Installing "boot" files to an SSD

TheAtomicGoose · 22 Jul 2014

I have read in the past somewhere (I have no idea where) that there is a way to install certain files which are part of the startup sequence to an SSD and installing the rest of the files to an HDD. If that is true, what is the process for doing it? I currently have a 32GB SSD and a 500GB HDD in RAID 0 (I think it's 0, not 100% sure.) I'm planning on doing a clean install of Windows 7 and getting rid of RAID, but I'd like to be able to speed my boot process by the placement of the "boot" files to the SSD? Thanks!

LMiller7 · 22 Jul 2014

The files you are speaking of actually consume very little time during the boot process. What really takes the time is accessing the hundreds of other files. To improve boot time you really need to have the entire OS on the SSD.

AddRAM · 22 Jul 2014

SSD Alignment

Clean Install Windows 7

TheAtomicGoose · 22 Jul 2014

Well currently my laptop boots extremely quickly (<15 seconds), and I thought that it had something to do with the SSD. However, I definitely have more than 32GB of stuff on my laptop, so how is that so fast?

AddRAM · 22 Jul 2014

Is windows on the ssd now ? (All of Windows)

Post a shot of disk management if you please.

Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image

TheAtomicGoose · 22 Jul 2014

All of windows is NOT on the SSD. I will post a screenshot of disk management once I'm back in Windows...I'm currently in Linux.

AddRAM · 22 Jul 2014

As suggested, you should have all of windows, and your programs on the ssd, and use the hard drive for storage, games etc.

32 GB is awfully small, but it will work.

You could put the page file on the hard drive, that will give you some space back. With 8 GBs of memory you could probably just turn it off. (You could test it and see how it works out)

You could put the hibernation file on the hard drive, if you even use it.

You could turn off system restore, not really recommended, at least not until you create a disk image.

TheAtomicGoose · 22 Jul 2014

Wait, so by all of windows you don't mean also stored files, you just mean the essential windows files?

whs · 22 Jul 2014

I suggest you install the full OS and all the programs on the SSD and move the user files to the HDD. Then you can get the effect that you are looking for. The OS and a reasonable selection of programs will easily fit on a 32GB SSD - provided it is set up properly. If you need detailed guidance, post back.

PS: Is this a 17" laptop with 2 disk bays ??

AddRAM · 22 Jul 2014

TheAtomicGoose said:

Wait, so by all of windows you don't mean also stored files, you just mean the essential windows files?

I mean bare bones windows, it`s what we call a clean install. It only takes up about 16 to 20 GBs.

Stored Files ???

Please explain