_accepting opinions_

[jwthe3]

I recently installed this SSD so i am looking for performance but also stability.
I am running Windows 7 Professional x64 Edition from MSDN with Service Pack 1.

Keep in mind i am a gamer. I do not want recommendations which are going to affect my systems stability. (For example, some people recommend turning off page file on a SSD) That is not the tip i want because it's going to give lots of programs errors.

I've done most of my research i am looking for quick "yes or no" - "enabled or disabled" "this or that" answers with maybe a quick conclusion.

1.AHCI or IDE on an SSD
2.Is moving temp files, temporary internet files, other common writing directories really going to increase my performance/life expectancy of my SSD?
3.Disable Superfetch on SSD?
4.Disable Prefetch on SSD?
5.Disable Bootfetch on SSD?
6. If my SSD defaults to write caching "disabled", Should i leave it OR enable it for better performance?



Also, I'm looking for programs that are lightweight, do the job, modify limited or no system files at all, don't add lots of registry changes, do not install anything extra or anything non-essential.
Microsoft Security Essentials. Your opinion on its effectiveness?
Best disk/image program? I'm currently using ImgBurn but i haven't came to a conclusion about it yet.
Best Virtual Disk Mounter? I'm using Virtual CloneDrive.
Best Codec pack? No codec packs at all? I'm using Shark007's Windows 7 x86 and x64 codec packs.
Is DAMN NFO viewer good it doesn't have much of a reputation and i have it installed?
Best HASH Viewer? I'm using HashTab
7zip or winrar?
Is openoffice good?
Is Foxit Reader the best? I've been using it for awhile but something always seems to come out that's better every other day..
If you have any other programs that meet my qualifications, please don't hesitate to recommend them to me.

Gladly accepting opinions and recommendations.
Thank you for any feedback.

 

[OldMX]

Leave PageFile @ default size on SSD.

1.AHCI
2.No
3.No
4.No
5.No
6.Enable

Microsoft Security Essentials. Excellent.
Best disk/image program? Macrium Reflect Free.
Best Virtual Disk Mounter? Virtual CloneDrive.
Best Codec pack? None, Windows already has them built-in.
Is DAMN NFO viewer good? Yes, but JANE (Just Another Nasty Editor) is better.
Best HASH Viewer? HashTab.
7zip or winrar? 7-Zip
Is openoffice good? Yes, but LibreOffice is better
Is Foxit Reader the best? IMO, nothing beats Adobe Reader
If you have any other programs that meet my qualifications, please don't hesitate to recommend them to me. Add CCleaner to the list

 

[jwthe3]

What do you do when you come across the occasional MKV or FLV file? Windows media player does not play those.

 

[Katanyavich]

What do you do when you come across the occasional MKV or FLV file? Windows media player does not play those.

It will if you install the K-Lite codec pack and set the default player to WMP.

It will then play 99% of file types.

The only issue I've ever had is that K-Lite doesn't play nicely with SuperC file converter.

K-Lite will work, but Super C won't.

I use the built-in Windows Image Backup for taking system images. It works just fine.

Otherwise, OldMX's recommendations are all good options.

Oh, and MalwareBytes Anti-Malware is a good prog to have.



@oldMX, where do you get the idea that Windows has all the codecs built-in?

It hasn't, if it DID, I wouldn't have needed K-Lite.

 

[jwthe3]

Thank you OldMX, that is exactly the kind of feedback I am looking for.

More please?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Looks like you have a fair handle on apps.

You probably won't find anything better than ImgBurn. I'd also vote for MSE and Macrium.

I use 7 Zip, but never had a problem with Winrar.

I don't use hashes much, but use MD5_SHA-1 Utility when I need a tool.

I use K-Lite codecs and Media Player Classic for video. MKV and FLV files play fine with no issues.

For PDFs, I use PDFXchange Viewer 2.5. I tried Sumatra and I think Foxit and wasn't amused. I like the interface on PDFXchange and it is not subject to the security issues that can plague Adobe products.

 

[gregrocker]

Leave PageFile @ default size on SSD.

1.AHCI
2.No
3.No
4.No
5.No
6.Enable

Microsoft Security Essentials. Excellent.
Best disk/image program? Macrium Reflect Free.
Best Virtual Disk Mounter? Virtual CloneDrive.
Best Codec pack? None, Windows already has them built-in.
Is DAMN NFO viewer good? Yes, but JANE (Just Another Nasty Editor) is better.
Best HASH Viewer? HashTab.
7zip or winrar? 7-Zip
Is openoffice good? Yes, but LibreOffice is better
Is Foxit Reader the best? IMO, nothing beats Adobe Reader
If you have any other programs that meet my qualifications, please don't hesitate to recommend them to me. Add CCleaner to the list

I concur with all of these choices based on what we see here.

I would use Windows Media Player until it cannot play something, then add VLC as your backup.

In addition the absolute cleanest install for either OEM or retail: Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 sans defrag.

And if needed: SSD Alignment - Windows 7 Forums

 

[whs]

The answer is simple. NO tweaks at all. The only 2 things I ever do is to get rid of the hiberfile and reduce the pagefile to 2GB - and, of course, stop defrag. And that works well on my 6 systems with SSDs from various makes.

Most things you read on the specialized forums - especially the OCZ forum - are counterproductive. E.g. turning off Superfetch - how much faster can the system fetch something from RAM than from the SSD. Answewr: A LOT faster. So turning Superfetch off works against you.

And the rest of all this stuff which is supposedly reducing the number of writes to the SSD is equally useless. Your SSD will last a lot longer than you care to keep it. My oldest SSD (over 3 years old) has still a measured life expectency until 2021. I am sure it will be long before that in the bin.

Microsoft Security Essentials. Your opinion on its effectiveness?
Best disk/image program? I'm currently using ImgBurn but i haven't came to a conclusion about it yet.
Best Virtual Disk Mounter? I'm using Virtual CloneDrive.
Best Codec pack? No codec packs at all? I'm using Shark007's Windows 7 x86 and x64 codec packs.
Is DAMN NFO viewer good it doesn't have much of a reputation and i have it installed?
Best HASH Viewer? I'm using HashTab
7zip or winrar?
Is openoffice good?
Is Foxit Reader the best? I've been using it for awhile but something always seems to come out that's better every other day..

Regarding these questions:

With MSE I caught a virus - twice. I now use NIS which I think is a lot better.

For imaging use free Macrium. Easy, fast and reliable. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73828-imaging-free-macrium.html?ltr=I

Nothing easier than Virtual Clone Drive

In Win7 you do not need a codec pack. For the few codecs that are not supported (e.g. .flv) use VLC. Sharks pack seems to be OK, but I'd rather use none.

On the next 3 I have no opinion.

Open Office does the job. Office 2007 or 2010 is a LOT better. Try to make a (Powerpoint) picture show like this one with open office: https://vimeo.com/4085938

Foxit is great. I use only that one. Who wants Adobe - it is a pain in the neck.

 

[jwthe3]

Tested Macrium Free Software.
It is only for creating bootable a bootable recovery cd/dvd
And it creates backups of your hard drives.

I am looking for a program that can basically do anything with an ISO file. Like ImgBurn
not a backup program but thanks for the info.

 

[jwthe3]

OK here are my updates:

Tested JANE (Just Another Nasty Editor) - i definitely like it more than DAMN nfo viewer using this instead for sure.
Tested LibreOffice - I like the features a lot and i like the GUI but it is about 99% the same as OpenOffice. - If you can point out what is different from OpenOffice, thanks.
Still using Foxit Reader. No one has yet to post a better alternative.
Still using ImgBurn for editing and burning ISO'S
Virtual CloneDrive stills seems to be the best overall choice for mounting software.
HashTab is the preferred choice for HASH viewing(md5, cr32, and sha-1)
Shark007's codec pack is still my preference over k-lite? Why? I am sure you are wondering why.
Things the Shark pack does that other packs cannot do . . .
It does not contain a media player
Most importantly it uses the Default Windows Media player codecs by default. This means that the only time that Shark007's pack is used is when windows media player can't play a certain file type(MKV,FLV,etc.)

1. Full color thumbnails including FLV's and 10bit MKV's
(also allows users to select at what point by percentage to grab the thumbnail)
2. Enable the Preview Pane for ALL newly enabled filetypes such as MKV and FLV.
3. Explorer properties are displayed for non native filetypes such as MKV and FLV
4. Updated often - and has update notification builtin
5. Allow use of the PDVD12 decoders for 32bit LiveTV
6. Supports the use of Xbox360 as Extenders to playback MKV files
7. Allows singleclick setup of Bitstreamed Audio
8. Support playback of MOD audio files and M4A files containing ALAC
9. Supports playlist creation for use in Media Center
10. Allow users to Enable/Disable codecs installed on their system
11. Funtionality such as Win7DSFilterTweaker builtin.
12. Support 'Add to Windows Media Player List' using rightclick on all files such as MKV.
Shark007.net - Windows 7 Codecs - WMP12 Codecs