How do you set your SSD up?

paulz6 · Post by **paulz6** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 11:04 pm

Brand spanking new computer arrived today. Without wishing to upset anyone, it's a 2700K 3.5GHz overclocked to 4.6GHz, 16GB 1600Mhz Dual Channel DDR3 RAM, GTX 680, 1TB HDD and a 120GB SSD. Justice for those that struggled with the old one for over 4.5 years though.
I would love to know how good it really is, but unfortunately all my intensive apps are probably going to take over a week to download on my current 1Mbps connection. And when all your gaming needs require a big internet download, then I think it is obvious where the week link is! Goodbye.
Out of the box (OK, it wasn't so out of the box as the graphics card had to be self installed), the SSD was installed with the O/S. I've reinstalled this using the SSD as a 'fast cache' for the main drive. This can only be 64GB in size at maximum, so that leaves 48GB (bad maths I know, but I'm sure there is an explanation) for a RW optimised drive. I better stop buying new DLC in case it is not enough!
I think the O/S on the SSD was obviously faster, but maybe the cache needs to bed in a bit. The reason I went for this option is that I can't be bothered mounting partitions in directories only to find that the actual space requirements are not what was configured. It seems a little less high maintenance even if it is a bit of an ugly duckling.
Using the Win7 experience benchmarking (laugh out load), and with the SSD as the primary drive, it hit max or almost max at 7.8/7.9. With the SSD in caching mode, it was held back on disk drive to 5.9. Pretty much everything else was 7.8/7.9.
So I wonder how everybody else sets their SSD up? Next time I'll have to ask if their is an option to get rid of the HDD altogether, and slap a bigger SSD in there. Afterall, a RAID 1 network drive should be used for file storage, and even a gaming machine does not need that much storage space!

SquidvT · Post by **SquidvT** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 11:16 pm

Ouch! Thats a serious system, that 680 is going to bring tears to your eyes (in a good way

)

As for the SSD, I dont have a scooby, serves you right for having such a ninja pc

(On a more serious note, I heard tell and this is relevant to HDs that is better to have the cache on one drive and OS on seperate, probably not relevant for SSDs though...or is it?)

paulz6 · Post by **paulz6** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 11:24 pm

Ninja? What's that coming over the hill.....

SquidvT · Post by **SquidvT** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 11:29 pm

Hahaha!

Seriously that dude from RSC, you know the Graphics guy claimed 60 fps with a 680 in WCML-N

paulz6 · Post by **paulz6** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 11:35 pm

Shadows set to max I hope. Otherwise the monster might be shy.
I'm still using my newest old monitor at 1680x1050 though, so that should help the native frame rates compared to those who have the larger monitors at 2560 times god knows what.
I wonder how TS2012 comes out on a 3D 1080p 120Hz monitor though? It might be the next on the hit list, although I should probably get the secure storage solution first.

SquidvT · Post by **SquidvT** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 11:40 pm

Who knows, how anyone or anything can get 60fps in WCML-N i dont know.

As for the monitor, thats a worthy upgrade. I recently moved to a 24 inch and running at 1920 x 1080 i got a slight FPS increase (perhaps due to native resolutions and all that jazz). Even better the view it gives is much nicer with a wider feel.

Either way id love to hear how your new behemoth copes with RW

paulz6 · Post by **paulz6** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 12:02 am

With a bit of luck, I may have the LOTRO client downloaded for tomorrow evening. RW is probably going to be a 24hr - 48hr download after that. I'm not going to bother with Cities XL as I can only think of more worthless junk on the hard drive in the name of C&C4.

gptech · Post by **gptech** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 2:07 am

paulz6 wrote:....and a 120GB SSD....... I've reinstalled this using the SSD as a 'fast cache' for the main drive. This can only be 64GB in size at maximum, so that leaves 48GB (bad maths I know, but I'm sure there is an explanation)

Drive manufacturers use 1,000MB to equal 1 GB, Windows uses 1,024...... so a drive thats described by the manufacturers as 120GB can be seen as only 117GB by Windows.

Using the Win7 experience benchmarking (laugh out load), and with the SSD as the primary drive, it hit max or almost max at 7.8/7.9. With the SSD in caching mode, it was held back on disk drive to 5.9. Pretty much everything else was 7.8/7.9.

Yep, as when the SSD is used as a cache the conventional disc is the one that gets 'benchmarked'.... 5.9 is just about the maximum you'll get from any spinning drive.

ihavenonamenoreallyidont · Wed Apr 18, 2012 7:51 am

paulz6 wrote:Shadows set to max I hope. Otherwise the monster might be shy.
I'm still using my newest old monitor at 1680x1050 though, so that should help the native frame rates compared to those who have the larger monitors at 2560 times god knows what.
I wonder how TS2012 comes out on a 3D 1080p 120Hz monitor though? It might be the next on the hit list, although I should probably get the secure storage solution first.

RW looked fabulous in 3D until TSX came along. Many objects now render at the wrong depth, unfortunately.

Only running at 1680x1050 will certainly help framerates but for a graphics card that powerful I'd certainly say you won't be getting the best out of it until you acquire a larger monitor.

Don't get too hopeful about RW performance, regardless. I have an almost identical set-up to you although I am running at 1920x1080 on a 580 (still a pricey card even today), and framerates aren't that good (another man's meat etc caveat...). You'll get much better bang for your buck in seemingly better programmed, more graphically intensive games so I am pleased you seem to be a gamer. I just could never advocate buying a 580, nevermind a 680, just for RW.

tofwings · Post by **tofwings** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 7:59 am

Here is my take on the SSD...

First the bad news.............Ideally you need 2 (two ) SSD drives....One for the OS (Win 7 64 bit ) and one solely for RW....
then you will have full capacity on your dedicated RW drive , plus your boot up times and your PC in general will be very responsive and so much quicker

Use a large 2 Tb drive for all the junk ie: all other game installs , office , etc etc ....(junk ).....This is how i set upi my RW Machine , and believe me , it flies...

The spin up drives are awful compared to ssd when it comes to RW,
With a dedicated SSD Load times are very quick, i get less stutter,hardly any rubber banding , etc etc...
I dont have a killer Video card like yours ( mine is a 6870 ati ) and i can't run with max shadows as its still a frame killer , My shadow setting is on High only.....
and my gameplay is smooth as silk

Tip....Make sure you choose the 30fps option in the start menu, as anything higher is overkill and a waste

Cheers
Brian

Kariban · Post by **Kariban** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 8:33 am

My SSD just has games on it ( mostly RW, which is up to 70+GB ) and my Photoshop swap. I'm a bit wary of puttng an OS on it, especially after it's started developing some interesting behaviour just from the activity it does do. I had my OS swap on it for a while but thought better of that.

I get 25-30fps ( limited ) pretty much everywhere with all details maxed out on a 4890, just have to use the 2nd AA notch ( MSAAx4? don't remember ). Since I got a second screen I can't run RW fullscreen if I wanted to because the card won't do it, so it's at whatever the notch below 1920x1080 is.

erikkr · Post by **erikkr** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 9:24 am

SSD's wear out during writing , not during reading .
So , its much better to have your RW on the SSD than your OS and certainly than the swap file .

re wearing out : after some time you wil see a reduced capacity , because a number of the cells no longer work .

tofwings · Post by **tofwings** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 1:34 pm

erikkr wrote:SSD's wear out during writing , not during reading .
So , its much better to have your RW on the SSD than your OS and certainly than the swap file .

re wearing out : after some time you wil see a reduced capacity , because a number of the cells no longer work .

Good advice....

I forgot to mention that my swap/page file is setup on the mechanical drive.
Also my RW install is currently standing at 68Gb +.....so i may have to invest in a 256Gb SSd ......Ouch, they are expensive ...

Cheers
Brian

ihavenonamenoreallyidont · Wed Apr 18, 2012 1:41 pm

Two additional top tips regarding SSDs: don't defrag, don't put a pagefile on one (most higher end systems can roll happily without one these days anyway).

smartie38 · Post by **smartie38** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 1:42 pm

SquidvT wrote:Hahaha!

Seriously that dude from RSC, you know the Graphics guy claimed 60 fps with a 680 in WCML-N

I smell something, not sure what it is

I have a 680 and this sim hardly uses any power of it, well lets just say I had zero increase in fps when I went from a 580 to a 680, not that I was expecting any as this sim is more cpu limited, but then saying that I never saw any increase in fps when overclocking my cpu either!

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