32GB mSATA SSD

How useful is the "32GB m-SATA SSD (Caching)" upgrade option? How much would it help really?

 

Caching is pretty incredible. Below is an example of software caching. It should be even better with a mSATA as a dedicated hardware cache.

M4 SSD RAID0 w/o cache | M4 SSD RAID0 with cache
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Crucial and OCZ have an equivalent aftermarket solution that works in essentially the same way as the mSATA caching available on select Alienware systems. Both Crucial and OCZ are using Dataplex™ software. Here are some links to read up on the subject.

Crucial Adrenaline Caching -and- OCZ Synapse Caching

Adrenaline Installation Guide

 

Let me just add that to properly understand what Mr. Fox said and the results he quoted, one need to know what 'caching' means. So people, if you don't know, google that up and don't get the wrong idea (e.g. about permanent boost of all speeds all the time).

Personally, I'd say if one is running a fast SSD, dedicated mSata cache is an overkill. It's just complicating things for no reason. Modern SSDs are fast enough anyway. RAID 0 is a nice solution (prolly being an overkill already, talking regular use), but even more extra caching on a 'home' laptop with a small mSata ssd? Not needed.

 

Well, where caching really does a great thing is for people that have an ordinary HDD or HDDs in RAID0. Using the Crucial or OCZ solution with a small dedicated SSD with Dataplex software does some good things for performance. Not a substitute for SSD, but better than a standard HDD. It's like having the Momentus XT HDD on massive amounts of steroids, LOL.

 

Ordinary HDDs, right. Everything I said I meant about mSata + SSD, I guess since your screen shot showed caching on M4 in RAID 0.

 

There is no reason one cannot take advantage of the same technology with SSD. To me, there is no such thing as "too fast" LOL. This is also where having tons of system memory comes in handy. I have allocated 6GB (4GB for SSD cache and 2GB for HDD cache) for caching. With the 2GB Windows normally consumes, I still have 8GB of unused RAM available. Data is read from, or written to, the cache at blistering speeds, which can then be written to disk at whatever speed the disk can manage. As long as there is not more data than cache space, cached data can move at the speed of the cache.

Below is an illustration of what one can perceive as read/write performance using an ordinary HDD. In this case, by employing a delayed write from the cache the HDD appears to be faster than the SSD. I set up a Level 2 cache on the SSD for the HDD. (Note the memory used in the Windows Gadget.)

 

Thanks for the input guys! According to Donald@PNB, the 32GB SSD is just too small to do any good... So I will avoid it and save my money altogether.

Is this with the 32GB SSD? I'll be using a single 750GB 7200RPM HDD. No secondary drive, thus no RAID. Will the gains really be as such?

 

No, I don't have an mSATA drive, or any cache drive. The screen shots are only using FancyCache software and system memory. System memory is going to be faster than a hardware cache, but probably more volatile as well.

Whatever method you use, my guess is you would see similar results. Only cached data will benefit and that is "learned" as you use the system. Using a hardware cache that is larger than system memory would cache more information. One of the reasons the Momentus XT drives had limited success if because the integrated SSD cache was too small to be effective. The newer hybrids, such as the Revo are much better performers from what I have read. I don't own one, and I am by no means a subject matter expert. This is just stuff I have been tinkering with for fun.

 

hey Prasad, why don't you just buy an SSD? 120GB Intel 330 or Crucial M4 128GB shouldn't be that expensive.

Maybe not "too fast" but kinda unnecessary or inconvenient. Why to play around with some caching mSata SSD if one can fairly cheaply buy a regular SDD for example? I am pretty sure they came with the mSata SSDs idea for R2 simply to make the whole thing 'even more fancy' talking marketing and sales. Now, with RAID 0 SSD, is it really helpful at all to cache anything? Hmm...

I think I'll put 16Gb of my old 1600Mhz RAM into M18x and check out that FancyCache and see for myself how this goes. Intel basically runs windows booting only. All games and dynamic data is kept on M4. Logically, if I play the same game for, say, a week and the data is cached, load times and everything should be easily faster.

 

Well, I'm stretching my budget as it is, and don't really see the need for an SSD regardless of public opinion. I thought however, the cache drive might help but that doesn't seem to be the case. Besides, even if I did manage to pull out the extra $$$ for a proper right SSD drive for storage, neither would I be satisfied with the storage space I'm getting with it at that price point, nor would I be able to prioritize and determine what OS/programs would I want to keep on it...

 

Give FancyCache a shot. It might be the boost you're looking for.

Without saying anything, I installed FancyCache on computer belonging to one of my sons and deleted the desktop shortcut. A few days later he asked, "Dad, did you do something to my computer?" I asked why and his response was, "Well, it's just way faster than it used to be and I did not change anything."

So, that seemed like a pretty good test to me, LOL. He has no SSD drives, just two 1TB HDD in his desktop PC.

 

Googling FancyCache now.. Do I need a RAID config for it to work? Would it work with just a single 750GB HDD and no SSD ?

 

Sorry, I was away from my computer a while. No, you do not need a RAID config. My son's system that I mentioned earlier is not RAID.

I posted a link to FancyCache in one of my earlier posts, but I am sure you found it on Google.

 

Thanks! You've been very helpful.

 

My pleasure, Prasad.

 

I'm using the Intel Caching on one of my desktops and I have to say it really speeds up the boot and load times of the stuff you use regularly. I have a 64GB SSD as the cache and a 2TB drive as the main drive.

From everything I have read you would get no performance boost from a Caching SSD if you tried to cache another SSD. Here's a good article: http://www.anandtech.com/show/4329/intel-z68-chipset-smart-response-technology-ssd-caching-review/2

The software solution sounds cool though and may try that on my m18x R1.

 

I was looking at the various configurations on the AW laptop site and was wondering what difference existed between the 32GB mSATA caching SSD and the 64GB mSATA boot drive. Both come with standard single drives, so I couldn't figure out whether one performed a different function from the other, or if one was "better" than the other.

Thanks for helping on this matter!

 

And what would an m17xR4 with 2x750GB SATA do if I added this inside:
Newegg.com - OCZ Nocti Series NOC-MSATA-120G mSATA 120GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

With 120GB on mSATA, can you do more than cache? Can you have a C: partition on an mSATA device?

 

jiaco - I am not aware of any reason you could not do what you are asking. The down side is the mSATA port is only SATA 2.0 3GB/s. That is fine for caching, but half the speed an SSD would achieve on the primary and secondary ports. Only two SATA 3.0 6GB/s ports are supported by Intel on Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge.

 

Fox, which version would you recommend? FancyCache Volume Edition or Disk Edition? And what is the difference between the two?

 

Very simple.
FancyCache FAQ

Depends on what you want your caching to do

 

My question is can you change the 32gb sad in to a normal mSATA ssd like the boot dive or is it no matter what it will cache?

Sent From My Rooted EVO 3D

 

Thanks for replying Mr Fox. I was mainly looking to maximize my internal drive capacity, which is the reason for the platter drives (2x750GB).

I guess the next question is: at what size does a caching drive become too large, would 120gb as a cache actually use anywhere near 120gb?

 

Maybe I'm just confused with the terminology... I have a single HDD dual booted with Windows and Fedora Linux. Which edition do you think I should use to cache Windows?

 

I actually had a question about this. My M17x config comes with the 750Gb HDD standard, so it's only a $25 upgrade to the 500Gb HDD+32Gb mSATA. I don't need the 250Gb of storage I'll be trading it for so should I get it? I plan on buying a regular 256Gb SSD regardless of the configuration but originally planned on installing my OS and everything else on the SSD (I only use ~120Gb of actual data storage and a lot of that is junk I haven't bothered deleting). I don't really care about "overkill" since it's only 25 bucks but if my system would be significantly faster just installing everything on the SSD (since the mSATA is only SATA II) I'd forgoe it.

 

IMO save your money and go for SSD RAID 0 once they get it working reliably.

 

Hey guys another question since dell doesn't give the option for 64gb boot msata anymore on the caching msata is it set to cache only one drive at a time like you cab change it and what not?

Sent From My Rooted EVO 3D

 

I'm doing the same. I personally feel that the $25 is fine just so I can wait a little longer on actually having the buy a main SSD to put everything on later.

 

Go with the Volume edition.

It already does work reliably. Lots of us have it already and it's rock solid.

 

Mr. Fox does the cache drive dell offers cache only one hard drive that you set it to or all that's in the computer ie ssd and hhd will it cache on both or can I set to cache only the hhd?

Sent From My Rooted EVO 3D

 

Thanks! I read for SuperCache that it shouldn't be used with the Windows boot drive (C . I take it, that it would be the same with FancyCache? Also, if I have both Windows and Linux setup for dual-boot in one disk drive, is it wise to use FancyCache for Disk to cache the entire drive?

 

If they are using the Intel SSD cache system then the max cache size is 64GB, and you can remove the SSD as a cache drive and use it as a regular SSD.

 

Hello, sorry for reviving this thread but I'm wondering if the 32GB mSATA SSD can be used for normal use such as having your OS (Windows 7) installed in it to improve boot-up times and overall performance. I know Windows 7 only takes about 20GB of space so it's more than enough for the SSD. Of course there will be a 2TB HDD for other programs and such. What does the "caching" actually do? Can anyone give me an insight on that?

Thanks.

Again sorry for necro posting, I was just curious about this.

EDIT: Btw, I'm planning on getting the XPS 8500 with the 32GB mSATA SSD + 2TB HDD. I know this is supposed to go to the DesktopReview forums but I can't seem to find a topic like this over there so I'm asking it here. Thanks again.

 

okies so i posted in the wrong forum , here goes

so i've searched and didn't read the thread properly about using the msata ssd on a m18x, seems that everyone is doing it with the r2, and I only have an r1, does anyone or has anyone used this yet,

i want to run my OS of the msata ssd and use my ssd hard drive my games and keep my ide for space movies blah blah, is this even an option? i think i Just spent $300 the wrong way

 

Should work fine as long as you have a mSATA slot

Sent From My Rooted E3D

 

well that seems the issue, the slot next to the wifi card won't let me put it in

epic fail case is the wrong shapE! seems that the slot on the other side of the wifi card has nothing to do with it, it powers on but i couldn't find it in the bois
looks like a waste of $50

on another note, do u think there is away to adapt the 3bay hd slot for the r2 into the r1 ?