Yaka]

doubt the average pleb wont get close to a PB a day never mind GiB

still suprised someone like corsair havent comeout with something that is supposed to be very durable like its survivor usb sticks