SSD: Poor Boot Times and Low WEI

[idata]

I just got an Intel X-25V and I installed Windows 7 Ultimate on it. It's currently taking up about 8GB. I've hardly installed any software other than the drivers and firefox.

When I ran that Windows performance test, my score came out to be 5.9, which is due to the SSD. I don't remember the numbers exactly, but I'll try to remember them:

• RAM random access memory - 7.5

• CPU central processing unit - 7.5

• Hard disk - 5.9

• General graphics performance on the desktop 7.4

• 3D graphics capability - 7.4

I haven't run any benchmarks. I have done everything on this page except for RAMDisk. I tried that, but it caused too many problems so I installed it. Even though, I got the info from OCZ forum, it still applies to SSDs:

http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?63273-*-Windows-7-Ultimate-Tweaks-amp-Utiliti...*

So, I:

installed the latest firmware

bios and OS set to AHCI

SSD is connected through SATA Port 1

and lots of other tweaks that are found on the page above

I used this software to determine my restart/boot time:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/720-restart-time.html

When I used it, the result was 48 seconds. That number represents the restart time, which includes shutting down and starting up. It took my computer 7 seconds to shutdown, which means it took about 41 seconds, give or take, to boot up. I read about other people who said that it only takes their computer 12 seconds to boot up. Others have said about 17, and a few even said 6 seconds. One of the main purposes for me getting the SSD was so that I'd be able to boot up my computer within 15 seconds, like everyone else with SSDs.

As for the WEI, I thought that was low because the Intel's SSD X-25V had low read and write speeds. But others with the same SSD have reported getting scores around 7.7 and 7.8.

Someone mentioned changing the driver to RST (post # 9 and # 10 on this page):

http://communities.intel.com/thread/11286?tstart=0

So, do you people have any suggestions as to how I can improve my SSD to be like yours, faster, speedier, more impressive, and hopefully, so I can get my money's worth. So far, I fee like I got a "slightly" faster hard drive.

This is my current setup:

OS: Windows 7 Ultimate CPU: Intel Core i7 860 MB: MSI P55 GD80 RAM: Gskill 4 GB

PSU: Corsair 650TX

Case: Antec Sonata Elite

Video: XFX 5770 Sound: integrated HD: Samsung F2 500GB (storage) Samsung F3 1 TB (storage) Intel SSD X-25V (OS installed on SSD)

Update: This one applies to Windows Vista, but he says that when he disabled his 7200 RPM drives and only used his SSD, that cut his boot time by 10 seconds. Does the same apply to Windows 7?

http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistaperformance/thread/ea530723-c3fe-4817-9de1-68c...

Update 2: Well, by upgrading the RST driver, I managed to increase the WEI of the hard drive (SSD) from 5.9 to 7.7. Now my WEI score is 7.4. But I'm still not satisfied with the boot time.

[idata]

redux, very interesting, still going through it though, it's not the easiest "form" to read, not being in tabular form, etc. I don't recall seeing any of the hardware review sites using this tool. Anand has been trying different things to find a real-world performance test suite rather than the synthetic benchmarks, including creating their own. Given your comments on hIOmon, why it is not used is curious, unless they feel it is not easy to read or display the results in easy to read graphs, which I understand.

Monitoring the benchmark programs, I love it! You sir, are an uber nerd, my pocket protector is off to you!!!!!

[RGiff]

Well Guys , I'm going to sign off Till next year , Keep up the good work it's been very interesting comparing Notes and theories , and comparing ways to test these products. I'm going to take a winter vacation , So you will have to wait until next year to Kick around BigBob , Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays .

[idata]

Yep, I'm sad. I wish I knew what it was that fascinates me so much about SSD's. hIOmon also produces csv files btw, which makes it easy to develop charts. It's a real shame reviewers don't use it. Maybe one day.

[idata]

Ya know redux, I have been thinking the same thing, why am I so fascinated with SSDs. Perhaps it is because it's a relatively new technology, in the PC world at least, so we can get in on the less steep part of the learning curve about them. It might also be that given the various faux pas and gaffes we've seen from some if not all SSD manufactures, their seeming mysterious nature draws our attention to them, since it seems the manufactures and their engineers did not truly understand them as well. Not to mention some of the writers from hardware review sites, and the various, random, forum posters that have gotten things wrong, including myself. That is not what I want to be.

Over all else, one thing that compels me is something I've just recently embraced; The more I actually do know, the more I realize how much I do not know.

[idata]

Well sir, if I did kick you, I didn't mean to. Enjoy your vacation!!