topic Re: Good TRIM setup for a X25-M G2 SSD in Archive

Good TRIM setup for a X25-M G2 SSD

idata — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:47:34 GMT

Appreciate any corrections/additions:

Computer BIOS set to AHCI

SSD firmware that supports TRIM:

02HA firmware or newer Have partition alignment: Create first partition with Win 7 http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=107126 http://sqlblog.com/blogs/kevin_kline/archive/2008/10/08/how-to-improve-application-and-database-performance-up-to-40-in-one-easy-step.aspxDo over-provisioning: Leave 20% of disk space as unpartitioned for controller's use http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3667Use Win 7 with the following: Intel's SSD Optimizer s/w Is part of the Intel SSD Toolbox download Win 7 will use it automatically Microsoft's AHCI disk driver: msahci Microsoft's SATA controller driver: Standard AHCI 1.0 Serial ATA Controller

Re: Good TRIM setup for a X25-M G2 SSD

idata — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 20:45:07 GMT

You don`t have to follow the first 2 links because Win Vista and Win7 can make the partition perfect itself.

After a clean install of Win7 you can use TRIM without install Intel`s SSD Optimiser software.

If you use Win Vista you have to use Intel`s SSD Optimiser software to make TRIM working.

Re: Good TRIM setup for a X25-M G2 SSD

idata — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:18:16 GMT

Quote: Do over-provisioning: Leave 20% of disk space as unpartitioned for controller's use

Why would you want to do this if you have trim support? The whole purpose of trim is to remove unwanted files leaving free space on the drive. All you are doing is lopping off valuable drive capacity that you paid good $$ for...

Re: Good TRIM setup for a X25-M G2 SSD

idata — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:39:27 GMT

"After a clean install of Win7 you can use TRIM without install Intel`s SSD Optimiser software."

Do you have a reference supporting that comment?

Re: Good TRIM setup for a X25-M G2 SSD

idata — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:41:37 GMT

"Quote: Do over-provisioning: Leave 20% of disk space as unpartitioned for controller's use

From: http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3667&p=3

Performance in a TRIM enabled system is now determined not by the number of invalid blocks on your SSD, but rather the amount of free space you have. I went into a deep explanation of the relationship between free space and the performance of some SSDs here.

TRIM will make sure that you don't have to worry about your drive filling up with invalid data, but it doesn't skirt the bigger issue: dynamic controllers see their performance improve with more free space.

My rule of thumb is to keep at least 20% free space on your drive, you can get by with less but performance tends to suffer. It doesn't degrade by the same amount for all drives either. Some controllers are more opportunistic with free space (e.g. Intel), while others don't seem to rely as much on free space for improved performance. Addressing performance degradation as drives fill up (with valid data) will be one of the next major advancements in SSD technology.

Re: Good TRIM setup for a X25-M G2 SSD

idata — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 23:52:35 GMT

Yes, I`ve reference http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=3667&p=3 here. In the first article.

"Your best bet is to install Windows 7 with your I/O controller in AHCI mode (for Intel chipsets) and don't install any storage drivers."

Re: Good TRIM setup for a X25-M G2 SSD

idata — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 03:22:23 GMT

Your reference is discussing "passing the TRIM instruction to SSDs".

That is only part of the the process.

From: intel_ssd_toolbox_fqa.pdf

"The Intel SSD Optimizer is the tool that implements Trim functionality."

Re: Good TRIM setup for a X25-M G2 SSD

idata — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 10:56:54 GMT

Didn't someone else answer this in another one of your posts? Are you purposely trying to mislead people? Here is a reference from the same document you are quoting - AGAIN! the Toolbox is not required to get TRIM if using the

Microsoft* AHCI driver and windows 7.

Intel

® SSD Toolbox OS Requirements Matrix Operating System

Storage Driver

Execution Environment

Microsoft Windows* 7

Microsoft* AHCI

Native OS support (Intel

® SSD Toolbox not required)

Microsoft Windows 7

Intel

® Matrix Storage Manager**

Intel

® SSD Toolbox required

Microsoft Windows Vista* or XP

Microsoft AHCI or Intel

® Matrix Storage Manager

Intel

® SSD Toolbox required

Re: Good TRIM setup for a X25-M G2 SSD

idata — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:28:41 GMT

sorry i'm kinda confused: i'm gonna use SSD under Windows XP, so i'll need the toolbox, right?

can i use the old version or i have to wait for release of the new one (and when it's gonna be)?

do i have to enable ACHI mode anyway (it's disabled now) for TRIM support? can it damage the whole data on my HDD or it just make the current OS (Windows XP) unloadable (i mean enabling ACHI in the MB bios)?

Re: Good TRIM setup for a X25-M G2 SSD

idata — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:14:06 GMT

Yes you need to use the Optimizer tool found within the Intel SSD Toolbox to implement trim on XP (and Vista). For XP you can use the old version of the Toolbox since Windows XP does not support OS restore points. For Vista or Win7 you should wait for the new version of the Toolbox which contains a fix in the Optmizer that will not delete OS restore points.

You do not have to be in AHCI mode to use trim however AHCI mode is highly recommended on Intel SSD's in order to take advantage of NCQ performance beneifit and DIPM (Device Initiated Power Manangement) features that only get enabled when in AHCI mode. You can switch to AHCI mode in BIOS and reboot however if AHCI drivers were not intalled at the time of XP install you will most likely get a BSOD and will have to go back into BIOS and take it out of AHCI mode.

Re: Good TRIM setup for a X25-M G2 SSD

idata — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:44:19 GMT

thanx for info, i tried to install Windows 7 first, but now have to go back to XP, but HDDErase doesn't work for me (just freezes, don't know why)

is there other good way to erase SSD? can I do it on another computer?

and it seems to me the old SSD Toolbox doesn't work with the new fixed firmware, so i have to wait for the new one, hopefully it comes this year...

Re: Good TRIM setup for a X25-M G2 SSD

idata — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 08:21:24 GMT

HDDErase doesn't work for me (just freezes, don't know why)

What version of HDDErase are you using? Try 3.3 if you haven't already. Also, is your bios set to IDE when you attempt to run HDDErase?

Re: Good TRIM setup for a X25-M G2 SSD

idata — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 08:28:40 GMT

my bios is set to IDE and i tried some bootable 3.3 version

Re: Good TRIM setup for a X25-M G2 SSD

idata — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 08:40:27 GMT

I'm out of ideas!

Re: Good TRIM setup for a X25-M G2 SSD

idata — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 10:20:26 GMT

petysab, It sounds like I had the same problem with HDDErase as yourself. It would hang indefinately at the stage where it was scanning for drives. This was with the controller set to IDE mode. I recently replaced a RAID0 Raptor setup with a single 160GB SSD, added a large storage drive, and now HDDErase works. So in this case it looks like the initial problem may have been with it being unable to detect the RAID volume as two separate drives in IDE mode. So four drives, two in RAID, was a no go. Four drives, all single, works as advertised. Nothing else was changed on the system, just the drives. Don't know if this applies to you or not but thought it was worth mentioning just in case you were also running RAID or some other exotic drive configuration. This was with v3.3 also and the same DOS boot disk.

and it seems to me the old SSD Toolbox doesn't work with the new fixed firmware, so i have to wait for the new one, hopefully it comes this year..

It does actually work, provided you have 02HA or 02HD firmware. The Toolbox can cause problems with the Windows System Restore feature but TRIM is implemented. Can you provide some specifics of your problem with the Toolbox?

Re: Good TRIM setup for a X25-M G2 SSD

idata — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 12:25:17 GMT

i got HDDErase 3.3 to work setting SATA to compatible IDE instead of Enhanced in BIOS, but it got freezed during erasing and didn't really erase anything (thanks God), but i use HDDErase 4.0 from Hiren's Boot CD 9.6 (with compatible IDE) and it worked good with my X25-M G2 SSD erasing it!

i didn't try the SSD Toolbox 'caused i had to install Windows 7 'cause Windows XP became corrupt everytime i installed Intel P55 Chipset drivers (seems they r not supposed to work with XP), so I have to wait until the new Toolbox comes out...

anyway, how to make sure Windows 7 native support works fine (with TRIM) to avoid performance degradation? what drivers should be installed, can I install Intel Matrix Storage (it comes with my mainboard)?