SSD Performance Tips for Underperforming SSDs

Lately we've been getting a lot of posts from people that have SSDs that are not performing like they should. Here's a list of tips to enhance that SSD performance. If anything should be changed or added let me know. These tips are the collected works of others.

-updated-

Necessary

1. Enable AHCI in BIOS.

2. Do a clean install, from the ground up. Remove all partitions before you start by choosing custom setup.
(If performance after applying all tweaks is still not as desired a secure erase might be necessary before doing a clean install).
(One may choose to set clustersize to 4K, as this can enhance performance slightly)

3. Check partition alignment (not necessary if you did a clean install with Windows 7).

4. If you have an Intel chipset, install the latest Intel Rapid Storage driver (Download Intel® RST Driver Files for F6 Install from Intel.com. Go to Device Manager, select under "IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers" the "Standard AHCI 1.0 Serial ATA Controller". Then right click, update driver software. Browse, browse. Now browse to where you saved the Intel Rapid Storage driver. Select the folder and click OK. Reboot required.)

5. Enable write caching (Device manager → Disk → Double-click on you disk → Strategy tab → check BOTH)

6. Check that TRIM is enabled (Fsutil command)

7. Disable scheduled defragmentation (control panel → type: defrag in search → turn off)

8. Set Windows Power Profile to High Performance.

Optional *

9. Disable pagefile (control panel → type: pagefile in search box and follow instructions)

10. Disable hibernation (press start and paste " powercfg /hibernate off " in the search box, press enter)

11. Disable indexing service.

12. Disable prefetch.

13. Disable superfetch.

14. Disable System Restore.

15. 4K Cluster size

(* Some people do not believe these tweaks are necessary or a good idea)

 

Phil,

This new thread is a great idea!

My suggestions?

#2 should be #1 and #12 should be #3.


Although I disagree with disabling indexing, prefetch, superfetch and the pagefile, I hope we can collect all available tweaks in one place!

Also, you should list the actual commands for the actions you suggest. For example; how do I check that TRIM is enabled using the Fsutil command (I know we can search, but if everything is in one place, the better for everyone, right?

Thanks for considering my suggestions.

 

I agree with your suggestions. I've updated the list. I know some of the tweaks are debatable, I've now added * to the tweaks that are debatable.

 

Excellent idea Phil to compile this list +1 from me as well.

I personally apply all of those you have on your OP plus I disable the Readyboot (both as service and as a startup event trace session):

Open Computer Management -> performance -> Data Collector Sets -> Startup Event Trace Sessions

Double click on Readyboot and under the trace session tab uncheck to disable like the screenshot below


After that I would do a reboot and then go to C:\Windows\Prefetch and delete all its contents

Also, (optional) someone should consider to change the cluster size of the NTFS. I change it from the default 4K to 64K (to me it gave better performance and lower access times, especially helpful for people doing video editing or transfer big files)

Keep in mind that power profiles may change the performance of the SSD as well so I would suggest to have it plugged in to AC and set it to high performance.

 

OK I will add those to the list, what are the exact benefits of disabling Readyboot?

 

Readyboot will benefit HDDs since it traces all the data that are accessed the most during boot time and then they are copied under the C:\Windows\Prefetch folder. On HDDs the access speed is not consistent and that helps a lot. But in SSDs it simply occupies space and runs an extra service in the background, not a real benefit.

 

stamatisx,

have you done a before and after comparision with readyboot on/off?

I'm leery of disabling any Win7 services - they're pretty unobtrusive as is.

 

@tilleroftheearth
Yes I have, including this one (readyboot), all those tips mentioned on the OP will give you better performance
When you disable prefetch and superfetch there is no reason to keep readyboot on.

Phil, the 4K is the default cluster size, for better performance I advise 64K

 

lol...

stamatisx,

what kind of performance boost did you see by disabling those services (including readyboot)?

Also, thanks for pointing out the 64K cluster size trick - I have been using it for my Raptors, but didn't think it would improve things in the SSD world.

 

All the benchmarks were improved (4K random reads/writes included) smaller boot times and less CPU utilization
Don't expect miracles though, it's a small improvement but still an improvement

 

With all due respect, benchmarks are not performance improvements.

How much faster would the boot times be? Any other real-world performance increases?

Thanks.

 

I agree but this is the only accurate way to see if those changes had any impact and how much.
For instance (I won't use actual numbers), in real world for a desktop user the difference is quite small, if let's say the access time of an SSD goes from 0.6ms to 0.3ms. And I ask, would it be noticeable? No, but if you think how many files have been accessed by the end of the day, those 0.3ms will add up to a big number.
If the sequential times increase by 10MB/s on a benchmark and in real world it takes for the same file to be copied 1 sec faster will it be noticable? no it won't but if you do file transfers everyday for how many days, those seconds will add up eventually to a noticeable number. The same applies for the boot time, if you can save 2 seconds in every boot time and 1 second during shut down time will it be noticable? No but in the long run it will be.
What would be noticeable though, is going from an HDD to an SSD. Other than that, nothing dramatic.

 

How does one disable Prefetch (not Superfetch)? I've gotten Superfetch disabled, but I'm not sure about the former.

 

Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters
Name: EnablePrefetcher
Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 0


The EnablePrefetcher key has the following values:
0 = Disabled
1 = Application launch prefetching enabled
2 = Boot prefetching enabled
3 = Application launch and boot enabled
To disable Prefetch, set the value to 0.


Source:
Disabling Prefetch

 

Anyone used this tool before?

SSD Tweaker | Download SSD Tweaker software for free at SourceForge.net

Seems very interesting.

 

Yeah I've seen that program on the OCZ forum a long time ago
Guide SSD Tweak Utility
but I haven't tried it.
I prefer my own registry files but this program seems really convenient

 

I tried the SSD Tweaker, meh.
My 4KQD32 is much slower than it used to be (~30%), what can be the problem?

 

What was that one forum thread that kept track of boot times?

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/win...-your-windows-7-boot-time-tweaks-allowed.html

 

How do u change the cluster size? Do you have to reformat?

 

yes you have to format but it's easy, check here:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/win...-boot-time-tweaks-allowed-13.html#post6518062

 

So what exactly does setting your power profile to high performance do?

 

On some laptops, the system does not push the ssd to its limit when on anything below high power. I have seen many people start threads wondering why there new ssd is not up to snuff after doing a crystal score only to chuckle when asked if the system is on high power mode.

 

I have a question about the 4k cluster size, actually... how do you enable this feature?

 

Stamatisx explains how to set 64K clustersize here:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/win...-boot-time-tweaks-allowed-37.html#post6518062

 

just be warned that any cluster size which is not 4K is not thoroughly tested for Windows(say its compression feature was reported to be broken for non-4K size).

 

Shouldn't it decrease lifespan?

 

Is the chipset referred to in step 4 the primary MB chipset, MB SATA controller/interface, or SSD controller/interface?
Thanx.

I've read a bunch of mentions from people having issues after installed that, and I'm not sure if I need it or will see a performance increase if I use it. I have an M4.

Thanx.