Windows 7: Making best use of an SSD!

I am awaiting delivery (tomorrow I think) of a new custom built PC. I have decided on a 180GB SSD and a 500GB second SATA 111 HD. I store all my data files on an external HD so only put the OS and programs onto the usual "C" drive. The Win 7 OS will be pre installed on the SSD and the only other software i would like to "enjoy" the speed of the SSD is a Video editing prog. A still photo editor and a VM prog so that I can install Win XP with a couple of very old small programs. I need other progs like MS Office 2003 but I only use them very occasionally and would prefer to install them onto the second hard drive. Does this look sensible as I am new to SSD's?

Hi there,

I also have a SSD.

I install obviously the OS on the SSD, Drivers and programs I use a lot, Winrar, uTorrent etc...

Large Programs, Programs I hardly use and Games I install all of these on a 1TB Hard drive.

Thanks for your input. Am intrigued as to what you use uTorrent for?

Well... for downloading of course...

I put the OS and all programs on by C: drive, and I have a 120GB SSD.
All data is stored on a different HD/Partition.

If you put programs such as Office on the second hard drive, it could complicate system imaging backup and restoring. (Registry entries are stored on C: )

If you ever have to restore the C: partition, you may also have to restore the HD partition where programs such as Office are installed to keep everything in sync.

180GB is a lot of space (to me), and I don't think you will have space issues installing Office on C:.

Maybe this: ?

• Install the OS and all the programs you want on C:
• Check how much space is used/free.
• If space permits, install "other" programs to C:
• If you don't have enough space, put "other" programs on a separate partition on the HD - not the same partition as your data

Thank you for that David. As I said all my data files are stored on an External hard drive but i see you point regarding quote:If you don't have enough space, put "other" programs on a separate partition on the HD - not the same partition as your data I think i will partition the SATA drive to perhaps 100GB and 400GB and use the 100GB partition for any of the programs that I wont fit easily on the SSD. But as you say I shouldn't run out of space. I don't use any games just your average programs. I do use Xampp which is it recommended to install in the "C" root but that is not large. I do use system imaging backup to a dedicated external HD.

SSD's are quickly getting large enough that you may be able to fit everything except backup storage on it, which gives absolute best performance.

If you offload data to a HD I would sort it into User folders (Docs,Pics, Music, etc) you create on the secondary (better) or external (not so much as it's throtted by USB) HD then rightclick each to add to the related Library - Include a Folder - Windows 7 Forums.

Leave the corresponding empty C User folder in the library so you can see if anything lands there and drag it over easily to the data drive folder.

I'd put all my programs on C, leave the perfected modern Hibernate function and System managed paging file which works best on C.

There are other tips for getting a perfect install in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 - same for retail.

Let us know how it performs.

Since you are getting a large SSD, you should put all of your programs on it. MS Office 2003 will open quickly instead of having to wait if it is on he HDD.

bigmck is right. With such a big SSD, put everything that is not user data on the SSD - especially Office which is usually slow to open from a spinner. Programs, except for some games, do not take a lot of space and having them on the SSD gives you the full benefit of the SSD's speed..

If you want to save some space on the SSD, get rid of the hiberfile (unless you use hibernation). The command is powercfg -h off