Show us your SSD performance

[Hopalong X]

That was my first benchmark above posting.

First ATTO and second bench here for WHS.

I have no clue what this is showing for all the lines. Read/write I get but why so many lines of info?

 

[essenbe]

Hoppalong, I think it takes a little while to get broken in. At least mine did.

 

[Hopalong X]

Per AS SSD.

Ran the TRIM function thru Intel Toolbox. I ran AS SSD again no change. 18+ 4k read is it. Unless there is something else I'm missing.

Mike


I really wasn't worried about it. I was running them for posterity!

That is the end of my benchmarking unless things get slow and I want to check it for a reason.

 

[pooch]

I have no clue what this is showing for all the lines. Read/write I get but why so many lines of info?

Each line is for a different block size the scale on the left is in kb's from 512 bytes through to 8Mb and the larger blocks can be read/written a lot faster than the smaller blocks

I hope this helps

 

[whs]

This looks more familiar. I always focus on the 4K and 8K numbers because those are the bloksizes the system uses. And those look very good as e.g. compared to one of my Vertex2 (see below).

On Intels, the write speed is typically slower than on the OCZs. I have noticed that a few times. But since the system does a lot more reads than writes, that is no area of concern.

 

[pooch]

Sounds like you are happy with the purchase. I certainly was. I have 2 now and am fixing to buy another. Soon I'll put one in my new laptop. That is if I can find a laptop I like that I can affoard.

I use an Extensa 5635z with a vertex 2. With a HDD this was just another cheap lappy but with the Vertex it now feels very fast and responsive, just the Graphic chip lets it down, but that is no great problem for me as I didn't buy this to play games.

 

[Hopalong X]

One thing I noticed with all the SSD's.
One brand or model is really good at one thing but is often not so good somewhere else.
So finding the balance is the trick it appears.

Vertex 3 Max Iops- Fastest at most things but 18.9 on the 4k read. The trade off for extreme speed in some functions.
This was noted at Anandtech also.

Borrowed from benchmarkreviews.com
OCZ Vertex 3 Max IOPS Edition SSD | OCZ Vertex 3,Max IOPS,VTX3MI-25SAT3,SandForce SF-2281,SSD,Benchmarks,Performance,Solid State Drive,Reviews,Olin Coles,OCZ Vertex 3 Max IOPS Edition SandForce SF-2281 SSD VTX3MI-25SAT3 Benchmark Performance Solid St

 

[essenbe]

I have a vertex2 and an Intel X25 I have comparasons of them both. The Intel has faster read speeds but the Vertex has faster write speeds. This is the same machine (AMD) exact same OS after secure erase.

 

[Hopalong X]

Essenbe

How did you do the secure erase with the Intel toolbox?

1) When Toolbox is opened it states it cannot erase with partion. I can remove the partition but then the SSD is no longer bootable.
That is from the instructions pdf. Page 4-3 I think.

2) Even without the partition the SSD cannot be erased from within the SSD with toolbox.
This is per the pdf instructions referred to in Snip in yellow circle.

So you have me a bit confused on how you did this.

Per second Snip you can't run secure erase if SSD is Primary disk and bootable.

 

[essenbe]

Perhaps I do it the hard way. BUt, I create a partioion on another HD. Then clone my SSD to that partition, boot into the new partition, delete the partition on the SSD and use the toolbox to secure erase. Sometimes it will tell you the drive is locked and to hotplug it. If that happens, turn off the computer, disconnect the power plug from the SSD. Start the computer, boot into the new partition, open the toolbox. It will not find the SSD. With the toolbox open, plug the SSD back in, push the refresh button. Toolbox will then see the SSD and it should not be locked.

An alternative method is download Parted Magic, unplug the ssd, boot into the Parted magic DVD, once completely loaded replug the SSD go to HD Erase on the dvd , select the last option for secure erase, it will take less than 30 sec. and it is done. Parted magic is easier for me. If you want I will find the tutorial on the OCZ forum site for you. It really sounds more complicated than it is. Once you do it a couple times, there's nothing to it.

EDIT: Here is the tutorial from the OCZ site. Intel works the same.

 

[essenbe]

Hopalong, Also by cloning your HD to another partition you always have a backup OS. If you just leave it and it should not be a dual boot. If the Parted magic asks if you want an enhanced secure erase I select NO. Enhanced is just a military grade secure erase and not necessary unless you are giving me your SSD and don't want me to know your secrets.

 

[Hopalong X]

That just erases the data. It doesn't flash the drive.

Also it is for the Indilinx and Sandforce controllers.
320 uses Intel.
AnandTech - The Intel SSD 320 Review: 25nm G3 is Finally Here

 

[essenbe]

I use it and it works well. The program just issues a signal to begin a secure erase. The secure erase itself is done by the SSD not the program, the program is just issuing the command.

 

[essenbe]

Read the top part of the box

 

[essenbe]

Hopalong, If you disagree with me it's OK. Wouldn't be the first time I was wrong. However, that program is good to have in your toolbox even if you don't use it for secure erase. It has about 10 other programs that are useful such as gparted, clonezilla a partition editor and others.

 

[Hopalong X]

Essenbe

I used the Intel Migrate and made an image back to the original HDD. I can run tool box from there.
I guess I'll have to unplug that HDD for now.
It is also Active so the SSD is trying to index it. Why I have no idea except that it is active??

I may go ahead and do the fresh install tomorrow. Too late now and my back is killing me- nothing new.

Thanks for all the help.
Mike


Having the clone up and ready to go was a good idea for now especially.
Then after the clean install I'll make regular Macrium Images and Windows Image to use for restoring.

 

[essenbe]

Parted magic is free. They have a paid version. Did you boot to your old HD and go to disk management and delete the partition on the SSD? The toolbox will not secure erase a drive with a partition.

 

[Wishmaster]

You can not Secure Erase the the drive while Windows is running on it. needs to be as a secondary drive.


I do alot of testing, experimenting, and messing around.

Therfore, I do many, many System Restores from a Acronis Back Up.

Even with so may restores, I have only done a Secure Erase on my Intel Drive 1 time.
its has so many re-images I lost count a long time ago, as well as a couple Clean Windows installations. Its still running just as good today as day 1.



With my OCZ drive, after a period of time performance starts to degrade. Especially if it gets re-imaged too much.
It ends up needing a Sanitary Erase to regain its performance, especially if I wanted to re-install Windows on it.

My Intel drive however seems to maintain its performance regardelss how times it gets re-imaged. It just hangs right in there. Sure, it might drop in performance slightly after a few, but if I leave it alone its right back up to speed in a day on its own.

Newer OCZ drives may very well be different, but thats one thing I love about the Intel.

Anyway, the point is & many may disagree but ...
Secure Erase should only be done if absolutely needed.
For the purpose of re-Imaging and daily use, it doesnt hurt it performance-wise.

I would even say, re-installing Windows all that you really need to do with Intel, format it and continue on.

 

[essenbe]

I guess I gave you the wrong link. I thought I was linking to the free version.

 

[essenbe]

Wishmaster, I have both also. I do more secure erases than you, but I also find that my Vertex2 degrades much faster. OCZ says you have to let it idle at the logon screen for at least 2 hrs. a week. Intel says that dosen't work with theirs. I'm going to try out your theory about not SE my Intel and see if it holds up. Strangely, it seems to degrade in benchmarks, but not in practice. I would never know it if I didn't benchmark. I guess that's why I have always said benchmarks are only for bragging rights, they have nothing to do with actual performance.