What's the best OS for a SSD?

Hi guys,

I have a Transcend 128GB SSD320 that i took out of my 11" ultrabook, and i intend to use it in my Samsung i7 laptop, but i'm struggling in which OS is best suited for it.

Considering this SSD in sandforce driven and there are some known issues with it in hibernation and sleep modes, should i risk to use Windows 7 along with Samsung fast start technology, for sleep/hibernation, or should i use Windows 8 and take advantage of it's Fast Boot functionality instead?

Main difference is it's boot technologies, other than that they both boot pretty fast, i think only in case of reboot win7 will be a tad slower. In the end it all comes down to, is it safe to use win7 with fast start which clearly i have a preference for, or is it better to just play it safe and use win8 instead?

Thanks.

 

Windows 7 and up are all good with a SSD, they all have the necessary support for SSDs. Fast boot is overrated if you ask me, yes, a fast boot time is nice, but you get a SSD primarily for the speed improvements when you have booted and are using the OS and programs. Windows 7 and up perform identically at that for all practical purposes, so get whichever OS you prefer.

 

Thanks. I prefer Win7 but the sandforce issues do worries me..

Can you comment on the sandforce issues I've talked about?

Cheers.

 

Ideally, you should disable hibernation when you use SSDs so you get more available space on it.

The SandForce issues were fixed with firmware upgrades. I'd still stay away from purchasing a SF drive but if you already have one, considering there aren't any issues related to the SF controller that have been popping up recently, there's no reason to not use it. Either ways, you should be backing up important data. If you already have a SSD, use it. If it goes bad, purchase a new one (or a HDD or whatever). You have your data backed up. No reason to trash a perfectly working SSD.

 

If you like W7, use it and enjoy.

To put it bluntly: there is *absolutely nothing* in W8 that will prevent a SF-based SSD - or any other drive for that fact - from going "poof" if it decides to do so, which is the only real concern when it comes to SSDs in my book...

Backups are a must either way.

Personally, I disable hibernation in all of my machines that are SSD-equipped, although none of them is a SF-based unit.

My $0.02 only...

 

It will get solved by installing the latest firmware and keep ur SSD up to date, Sf based are cheaper compaire to other controllers so why pay more for something that will perform the same doing the same task?

 

I have mixed feelings about your reply..

I have a 90GB OCZ Vertex 2 SSD that was always up to date with latest firmware, and last February (by this time these bugs were allegedly fixed) it died into panic mode on me. Even worse, it died after a shutdown, it wasn't even sleep or hibernation. The next day when turned my laptop on it was dead. Now all I'm left with is a really expensive and ineffective paper weight (cuz it's so light lol).

Moral - cheaper products like these easily become more expensive over time.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

Personally, I'd recommend only Crucial/Plextor/Samsung/Intel drives, though OP already has his drive.

W7/W8 play well with SSDs, the popular Linux distros also support SSDs with features like TRIM and such (though some distros you have to TRIM manually or set up a cron job for it to run automatically).

 

If you can withstand the Windows 8 interface then this is the best non-linux OS as the Fast Boot is noticeable. Windows 7 is better for desktops but I find that it is less irritating on the move to have a Laptop that boots just a few seconds faster.
Most linux distros built on the newer kernels are even faster than Windows 8, some even support SSD friendly filesystems (I can't remember the name).

 

Legitimate question: How does this actually give you more available space?

 

Not all that legitimate if you bothered to search how hibernation works.. Basically, it dumps all your RAM and virtual memory into a pre-allocated file in the system.

Hibernation file is at least the size of your RAM. In my case 16GB RAM, and that's a lot of available space in a 128GB SSD, don't you agree?

Cheers.

 

The question is legit, the answer was easy to find using google though. You think 16 GB is bad, try 32 GB of RAM or more, it makes for one massive hibernation file.

 

I don't work with heavy loads like photoshop, video editing, autocad.. I barely fully use my 16GB. Can't imagine why I'd even need 32..

Cheers.

 

I think it is Win 7 now

 

have no experience with Linux distros, as to win 7 and win 8, win 8 boots faster.

Cheers
3Fees

 

Playing with different client's systems - Windows 8.1 is clearly superior when you want to get something done (and not have the O/S get in the way). It achieves this with optimized routines not only for SSD's - but also RAM usage and program priority settings too.

Sure, Win7x64 Pro is good... Win8.1x64 Pro is simply better.

Instead of repeating myself here; pick the relevant points from the following post that show Win8.1's superiority :

See:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/sol...-ssds-before-you-will-now-18.html#post9515313


Short answer: the latest O/S will make the most of your hardware - sure, there may be some (re-)learning involved - but you didn't really think you learned everything you needed to back in kindergarten, right?

 

That's all very flowered and pretty when we have all drivers available. But unfortunately there are still many laptops lacking proper drivers to upgrade to 8.1.. Samsung has a lot of problems reported for 8.1. Yes, 7 x64 might be slower, but it's stable!

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk

 

Also, the performance difference between 7 and 8 (given the exact same hardware) is pretty trivial, from what I've seen (and experienced... tried 8 on my desktop for s***s and giggles and I didn't notice anything different as far as booting, opening/closing stuff, etc. went). Just my two cents though.

Of course, 8 and 8.1 have some cool under-the-hood features that are very nice. Just can't stand the UI personally.

 

To be clear: Windows 8.1 x64 (or Win8, for that matter) won't make your workload tasks noticeably faster (although some do get improvements) on the same hardware. The task by task productivity for any given hardware/platform will remain about the same - once the user input is not required anymore for the task to complete.

What I am seeing is that Win8.1 'disappears' more than any previous version of Windows before it. So navigating the O/S, multi-tasking between programs and any other user/OS/Program interactions are handled more efficiently and 'instantaneously' (timing-wise, mouse-mile wise and smooth/jarring visual-wise) than anything before.

Sure, I've been using Win8 for well over a year now so you may say I'm simply used to it - but there is no comparing the smooth flowing Win8.1 to the visually jarring/cartoonish Win7 interface that I also used to love before (compared to Vista x64).

Even when I'm doing the same tasks at the same time in a room full of professionals which may be using a high end desktop, a MBP and/or a notebook with superior hardware than my notebook at that moment (think workstation class machines vs. a business class machine) I still seem to finish those tasks first (and get to peak over their shoulders) - and the main difference is that they're running OS/x or Win7x64 Ultimate and I'm running Win8.1 (and with the same/similar software/data on each system).

Not always, of course - sometimes producing something creative requires some thinking time which the computer can't help with - but again, in general the work cadence with Win8.1 is something that I notice simply checking this forum or my emails.

The UI is what you make of it. I need it to do 'x,y,z' and I figured out a long time ago how to do that (with Win8 preview).

Now (Win8.1), I almost don't even see the UI anymore - wish I could say the same for the relatively cartoonish-looking Win7 and the even more cartoonish/restricted OS/x with it's further restrictions on quality (business) programs to run on it...


Is the Win8.1 UI making the computer feel faster? Maybe. Are the 'under hood' improvements taking better advantage of the current level of hardware we have access to? Definitely.

Are Win8.1 drivers available for all older systems? No, not for 'all' systems. Does that change the fact that the latest O/S is superior (and still getting better) to anything before it? No.

To keep people from thinking that only new/current systems benefit with Win8.1 - my U30Jc has better real world battery life (at ~81% of it's original capacity), offers a faster user experience in all aspects of operation and obviously offers better performance with the same hardware (8GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Arrandale platform i3-350M cpu) than when I originally bought it (and the software loaded on it is more intensive, not less).

And; it is now almost 4 years old... and even more eye-opening; I have not found a current notebook to replace it with yet (and I've been looking...).

So, while I get the 'UI is horrendous' simply because it's different remarks, what I don't get is the dismissal of a better way to get things done, simply based on looks.

And to my clients that I've offered to at least try Win8/Win8.1 (or I would re-install Win7 for 'free'), would agree that the O/S is the most stable, usable and snappiest version of Windows they've had (and none of those clients have asked to downgrade to Win7...).


Take care.

 

Thank you for that extremely partial response.. Jeez! Can't you really ear yourself and see why you're being extremely partial in your opinion?

Is it, really?? How many professionals you know the companies buys them a high-end laptop and on top of that, upgrade these same laptops with expensive upgrades such has 8GB RAM and a 512GB SSD? Could the answer be none? Could it be that you're just seeing OS and CPU, and missing where your "medium" laptop is truly making difference in its performance impact? My money is there!

Yes, of course.. Where CPU/GPU performance tasks take priority to RAM or storage usage (usually things like emails and "whatever" web..), is quite natural your laptop can't out-perform a high end i5 or i7..

Do you really find that odd with heavy settings like Aero taken out of the picture?

Aero setting is already enough to make noticeable impact on your battery life, which makes me wonder, how well do you really knew Windows power management advanced options?

I read your post 3 days ago on my tablet, and waited patiently to reply it in my laptop where proper attention could be addressed.
What really bothers me the most is, you're going above, beyond, blinded and off-topic to make your opinion valid and completely discard the OP (me) needs..
Tell me, how much it matters ANDROID IS THE BEST PHONE OS if i use an iPhone (just an example, i have great android phones! lol)?
How important are all your arguments if 1- I'm missing drivers to 8.1; 2- These same arguments are so easily dismembered by your one-sided-blinded view?

By the upgrades done in your laptop I'd expect you had a better understanding of your HW and SW, a laptop isn't only OS and CPU.. Otherwise you wouldn't spend the price of a new laptop in a single SSD drive. I'm amazed how you never consider your SSD and RAM performance, and so trivially mention them in battery performance like if none of it matters..

Whatever! I installed 7 x64 and will keep using it until I'm sure all Samsung drivers are available for 8.1, then I might try it out..

This post is not intended to flame the thread, it's simply to tell you how one-sided your post looks, that said, please avoid flaming the thread and try to keep on topic, considering my needs above your ego.

Cheers.

 

Lol... so, that's the thanks I get for trying to make myself understood? Ha ha ha...


Take what you want from it - though your perspective is twisted beyond belief.

Try reading the posts from a perspective of someone trying to help/answer/clarify fully - no ego involved (yours or mine).

The point I'm making is: given the drivers are available (if even needed, of course) running the latest O/S gives the best performance in ways we cannot foresee unless we experience it ourselves.

I don't need to learn about power management, nor Aero, nor about disabling every useless animation possible on my O/S's - I am past the 'pretty' and well into the 'let's finish this already' stage.

But you go on and insult people and see how they'll continue to help you in the future.


Good luck with that.

 

Windows 7 and higher.