Intel Solid-State Drive FAQ: Read This First!

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Intel Solid-State Drive FAQ Table of Contents

• Basic Information
• SSD Optimizations
• SSD Communities FAQs
• How-To Videos
• Resources

Basic Information

What do the digits in each SSD product code designate?

(Click on image to enlarge)

The last two digits labeled "Ordering Information" refer to what comes in the box you've purchased and how many SSDs were shipped in the same box ie

C# drive shipped in a brown box

R# drive shipped in a retail box without a desktop cloning kit

K# drive shipped in a retail box with a desktop cloning kit

The "# " simply states how many SSDs were shipped out together

SSD Optimizations

If you're using Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system, please utilize these system settings to ensure compatibility, endurance, and performance. If you're using Microsoft's Windows XP operating system, please disregard the Superfetch setting.

Make Sure Your SSD Isn't Scheduled for Disk Defragmentation

•If you're using an SSD with Microsoft's Windows 7, the operating system will automatically disable scheduled defragmentation.

•If you're running Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system, navigate to "My Computer".

•Right click on your SSD and choose properties from the drop-down menu.

•Navigate to the "Tools" tab and click "Defragment Now" in the "Defragmentation" menu.

•Near the top, there is a "Schedule" menu. Click "Configure Schedule" and ensure that there is no check next to the "Run on a schedule" option.

•If you're running Microsoft's Windows XP operating system, you must run disk defragmentation automatically. Simply make sure not to run the utility.

•Due to the design of SSDs, disk defragmentation is unnecessary and can even have a negative effect on the endurance of the drive.

Disable Superfetch (For Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows 7)

•On your "Start" search menu, type "services.msc". Scroll down and find the "Superfetch" line, and double click it to open up its properties.

•Change the "Startup Type" to "disabled".

•Superfetch is designed to open your frequently used programs more quickly. However, this technique doesn't speed up an Intel SSD's performance significantly and can ultimately have a negative effect on the performance of the drive. Superfetch is not a feature on Microsoft Windows XP.

Ensure You Have the Proper Drivers Installed

Intel recommends using the Intel® Rapid Storage Technology v.9.6 driver available here:

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/detail_desc.aspx?agr=&ProductID=&DwnldID=18859&strOss=&OSFullName=&l... http://downloadcenter.intel.com/detail_desc.aspx?agr=&ProductID=&DwnldID=18859&strOss=&OSFullName=&l...

This driver enables your Intel SSD to receive the TRIM command natively and automatically. Additionally, it is optimized for performance and endurance.

Intel® SSD Communities Frequently Asked questions General SSD FAQs

Visit this link for a more broad SSD FAQ:

http://www.intel.com/support/ssdc/hpssd/sb/CS-029623.htm http://www.intel.com/support/ssdc/hpssd/sb/CS-029623.htm

Are there any known issues with regards to compatibility or performance?

Known issues are located in the Intel® Solid-State Drive Toolbox Read Me and Firmware Update Tool Guidelines found here:

http://downloadmirror.intel.com/18455/eng/README%20rev11.rtf http://downloadmirror.intel.com/18455/eng/README%20rev11.rtf

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[idata]

Guys,

I've added an explanation to the "ordering information" part of our product code. As for other things you guys would like:

PeterUK asked a question about TRIM in RAID. I'm working on potentially responding to this, but this could be tricky to address...can't promise anything

Redux would like a matrix showing chipset/driver information that will or will not enable TRIM. No problem. Look for this soon.

And finally, Redux would like info on AHCI. Have you read this?

/message/97380# 97380 http://communities.intel.com/message/97380# 97380

Perhaps I should incorporate this into the sticky....

Keep it coming guys.

-Scott, Intel Corporation

[idata]

Thanks for the info on Ordering Information (OI), but it doesn't have much if any significance regarding the SSD's operation, which is what I was curious about. I have Intel SSDs with OI's of "GC" and "GN", and wondered if there is a real difference between them.

Thanks for you efforts, much appreciated!

[idata]

TRIM under XP,

If SSD Toolbox refuse to launch "Intel SSD optimizer"

* changing the Nvidia driver to the Microsoft one. Go to Device Manager -> IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers. You should see the device 'NVIDIA nForce Serial ATA Controller', or maybe a few of them depending on how many devices you have installed. Go to properties on each one and for every ****** drive, do the following. Go to Driver -> Update Driver -> 'Install from a specific list or location (Advanced)' -> 'Don't search. I will choose the driver to install.' Select 'Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller' and click 'Next'. Click 'Finish' and reboot.

[idata]

Just to extend the reason why for "Why can't Microsoft's ® Trim command be passed to Intel® SSDs configured in a RAID array?"

Is it that there is a Trim command being sent from the OS to the array/volume but if got duplicated and passed on to the two or more SSD's in RAID it would corrupt the data on the array/volume by passing the command like that?

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Do Intel® SSDs support all NTFS cluster sizes other then 4 KB and works with or without TRIM support? If so can a smaller/bigger cluster size increase/decrease performance or endurance?