SSD reccomendations for M17x r3?

I plan on getting a relatively small SSD for my OS and programs, and use the old drive for all my files and data.

Reccomendations? (Not too expensive as well)

I know i'm asking two questions at once but: How do I wipe the old drive and then boot from the new one?

 

Crucial M4 and Intel 510 series work without issues in the R3.

Just install the SSD in the free slot, boot from Windows DVD and follow instructions and install drivers as stated below:

-Intel Chipset HM67 (R289402)
-Intel Management Engine (R290940)
-Gigabit network (R289538)
-Wifi (which one you got)
-Intel RST (302553)
-USB 3.0 (289408) Not on resource disk!!
-Realtek PCIE (R289405)
-Audio (R289922)
-Synaptics (R289406)
-Bluetooth (R289410)
-Alienware OSD (R289920)
-Freefall Sensor (R289409)

Run Windows update and update everything it can find, will take a couple of hours and then continieu below:

-Video (which one you got)
-Alienware Command Center (R290173)

In Windows disalbe pagefile for the SSD, ussualy drive C: and youre done.

 

Thanks so much man. +1 rep.

What is a pagefile?

 

Page file is basically when windows takes data that could be written in RAM, and writes it on the hard drive instead. It is done when system RAM is limited. I have 4GB, and had to re-enable page file due to not having enough RAM/memory to run Civ5. When I had 6gb of RAM this was not an issue. The reason to disable it is because it could increase wear on the SSD and it takes up a lot of space, which is expensive.

According to this... The SSD Optimization Guide | The SSD Review

"This is an extremely controversial optimization and does not improve performance whatsoever. It does, however, return to the user 3.5-4Gb of valuable ssd storage space. It is NOT recommended for typical users with less than 4Gb RAM that are not aware of their system and its RAM use. It is also not recommended without first watching RAM use closely for some time prior to this being done."

1. Right click on My Computer;

2. Select Properties;

3. Select Advanced System Settings;

4. Select the Performance tab and Advanced tab;

5. Select the Change box for virtual memory;

6. Un-check Automatically Manage Page File Size For All Drives;

7. Select No Paging File and click the set box; and

8. Select Yes to allow and restart.

A more safe but equally useful thing to disable is hibernate, it is explained in the link I post above.

 

Thats a really usefull link you got there ValkerieFire.

I did indeed forgot about hibernation. Once I receive a new m17x r3 I will use that link to optimize my SSD. Pulled the M4 and RAM before I sold my old R3 yesterday.

For OP: RAM upgrade's are cheap and easy do to yourself, if you have 4GB just buy another 4GB or more if you like.

 

Some tips on using SSD:

Increase System Speed
1. Disable indexing
Description: Indexing creates and maintains a database of file attributes. This can lead to multiple small writes when creating/deleting/modifying files. Searching for files will still work.
Instructions: Start Menu -> Right-Click Computer -> Manage -> Services and Applications -> Services - > Right-Click Windows Search -> Startup type: Disabled -> OK

2. Disable defragmentation
Description: Defragmenting a hard disk's used space is only useful on mechanical disks with multi-millisecond latencies. Free-space defragmentation may be useful to SSDs, but this feature is not available in the default Windows Defragmenter.
Instructions: Start Menu -> Right-Click Computer -> Manage -> Services and Applications -> Services - > Right-Click Disk Defragmenter -> Startup type: Disabled -> OK

3. Disable Write Caching
Description: There is no cache on the SSD, so there are no benefits to write caching. There are conflicting reports on whether this gains speed or not.
Instructions: Start Menu -> Right-Click Computer -> Manage -> Device Manager -> Disk drives -> Right-Click STEC PATA -> Properties -> Policies Tab -> Uncheck Enable write caching -> OK

4. Configure Prefetch and Superfetch
Open regedit.exe and browse down to the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters
Find the EnablePrefetcher and EnableSuperfetch key on the right-hand pane, and change the value to one of these:
Disable Caching: 0
Cache Applications Only: 1
Cache Boot Files Only: 2
Cache Everything (default): 3
I usually go for 0 and I don't have any issues with programs or RAM or anything.

Free up extra drive space
5. Disable the Page File (Better Yet, set your virtual memory to your Mecanical HHD, NOTE I left some virtual memory ON)
Description: Eliminate writing memory to the SSD, free over 2GB of disk space. Warning - If you run out of memory the program you're using will crash.Instructions: Start Menu -> Right-Click Computer -> Properties -> Advanced System Settings -> Settings (Performance) -> Advanced Tab -> Change -> Uncheck Automatically manage -> No paging file -> Set -> OK -> Restart your computer
Alternatively, if you want to play it safer, you can set a custom size of 200MB min and max.

6. Disable System Restore
Description: Don't write backup copies of files when installing new programs or making system changes. Can free up between a few hundred MB to a couple GB. Warning - Although unlikely, if a driver installation corrupts your system, there won't be an automatic way to recover. Though to me, if a driver corrupts you should reinstall Windows anyway. Clean install > restore
Instructions: Start Menu -> Right-Click Computer -> Properties -> Advanced System Settings -> System Protection Tab -> Configure -> Turn off system protection -> Delete -> OK

7. Disable Hibernate
Description: You may free up 1GB of space on the SSD if you have 1GB of memory, 2GB of space if you have 2GB memory. You will lose the hibernation feature which allows the equivalent of quick boots and shutdowns.
Instructions: Start Menu -> Type cmd -> Right-Click the cmd Icon -> Run as Administrator -> Type powercfg -h off -> Type exit

8. Move your Temp and tmp folder to another drive and do the same with your admin-userprofile folders; pictures, download, music etc.

9. When installing Windows, only have SSD install otherwise it will create a system reserved 100MB space for restore.

I am sure there is more but these are some of the main things. Enjoy!

 

Thanks for all the tips guys!

 

No problem, make sure to run CrystalDiskMark and for fun do a boot time test with bootracer, got 18 sec. with my Crucial M4.

 

What did you do to get down to 18 seconds? Best I ever did was 25.

 

Did you run bootracer? Did you run it with a M4?

 

I have the corsair force 3 120gb, it is blazing fast and bleeding edge. I prefer sandforce controller ssds, just decide between this and an M4 and 510, I think, unless you want to pay a premium for the OCZ Agility or Vertex 3.

 

Hmmm. Oh the choices! :O

 

I repped everyone on the first page of this thread. VERRRRYYY useful knowledge Thank you all!

 

What about the old HDD? how do you go about wiping that? Ive already installed games on it, is there anyway to slavage that or will it have to be formatted?

 

Great info everyone! +rep

Now a question!

I have seen 3 driver install guides on this forum under the Alienware sub forum.

1st is here by batboy.

2nd if here by jywang.

3rd is in this thread, by Brabostann.

After burning my alienrespawn dvds, and installing my Kingston SSD, I used Jywang's guide for my driver install order. But I notice some diffirences between all 3 guides. Is there a correct order? Or is it more of a prefrence of choice?

For example:

Batboys guide says to install the USB 3.0 drivers right after installing the chipset drivers, where jywang's guide says to install the usb drivers right after the OSD software/drivers. Brabostaan guide says to do it after the Intel RST drivers.

There are a few other diffirences between the guides. So which one is best to use?

Is Jywang's post diffirent because of an SSD? As to batboy being just for the stock hardware on all AW systems?

Side note: I'm not trying to say someone is wrong and right, this forum has helped me a lot in the past year. All the awsome post and threads have been very useful! But I am wondering about the driver install order, from what I understand, incorrect install order can lead to a system not being stable, and not performing to its potential.

 

As long as you install the video drivers and CC AFTER windows update, you should be fine.

 

yeah see, jywang's guide has me install before updates.....

hence the confusion!

 

Right, you need frameworks for CC, thats downloaded and installed by Windows update.

The Nvidia drivers seems to BSOD when installed before SP1 is installed. I dont know about the AMD drivers.

 

I just did a clean install and I installed AMD drivers before Windows updates and it's all fine. No BSOD so far. Everything seems good except I have the Dell Wireless Half-Mini Card and the driver doesn't seem to work.

 

Go to device manager and select the wifi card (unknown network controller) and then right click to update.

Some screen will pop up where you can seach automaticly or specify a location.

Specify the location of the extracted files and click open and youre done.

The Nvidia drivers do have BSOD when installed before SP1.

 

Thanks that worked perfectly. Yea I have heard a lot of BSOD issues with the 460m if people don't do the clean install properly. I was just mentioning it doesn't seem like the AMD drivers need to have SP1 before installing them.