SSD Thread (Benchmarks, Brands, News, and Advice)

I`ve searched high and low and I can`t find the answer to this off topic question.What`s the difference between a rep with blue square and a rep with a green square? Anybody?

 

Who else uses Marvell?? Hate to get stuck with a one-trick pony.

 

Well AFAIK just Crucial right now in their c300's. I was thinking of getting a sandforce drive, but after further research, i went with the c300. What i liked the most was the 4k speeds.

 

Tigerdirect is selling the OCZ Agility 2 60GB drive today for about $121 after cashback. Very fast drive, but 60GB is a bit small.

 

Three of them in RAID 0 isn't small!

 

What cashback? I see them after rebate for $139.99...

 

Bingcashback.

 

Anyone can figure out what's wrong with my 4K reads ?

2 X 160GB X25-M, RAID0, brand new, 16K stripes

 

So I'm trying to explain to a friend that a SSD is the single most best upgrade you can do for your computer, and he doesn't believe me. He's like dude, it's only 200mb/s read speeds, compared to SATA that's way faster? I don't know.

How do I explain to him how good SSDs are?

 

Reads for a single drive are around 14MB/s - the reads are always lower than the writes at 4K - not sure there is a problem - it might be a controller issue as no SSD scales well on 4K

 

AFAIK, a SINGLE Intel X25-M would rate 20Mb/s for 4K's reads...

That's where I do not get it...

I got 2 of them in RAID0, and they do not even reach 15Mb/s...

Not sure neither if it's a real issue or not, still, for the price, and after seeing ALOT of benchies showing 20Mb/s 4K READS for SINGLE units, well, for the price, I was seriously expecting AT LEAST the same, but...

Wondering if 16K stripes would affect this in any way, not sure how it would, as the smaller the stripes, the better the low K's would perform, unless I'm really missing something here...

Maybe I'm just too greedy ???

Maybe not...

Wondering what it would looks like at 64K stripes size...

mmmm......

 

YouTube - SSD vs Hard Drive Performance (NCIX Tech Tips #62) or you can search for a lot more on the tube.

 

Show him benchies of both an SSD and a regular HDD; if he does not get it, have him work with both; he shall see pretty soon...

 

Thanks. Maybe he'll finally get it... And I should have done my own google searching.. duh. Sorry for the laziness. Thanks again.

 

Only in SafeMode - this is under normal operations.

 

What's your thoughts about the stripe size ?

When I configured my drives, Intel suggested (the RAID controller) 16K stripes by default, and I left it there...

Do you think 8K would be better, and what about 32K, 64K ?

 

No idea - sorry, I can't help there.
But I don't think its called a "stripe"...

 

Also...

Me new 2 Intel, as you know....


Say my Intels need an haircut... (a TRIM...)

Say I have only ONE computer...

Say my computer has only TWO HDD bays...

Say my Intels occupy both bays in RAID 0...

Say Intel toolbox do NOT support RAID drives (as a matter of fact...)

Say they still need an haircut...



What I would then need to do is:


1. Pull them out;

2. Put in bay one another sata drive;

3. Fresh install windows on this new sata drive;

4. Install the Intel Toolbox on this new&fresh windows copy;

5. Put, one by one, one at a time, each of my Intels in bay two and TRIM them...



Am I correct ?

If so, can you think of any easier way to do it ?



PS: Must be strip instead of stripe then...

 

That's one way... but I believe for some people the latest drivers did offer trim on RAID.

On the "strip" as you call it - my native language is German - but I was sure I say the English one somewhere - I'd go for "sector" 4k sectors - Google-Suche

If you want to try some not official drivers: http://www.station-drivers.com/page/intel raid.htm

 

eYe-I-aïe... have you thought to use cluster size of 64K for the NTFS and stripe size of 128 for the RAID? I believe it should give you quite good results.
(I wish I had a second X25-E to try it myself)
When it comes to stripe size and RAID performance it depends on the size of the files you write the most and only after trying various combinations you will figure out what gives you the best performance. Also I am not sure that the TRIM command is passed when in RAID. You have to see if the performance gets worse after time or not.

 

And mine is French...

The sector is not what I am talking about...

It's either strip or stripe...

This is the size the controller will use to determine if it does or not split the chunk of data on the two drives, or will write it only to one of them, on a RAID array...

Say you have a stripe size of 64K...

Any data chunk to be written that is less than the 64K stripe size will be written on ONE of the two disks of the RAID array...

Any data chunk to be written that is equal or more than the 64K stripe size will be divided in two chunks, each of them will be written on a different disk of the RAID array...

The stripe (or strip) size is the size which the controller use to determine if it's gonna write the data on one or two (or more if there's more disks composing the array) disks of a RAID array...

 

Would love to try those cluster size (which is most likely what DetlevCM is reffering to when he's talking "sector"), but I got no clue how to do that...

TRIM will not work in ANY RAID setup unless the drives are ATA-ATAPI- 8 compliants, and, as of today, NO SSD is ATA-ATAPI- 8 compliant because this standard is not even in force, it's not finalize yet, and I think that's exactly what this revision of the ATA commands will introduce, support for TRIM in RAID...

So, YES, my performances WILL for sure get worse, that's why my second question as to how would I be able to TRIM; obviously, will loose all data, just wondering if I could use Intel Toolbox WITHOUT having to install windows on another HDD...

 

OK - well, I don't have any RAID enabled computer.

And on the Trim - it doesn't matter if its officially supported - it worked for some people... so google a bit and try it.

 

Can't tell if the TRIM command is working as there's no such indication (reliable) that states it...

However, I can tell you for sure the Intel Toolbox WILL NOT WORK with a RAID array...

 

In case you haven't checked here
http://forum.notebookreview.com/alienware/474521-installing-ssd-tips-tricks-benchmarks.html

this is the way to change the cluster size
http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...ssd-tips-tricks-benchmarks-4.html#post6193783

about the performance degradation, I guess you will probably have to unRAID the disks and secure erase them. Not sure if by unRAIDing them and using the toolbox on each disk separately will have any effect

 

Oh well, this seems very interesting, however, a little complicated (changing cluster's size)...

FYI, I'm using samsung's SSD in RAID0 since October 2009, since I bought my M17X-r1; just switched to Intel's...

How do you think my performance would increase if I would re-install windows changing my cluster's size as you suggest ? (in other words, would it worth the work...) ?

My specs now:

 

Well - if you have the money, get a home server then you can have a simple backup that you can copy back once you trimmed those drives.

And about performance degradation - that's low with the Intel - I once tried a benchmark after 500GB of writes... negligible difference - and negligible gain from Trimming manually... (I'm on Vista - no auto Trim)

 

Interesting, thx (low performance degradation)...

Home server... I just pitched all the money I had left for the rent on those two Intels.... ; that's scary uh ?

 

Stamatisx, you say:

HDDerase in a computer that its BIOS wont lock out the SSD...

What about our M17X ???

(mine is R2; BIOS is 00; never updated this one, as I'll be getting another replacement...)

 

it is locked, use the linux way for M17x to bypass it

 

What do you guys think?

Crucial RealSSD C300 64GB (around 150)
or
OCZ OCZSSD2-2VTXE60G Vertex 2 Extended 60GB around 165
( OCZ OCZSSD2-2VTXE60G Vertex 2 Extended 60GB 2.5IN SATA2 Solid State Disk Flash Drive from mwave.com)

The larger 256gb version of the C300 seems to lead the field, but I am unsure whether I can extrapolate the data to apply to the lower end, smaller versions of the drive.

 

It seems like the 64GB C300 hasn't been reviewed anywhere. I'd think it's faster than the Vertex 2.

 

Good morning everyone !

Well, I think I have a SERIOUS problem here...

I tried, after the previous 16K stripes test, both 8K and 32K, and found no improvement, if anything, it was worse...

So I reinstalled everything with the former 16K stipes, and guess what ? Well, not only my 4K reads are still low, but now, on top of it, I can't seem to be able to get my 4K WRITES to where they were, over 100Mb/s; they're down to my SAMSUNG's level, ± 15Mb/s...

Obvisoulsy, I'm not only dissapointed, but puzzled, , I really don't know what to think; everybody says Intel are the SSDs that get the less impacted by being filled, what the heck is happening here ???


I'd be more than willing to live (and to shut it) with my LOW 4K READS if I can get my performance back for my 4K WRITES...

Please, refrain from saying things like you should not bla-bla-bla and such useless admonition; either the drives are faulty, or the RAID controller is freaking, or I am totally out of my shoes, but I am curretnly in a febrile mood as, as you know, for the price they sell, I feel like I've been robbed, just wish there's something obvious (or not) that I just did not see or think of...

I am willing to give for free one of my cutest smile to whoever can help me getting my 4K writes speed back...

Or maybe should I call Intel ?


Thanks to everyone for your help !

 

Did you secure erase the disks before proceeding with a new installation?

 

Shouldn't be needed on an Intel - and I had pretty much no degradation after 500GB of writes on my Intel.

So that shouldn't be a problem - and a manual trim would be better for an Intel

But it does really sounds extremely odd - I wonder - is there some other factor that influences Raid performance? Things like allignment etc.? - because there is something fishy going on.

It might also be an idea to test the drives individually using a second computer if you can - i.e. bench each drive.

 

Like I said in one of my previous post, I only have access to ONE computer, and this guy only has TWO HDD's bays...


Actually, LUCKY me I did NOT secure erase because, if I would have done so, I would have had to FORMAT my Sammys, install windows on ONE of them, then put each Intel in bay 2 to either format - secure erase - TRIM them- what you will, but doing so, I would have "lost" my currently WORKING system, and when I say working, I mean in both senses: working as in something that works, and also, working as I DO INDEED WORK with this computer, not only for leisure...

My next step is to try to re-install again (on the Intels) from scratch, but hey, like DetlevCM says, SOMETHING'S FISHY here; it was working great the first intall, THERE'S NO WAY it shouldn't work as well now...

It has to be the RAID controller or so...

Should I try to get an RMA from NewEgg ?

Should I try to get in touch with Intel Customer Service ?

thanks again everyone...

 

Ok, so here's the best I could get to, after reinstalling...

the 2 first images are the first intallation; the two last ones are as of today...

4K writes still WAY below expected, however, much better...

Any clue would be greatly appreciated...

 

The thing is that he has them on RAID and not as single drives.

Like DetlevCM said, what are the numbers for each one of them seperately?

 

He's got another SSD, has he not? Remove the Intel, add the Samsung, hot swap the intels and trim them.

 

I actually never tested them separately...

Guess it might help to see those numbers, however, thing is that the images of my last post show everything; it's the exact same set-up, in RAID both of them, with both 16K stripes size, with the same Intel RST controller (9.6.3.1001); so, IMHO, performances should be quite the same...

As a complement of information, the way I managed to get my 4K writes from ± 15Mb/s to the actual ± 65Mb/s is by enabling the write caching in the IRST...

But on my first intallation, it was flying at ± 150Mb/s; this is CDM...

I could probably unraid them, install windows on 1 of them, bench the other one, then erase the 1 where I installed windows, install windows on the second one,, and then bench the first one, but hey, what a waste of time I'm looking at...

Best case scenario would be to use an EASY USB BOOT KEY PROGRAM that could be used to boot, AND to ERASE-TRIM-Whatever-would do it...

But I am so noob with such things...

I still have my 2 samsungs in RAID, but I would prefer (by FAR) not unraiding them as, for the moment, I can always put them back in my lappy and work with them....

Unfortunately, Intel toolbox won't recognize my Intels (one at a time) on my SATA2USB external adapter, so I can't go there... And I do not have an E-SATA cable/adapter...

But hey, thanks to both of you, I aknowledge you do your very best to help me out and, even if I am still pissed, to say the least, by my current marks, I guess there's not much that can be done here...

Again, I could test both drives one by one, but thing is those are the same drives as yesterday, with the same set-up reached kinda 150Mb/s 4K writes yesterday; eith the exact same set-up, hwy wouldn't they be able to do it today, after all, they're no samsung cheap drives, they're Intels...

 

He said he didn't want to format the Samsung ones and loose the working disks he has...
That's why I suggested using a live linux disk to secure erase them (Samsung disks remain intact and the intel ones restored to factory condition)

 

I thought the Samsungs weren't Raid - that's why I suggested it...

 

I understand but, as I said, I'm so noob to those linux-ubuntu-what-so-ever...

Would that be possible for you to head me to an EASY, and I insist on this, an EASY program usb-whatever that I could use to either TRIM-SECURE-ERASE-Whatever's-the-best my Intels to get their perfs back ?

I am actually crying; this should never have gotten so complicated, so weird, so fishy... and the worse part is that I cannot get a refund; not even sure how hard it would be to get an exchange... Currently, and don't get me wrong, this is my OWN mistake, but right now, in the state I'm in, buying those drives is the worse buy I've done in all my life, I regret it so much, woulkd I have know from the start, I would never have gone there, for the price, when I think of it...

But hey, thanks a bunch again guys !

YES: ALL my SSD are RAIDED...

 

You can get a Linux Live CD just boots up like Windows does... but that's all I can say.

Knoppix for example.
KNOPPIX - Live Linux Filesystem On CD

 

OK, as I said, I totally new with this

Is there a particular place where you would suggest getting that ?

I know I can google it, but I don't want to catch viruses or so, I'm right now with my intels, no antivir or so installed...

Also, with this solution, will I be able to run the intels toolbox ?

Feel so stupid here...

 

Will a laptop with SSD (os/apps) and hdd (storage) slow down your system? Cause I read a guy said by adding a hdd it slowed down his ssd. ;(

In other words, does running both together slow your entire notebook down a little?

 

Secure erase is actually very simple.

I have used Linux maybe all of 30 minutes in my entire life and I did it without a cinch.

And, if you don't like burning a CD/"wasting" a CD-R, then use this tool to get it onto a USB drive. Unetbootin has it's own versions of Linux or you can use the *.iso file you downloaded above.

~Ibrahim~

 

You need to install anti virus first before DL'ing the said app, regardless of where its coming from (though you still need to find a secure source) because without any anti virus you can easily get infected when connected to net.
just my 2cents

 

Very relative thing - you can be fine without one for months... you can catch a virus within hours...

Really depends on what you do

And Anti-Virus - here's one, Microsoft Security Essentials http://www.microsoft.com/Security_essentials/

 

Crucial C300 64GB reviewed against Intel G2 and Corsair Force:
HEXUS.net - Review :: Crucial RealSSD C300 64GB SSD review - is it all we've been hoping for? : Page - 1/8