Low Crystal Disk Scores on Crucial M4

It seems like I have fairly low scores on my Crucial M4 128GB. I just did a fresh install of Windows and followed this optimization guide: The SSD Optimization Guide Redesigned - The SSD Review

I also have cleaned up the drive with Disk Cleaner (Windows program) and Glary Utilities as well as CCleaner (using Wipe Free Space option as well)...also ran an MP3 song from iTunes as it was going as I heard it improves scores.

Any ideas?

 

The first problem is that you're doing useless 'ssd optimizations'.

The second is that you're benchmarking a smaller capacity ssd.

The third is that you're benchmarking an ssd with an O/S installed.

Advice: ignore the 'low score' and enjoy your ssd.

 

Even though the previous comments make sense about not worrying to much about the ssd performance, I am still a little worried about my performance as well. I just want to make sure I am getting what I paid for, or if I have a defective drive.

I just purchased the M4 256gb for Vaio F laptop (VPCF136FM) and here is what I get.... I have read much higher scores for this drive, sometimes in the 400mb/s for the read.

Any help appreciated, thanks!

 

It looks like it's running on SATA II, not III (that is, those speeds look much more similar to SATA II speeds than to SATA III). A bit of googling shows that the M14x has (or had?) some issues with SATA III; while drives would initially run at SATA III speeds, they would then be downclocked to SATA II. I'm not sure if those issues have been corrected, but I would suggest upgrading your firmware and drivers just in case. Also, if the SSD is in an optical bay caddy (your signature says that you have two drives in your M14x), move it into the primary drive bay, as it is likely that the optical bay supports at most SATA II.

 

Sorbus,

Good points! +rep.

 

My SSD is in the primary bay...is there a way to enable sata III?

 

This thread in the NBR Alienware forum seems to suggest that updating the BIOS in conjunction with installing all of the drivers for the system corrects the issue.

 

I just did a clean install of Windows and followed the Driver Install order in the M14x section...my BIOS is current, but I updated it again and tried Crystal Disk again with same results....I know for a fact all my drivers are current and installed...When I got my computer a year ago and installed the SSD I was getting way better scores...I guess the only thing I can think of was I tried installing the updated firmware for my HD and it messed up the boot so I had to use /fixmbr and those commands to fix it...but I don't think that would change the SSD at all...firmware is updated too

 

Unfortunately guys there is nothing you can do this slow down issue is not fixable. In my opinion it has been compounded by the new 24nm flash. When we used 32nm flash the slow down effect of putting an OS on and data on was much less dramatic.

I can just tell you this effect is felt across the board by all SSD manufacturers right now.

MyDigitalSSD

 

What? There is no way putting data/OS on a trim enabled SSD that it will drop 200mbps in sequential.

IMO, It should slow down but not like any of the benches shown here.(and they aren't even fill) These benches are showing SATA2 score which should be something else.

By the way, when you do CDM, use 3x 100 or something, there is no reason to do 5x 1GB, which just add more wear to the SSD.

Edit:
1. SSD optimization such as AHCI / write caching does help.
2. There is nothing wrong benching a small SSD.
3. Benching a SSD w/OS does not instantly kill a score by 50%.

 

These do indeed look like SATA II speeds.

Here's a 128GB M4 on SATA II (don't mind the low random 4K, mobile 5 series chipset thing):


Here's a 64GB on SATA III (desktop drive):


OS on both drives by the way. Those benchmarks were taken a little while ago, but the speeds remained very similar until i changed those drives for bigger ones. 128GB was taken with IRST, 64GB was on stock windows driver.

 

so, when you use a SSD as an OS drive and then benchmark it, the speeds are slower? I never realized this lol, though it does make sense.

 

Hmm well I guess I will leave it be...

 

Even with the OS on it, on SATA III you should be getting faster reads, the two benchmarks i linked were taken with the OS running and if the 64 and 256GB (256GB not shown) M4 i tested on SATA III are getting close to 500MB/s reads, i don't wee why it would be different for the 128GB. Unless you went crazy with the writes. If you're for some reason on SATA II speeds, then everything is as it should be.

Yep, they are, but reads should remain rather unaffected.

 

Well that sucks I can't use Sata III...sad how the new Mac Book Pro is a better computer than this -.-

 

Did you install the Intel Rapid Storage Technology drivers?

 

Yea I did...all drivers are installed...everything from chipset to touchpad drivers...

 

Is there an option to select from AHCI to IDE (or vice versa) mode within your BIOS? I'm just trying to help generate some ideas.

I know how you feel though. My last computer was the Asus U24E and that also operated at SATAII speeds even though technically the chipset was suppose to support SATAIII.

 

Yea it is in AHCI...I think its more of a Dell issue as I am hearing Sata III worked on the older BIOS, but the newer BIOS has trouble with it...I could do this: M14x R1 - BIOS A08 with SATA fix

But....idk if I wanna mess with that

 

Thanks for all the info everybody, I guess I don't have much to worry about. Again, I just wanted to make sure me drive was not defective.

 

Here`s mine on Intel 7, Ivy Bridge

I wonder why the 4k read speed is only half the write?

Crucial M4 128GB



John.

 

Why do people say that SSD optimization are useless? The article from the OP seems well-written and supported.

Some of the optimization are inconveniences. It says to turn off system restore, which is bad if something goes wrong. However, even Intel advises to do it. So I guess I will have to sacrifice some safety for performance...

 

I had a look through the list. I can't say that I'd do any of those besides reducing page file size - don't disable.

For other things like disabling defrag, Windows 7 already did that for me automatically. My SSD's drive letter isn't listed under 'Select disks' inside 'Configure schedule'.

 

I disabled the pagefile with 8GB of RAM never got a warning about it yet. Then disabled the prefetch something using a registry add-to file and another one I can't remember regarding Crucial C300 being slow or a conflict with iastor posted on here somewhere and you should be able to get a little bit of boost.