How To Prevent SSD Degradation Without TRIM

I'm doing this. I keep a clean image of my OS partitions(aligned).
I'm using DriveShapShot with "WinRescuePE" or a similar project of the german journal c't. It's called "c't Notfall-Windows 2010".
If I ruin my OS partition with a new driver or something else, I do simply a restore of a good, working configuration from the image. Costs me about 5 minutes for 14 GB.
If you have SLIC 2.1 in your BIOS, you can avoid wasting Windows 7 activations.

 

I do the same thing. Using Acronis True Image, I started with a fresh install. Than I installed everything I'll want to use, tweaked everything, set everything to my preferances, drivers, programs, directories, ect. Now if I install something new, I create a new image once all kinks are worked out. I probably create a new image every week or two. The images are over 100GB, but this saves me soooooo much time when I mess something up. Also if my SSDs degrade, I'll just secure erase, re-image. I use a USB 3.0 Express card, so it only takes about 30min, to create the image, and about 30min, to do the recovery as I re-image. Saves so much time and hassle. I couldn't imagine doing all the new fresh installs/tweaks/setting changes ect.

 

reinstalling the OS will make my ssd work like a new one?

 

noop, it won't. Only SE would.

You can SE then reload the backup image back.

 

As a matter of fact, being in RAID, I do not benefit from TRIM; only from ITGC.

However, I do reinstall windows about every 6 months and, when I do so, I quick-format my drives, which give them back the lively of their youth.

So, basically, it's not reinstalling the O/S that will give you back their original performance, but more the quick format you would then perform.

Please note however that if you work in RAID, because TRIM won't work in that mode, you will have to quick format your drives on a regular basis, every 6 months or so in my case.

Hope this helps !

eYe

 

I've heard of others using Drive Snapshot, I may have to give it a shot. I tried Acronis Image and with restore it screwed up partition alignment. Although this time with my new laptop I didn't bother to create an image after setting everything up, so will have to do a full fresh install with all the apps and stuff. Oh well.

 

Just to be clear here about what you're saying:

If I am about to do a full restore of a backup to my SSD...then, prior to doing this restore, I use something like Windows Disk Management utility to perform a 'quick format' on the drive, it'll then be reset to 'fresh' status? I then do the restore and I'm good to go, righto?

If so, this is pretty slick, easy and simple...

 

I think you actually need to do a secure erase, not "just" a quick format to regain the performance.

 

if his drive is SF, SE is needed. If the drive is like Intel where TRIM almost have immediate effect, a quick format as a simple drive(not being part of a RAID) would do it as well. As Windows 7 quick format would issue proper TRIM command.

 

chimpanzee is right.

I am talking about Intel-like drives; SF based may need SE indeed.

Remember that you need to first unRAID your drives for the quick format to work, as it's not gonna work more in RAID than the TRIM command does.

So, what you want to do is:

Delete the RAID array;
Pretend to install W7 and quick format before installing;
Leave the installation once the quick format is done (do NOT install W7 at this point);
Re-create the RAID array;
Install W7 (Restore or so).

Makes sense ?

 

My samsung 830 128gb on the truck out for delivery as I type.
I want to do a fresh install Windows 7 on this SSD, can someone provide a link to a good tutorial to do this?
I've read somewhere that I have to update the SSD's firmware prior I be able to load the windows?( I can't seem to locate the article now).
Here are my specs:
Latitude E6420 with BIOS version 8 or something latest from Dell.

Will install Windows 7 Ultimate 64, on this coming samsung 830.Will have another 750gb second drive in the optical bay (after installation of course)

Another small question, I have one of the program that need to run on XP. I am leaning to do a small partition to put an xp just to run this program (this is an old restaurant software program, and I don't want to spend another $400 to get a newer version that can run on windows 7). If I decide to go this route, is it more benefit if I just use up a small partition on this SSD for XP, or leave all for Windows 7, then small partition on my second drive for XP?
Thanks you for feedbacks.

 

Download Windows XP Mode

this is for free to install on windows 7 ultimate. so you could just use that to create a virtual xp machine on yours for your needs.

other than that, i don't know.

 

I've used Acronis 2011 to backup/restore from HDD to SSD a total of 3 times now, each time the alignment has been correct. I think people run into problems when they do "clone disk," but if you make an image and then restore it, I think it creates the partitions itself with proper alignment before copying the data.

 

you can easily update firmware on 830 with windows installed on it. However, you need to use CXM03B1Q bios, CXM02B1Q doesn't always work if files are on the same disk you're trying to flash.

Procedure is very simple through samsung magician software.

Have fun with a new toy!

 

Thank you for all the responds, I won't be able to experience anything until tomorrow at least.
Newegg send me UPS tracking numbers, check the tracking showed that item on the truck out for delivery as of 7:00am this morning, 2 UPS trucks stop by my business 2 times today and none of them has my drive :-(

 

Hi,

You shouldn’t have do anything to an SSD’s hardware configuration, or firmware to be able to install Windows 7. In general, Solid State Drives perform very well within a Windows 7 environment. There is also a great MSDN blog post discussing the Support and Q&A for Solid-State Drives that may prove beneficial. As far as a clean, or custom installation is concerned, I recommend you see Installing and reinstalling Windows for a good step-by-step outline.

In addition to the blog post above, Microsoft has a Microsoft PowerPoint deck detailing the Windows 7 Enhancements for Solid-State Drives that you may also find interesting.

As for your legacy software and just as another member on this thread recommended, Windows XP Mode and Windows Virtual PC are strongly recommended. Windows XP Mode works in two ways – both as a virtual operating system and as a way to open programs within Windows 7. Please note that Windows XP Mode is a virtualized environment and is not recommended for graphically intense applications.

Jessica
Windows Outreach Team – IT Pro