The original hard disk as backup for SSD?

Hello, I ordered a T510 (500GB, 64-bit win7 prof.) and it is coming. I also ordered a SSD (OCZ Vertex 2, 120gb).

I am going to use the SSD as the OS drive and put the 500GB disk in the ultrabay (take out the DVDRW).

If I dont do ANYTHING (for example, reformatting the disk, etc.) to the original 500GB and put it in the ultrabay. Will such a setting work?

I have read many posts about the potential realiability issue of SSD and I am concerned. Here is what I am going to do to increase to MINIMIZE interruption to my work in case SSD is down.

When I get the T510, I am going to install all the software on the 500GB before taking it out. Then I take it out and put it in the ultrabay. I will make the SSD as the OS drive and install all the same software on the SSD. The 500GB disk will hold all the data. In case the SSD fails, I can simply take it out and put the 500GB disk to its orginial place, which makes me have a working OS drive and all the data to continue my work immediately.

Do you think it is a good planning? I feel, based on my own experience, the traditional hard disk is quite reliable (it does fail sometimes, I know).

Thanks for your thoughts.

Best.

 

You can always image one drive to another, in other words clone. It just takes time.

Mac time machine makes it easier but you don't have that option.

If you mean just keep a working copy of windows on that second drive, yes it will be fine for a hot swap. keeping it up to date day by day that is a bit harder or time intensive.

Traditional hardrives are not reliable, you've just been lucky, I doubt ssd failure is higher.

 

Thanks so much for your input. I read quite a number of posts regarding SSD being wickedly fast but unreliable...

The 120G SSD is not enough for me to hold all the data. It may be best for me to keep all the data on the originial disk. So "image one drive to another" is not an option to me.

>>it will be fine for a hot swap.

Maybe I misunderstand you. I am not going to do any hot swap. What I am going to do is when SSD dies, I will turn off my mchine, take SSD out and put the origial disk (with a working windows) back. Before that, the original disk is placed in ultrabay as the data disk (with a working windows).

Regards.

 

ssd speed depends on model/price. reliability over the long run is still not tested, but for basic laptop use, i doubt it is any less reliable than a normal drive. how "wickedly" fast a drive is depends on its controller and the rest, the sequential read writes on the marketing papers is not reliable, the random read writes can be much lower on cheap drives. places like anandtech have good reviews on them. the only thing ssds are bad at are massive and constant read write cycles, but only specialized applications will do this.

i misused the term hot swap, what i meant was an always up to date clone of the ssd on the harddrive. that would be difficult, maybe commercial disc cloning like true image support this feature, they might. i don't use it so i don't know. but yes keeping an older clone of the ssd on the harddrive will work as a fall back windows solution, but unless you constantly sync data it will not be up to date with the ssd.

If you are using win7 trim support is built in
TRIM - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

I really appreciate your input. Cannot say enough thank-you.

Very best.

 

Maybe you should also consider a 500GB Momentus XT. I have been testing boot times with my old 640Gb WD Scorpio blue and it is 105 Vs the Momentus XT's best time of 23 seconds. The worst time was around 36 seconds and I used Bootimer as mentioned here.

The Momentus XT makes my system so much faster and I notice this even more after quickly testing my old drive just now. In fact, I can't remove my old drive quick enough to go back to the XT!

 

"Several tools and techniques that were implemented in the past to reduce the impact of the rotational delays of traditional harddrives, most notably disk defragmentation, Superfetch, ReadyBoost, and application launch prefetching, work by reorganizing (rewriting) the data on the platters. Since SSDs have no moving platters, this reorganization makes no difference, and potentially even reduces the lifespan of the solid state memory. Therefore these tools are by default disabled on SSDs in windows 7, except in the case of some early generation SSDs that might still benefit."http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Features_new_to_Windows_7

 

Sounds like "500GB Momentus XT" is a much better hard disk. Will look for it.
Thanks!

 

Yea, I find it makes a big difference. It is a hybrid Drive that uses a 4GB SSD portion of the drive along with the usual mechanical one, to speed it up. In the future I expect that SSD section to grow in size too. You can see some performance tests here.

 

why don't you order a cheapest hdd from lenovo and buy another after market. it's save a lot of money.
lets image for OS and then restore when needed .

 

I feel something good/interesting in your input. Could you please detail a little?

Do you mean by a cheap HDD and constantly image SSD onto it so that I can have an updated windows drive in case it is needed?

Thanks!

 

I don't know what it means, unless he thinks only specific drives work in think pads there is no reason to buy a drive from lenovo. I doubt their prices are that good.