Ordered 7200.3 320gb today

I was wondering if you guys could post either a link, or a list of well known tips for speeding up a hard drive.

 

1. Don't use AAM on the 7200.3 The drive doesn't support it, and for me and others it made the drive emit clicking noises. Set AAM to bypass or off in system BIOS.

2. Set harddrive-controller to operate in AHCI mode, and install AHCI drivers for OS

3. defrag drive and optimize bootorder for the OS. TweakXP has that option I believe, you can search for a m1330 vista64 thread here, it mentions using TweakXP to optimize bootorder and defrag bootfiles to the start of HDD, afaicr.

4. defrag often. (you can probalby use some scheduler to set the defrag program of choice to defrag the OS drive, often.

5. Use seperate partition for OS and OS only. Repeat 4.

6. Get a flashcache-module installed on your system, either as a PCIe or mini-PCI module, or as a USB-stick or flash-card, and use it for Vista's ReadyBoost and/or storing the swap-file, if you have a decent amount of RAM on your system, i.e. 2,5GB+

Well, that's what I can think of to optimize throughput, but of course, keeping the system tidy, i.e. using some cleaning program, like CCleaner and/or BoostSpead, will make the whole system "seem" faster.

But can't stress enough, get a good defrag'er, like Auslogic's Defrag or Piriform Defraggler. The Windows in-built one is good for keeping the system defraged, interim running a decent defrag program, but it isn't 100%.

 

Ok, for 1, what is AAM, 2, does the hard drive come in AHCI mode or IDE.

3-5 I already do, and 6, readyboost doesnt seem to do as much as I would like, but if you see a large difference, I will get a 2-8gb sd card for my laptop for readyboost. I hate having the USB stick out of the rear.

AusLogics Defragger and CCleaner ftw!

 

You should have waited... 7200.4 drives were already announced in the summer. I think they will be ready in a month or so...

I am looking forward to buy the 250GB 7200.4 (single platter)...

 

AAM = Automatic Acoustic Management
AHCI/IDE mode is set on the hard disk controller on the motherboard, not on the hard disk itself.

 

I'm afraid it's going to be expensive so I may just get a 7200.3 anyway.

 

That was my reasoning behind it, I dont see a need for 500gb, or an SSD, and I understand that the 7200.4 will have differing sizes, but this should suit me for now.

@Goofball, I will go check my motherboard settings now.

EDIT: Is the ICH8M already set for AHCI Mode?

 

if you don't have that option in the BIOS, it probably is, yes.