Help me upgrade my set up!

[PP Mguire]

Redownload? I'm guessing Steam? Just copy the Valve folder somewhere else. Works for Origin too.

Depends on how old the install is, but yes it could mean the difference.

 

[Twizted_3kgt]

Redownload? I'm guessing Steam? Just copy the Valve folder somewhere else. Works for Origin too.

Depends on how old the install is, but yes it could mean the difference.

How so, If defragmentation isn't an issue with a SSD?

Also, what does the ACHI do?

 

[Twizted_3kgt]

From what I'm now researching, seems a SSD really doesn't do all that much to speed up loading times of say, levels in games. Does that make any sense?

My boot time from the Bios splash screen to the Win 7 chime (not even all programs loaded), is 36 seconds on the SSD, moreless what it was before. Yet everywhere I read shows times of 12 seconds.

I read elsewhere that reinstalling Windows wasn't necessary, but I'm out of other options so that's what I'll do.

 

[PP Mguire]

How so, If defragmentation isn't an issue with a SSD?

Also, what does the ACHI do?

Fragmentation isn't the issue. It's your bogged down install if you've had it for a while. Plus support for TRIM ect isn't all there due to AHCI not being on.

AHCI enabled a lot of other bus based features. You would have to Google it for specifics. The #1 thing is garbage collection, caching features, and TRIM.

From what I'm now researching, seems a SSD really doesn't do all that much to speed up loading times of say, levels in games. Does that make any sense?

My boot time from the Bios splash screen to the Win 7 chime (not even all programs loaded), is 36 seconds on the SSD, moreless what it was before. Yet everywhere I read shows times of 12 seconds.

I read elsewhere that reinstalling Windows wasn't necessary, but I'm out of other options so that's what I'll do.

The only 3 games I've noticed that are sped up are BF3, Skyrim, and Shogun 2. I do notice other games though. For instance, Shift and Shift 2 I can't even read through the stuff before I'm in game, and other such games where loading is reduced.

If you're at 36 seconds you have a problem somewhere. With an AHCI bios screen I'm at 25. You also have a faster SSD than mine.

 

[Twizted_3kgt]

Fragmentation isn't the issue. It's your bogged down install if you've had it for a while. Plus support for TRIM ect isn't all there due to AHCI not being on.

AHCI enabled a lot of other bus based features. You would have to Google it for specifics. The #1 thing is garbage collection, caching features, and TRIM.


The only 3 games I've noticed that are sped up are BF3, Skyrim, and Shogun 2. I do notice other games though. For instance, Shift and Shift 2 I can't even read through the stuff before I'm in game, and other such games where loading is reduced.

If you're at 36 seconds you have a problem somewhere. With an AHCI bios screen I'm at 25. You also have a faster SSD than mine.

AHCI gave me a BSOD, which sent me googling. People were saying a reinstall of Windows was necessary for it to recognize AHCI. One guy chimed in, a registry change would force Windows to recognize it and a reinstall wouldn't be necessary. So I did that. No change in boot speed, with the ACHI bios.

So just now I finished reinstalling Windows on the SSD. Exact same 36 second boot. Not sure if it's worth mentioning, but with AHCI there's a whole new screen where it detects the drives, which takes a good 10 seconds.

Not sure if the way I installed Windows had any effect. I booted into Windows from the HDD, instead of the SSD. Then put the Windows 7 installation disc in and had it install a fresh copy onto the SSD. Then booted from the SSD.

I notice the change in speed in Windows. Just not boot time or game loading. The two most important aspects.

 

[PP Mguire]

36 seconds really isn't much to complain about. I mean, whether it decreased it or not it's still 36 seconds. It takes me more time to walk 15ft into my kitchen and grab a beer than it would for your machine to boot up from cold start.

Like I said, if you don't want it take it back but your loss. If you used it for a month and swapped back to the HDD you WILL notice the difference. Would be nice if some of these other ****ers with SSDs would chime in but you can take my word for it or not. I've only been using an SSD since 2008.

Also, if you do a fresh install it should be booting to your disc, formatting the SSD, and then doing a clean install. Another thing you should do is take a look at a few SSD guides disabling certain things in Windows. It isn't necessary, but it helps.

I never said games would really take an advantage of it, but I guarantee you it's there. Especially in the 3 I mentioned. I play BF3 almost every day and I pop into maps faster than anybody with a HDD.

 

[Twizted_3kgt]

Let me retract some of what I said:

I guess I didn't really do a scientific test of boot time. On the HDD the boot time from splash screen to Win7 chime is 75sec with the AHCI screen, so subtract 16 seconds that wouldn't be there in IDE mode, and it's really 59 seconds. I was using L4D map No Mercy as my game level load test. On the HDD it's 40sec, on the SSD it's 28sec. So it is quite a bit faster. Windows definitely feels a bit sluggish on the HDD now too.

I guess it's just not as drastic a difference as I was expecting. I saw the 12sec boot times and was expecting that.

I'm gonna give the format, then boot to Win7 disc and install thing a shot to see if it gets any faster. But I think I've made up my mind. I think I'll keep the SSD and return the HDD.

 

[PP Mguire]

Let me retract some of what I said:

I guess I didn't really do a scientific test of boot time. On the HDD the boot time from splash screen to Win7 chime is 75sec with the AHCI screen, so subtract 16 seconds that wouldn't be there in IDE mode, and it's really 59 seconds. I was using L4D map No Mercy as my game level load test. On the HDD it's 40sec, on the SSD it's 28sec. So it is quite a bit faster. Windows definitely feels a bit sluggish on the HDD now too.

I guess it's just not as drastic a difference as I was expecting. I saw the 12sec boot times and was expecting that.

I'm gonna give the format, then boot to Win7 disc and install thing a shot to see if it gets any faster. But I think I've made up my mind. I think I'll keep the SSD and return the HDD.

Yea all my tests are done with the Windows activity thing and a stop watch. I review, I have to make it legit. To reiterate how much better an SSD is a good friend of mine just got a Samsung 840 (not the pro) and is coming from a Seagate Barracuda RAID 0 setup.

Also, L4D isn't a good test. Try BF3 or Skyrim.

 

[steve10765]

An SSD IS awesome, it only takes about 20 seconds to get to the desktop and I can almost instantly click on anything and it will load pop up fast(not instant )

For most games it helps with loading times, for very few games it helps actual gameplay, I know on ARMA 2 it helps(not fps, things like stuttering and loading on screen) when you change the trees and grass quality/texture to really high

 

[Twizted_3kgt]

Well I'm back to square one with this SSD. Going to reclone the HDD and run with it. Didn't make any difference whether I cloned or installed a fresh copy of Win7. Same 36 second boot.

Changing to AHCI did make it faster though. On IDE the boot time moved up to 41 seconds. So that's a plus. Thanks for the help on that one.



I guess I just didn't notice how much of a difference it made right away. As soon as I booted up the HDD again, I saw it. Things were taking what seemed like an eternity to pop up after I clicked on them. I'm surprised how quickly I got un-used to it! GPU is next, which will probably be the 670. I'll probably leave the CPU/motherboard/RAM for later in the year or next year.

Thanks for the help!

One other question, in AHCI mode, is there any way to disable the drive detection thing it does on boot up? It literally takes up 16 seconds that could otherwise be avoided.