Solved What do I install on SSD

[fireberd]

I'm building a new PC and will be using an OCZ Vertex 4 128GB for the primary drive. I have a 1TB, 7200 RPM drive for everything else.

I know I install Windows on the SSD, and I'll install my recording software (Sonar X1, Melodyne, Ozone 5 and Pro Tools) on the SSD. What else should I install on the SSD, such as MS Office, security software? (Microsoft Security Essentials, Malwarebytes), etc?

Can I tell Windows to install the Libraries (such as "My Documents" folder) on the 1TB drive?

Jack

 

[seavixen32]

Your SSD is plenty big enough so my recommendation would be to install Windows and all your applications on it.

These tutorials may be of help to you.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/149969-ssd-install-transfer-operating-system.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91339-ssd-hdd-optimize-windows-reinstallation.html

As for your libraries, check this tutorial, which explains how to change the default location of your user profile.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/87555-user-profile-change-default-location.html

 

[Brink]

Can I tell Windows to install the Libraries (such as "My Documents" folder) on the 1TB drive?

Jack

Hello Jack,

In addition, you might consider this below to be able to access the files from your libraries with the files actually located where you like instead of moving user folder locations. It would be much safer to do and trouble free.

• Create a new folder at any location you want.
• Move any files you want into the new folder.
• Include the new folder into a library of your choice.
• If you like, you can also set the new folder to be the default "save" to location for the library as well.

 

[Victor S]

Can I tell Windows to install the Libraries (such as "My Documents" folder) on the 1TB drive?
Jack

If you make backup system images, be careful about moving Win 7 files to a different drive. Those files are considered part of the Win 7 image.
Make sure you understand how that works with the image software you use.
I recommend you leave them alone.
You can point your applications to keep data on the other drive, and if any Win 7 library starts using too much space for any reason, the data can be copied to the other drive.
As others have said, 128GB is plenty big for Win 7 and apps.

 

[gregrocker]

If you need to move anything off the SSD to save space the easiest method is to copy your User folders to the data drive, rightclick to add to the related Library - Include a Folder - Windows 7 Forums. Then when you click on Documents, Pictures, etc. everything will show up. If files get put into the SSD User folders just drag them to the HD in the library window.

Install programs to SSD to take advantage of faster speeds. If it fills up, uninstall the lesser-used programs and reinstall them to the HD.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

What else should I install on the SSD, such as MS Office, security software? (Microsoft Security Essentials, Malwarebytes), etc?

Generally, everything that will fit.

I have 50 apps and Win 7 installed. It occupies 29 GB on an 80 GB SSD. Maybe put games on the HDD if that applies to you.

The only concessions I have made are to restrict the space devoted to System Restore and eliminate the hibernation file.

You may as well take advantage of that snappy access time for all apps if at all possible.

 

[karlsnooks]

fireberd,
With that large a SSD you will be able to install Win 7 and ALL applications to the SSD and have much room left over.

You can put your documents, videos, pictures, music on another drive if you would like.

I have everything on one 128 GB drive, although I've not that many videos, pics, etc.

I'm including a pic of the output of TreeSize Free to give you an idea, but everyone's mileage is different.

Oops, I see that there is a new version, so I'll include pics in next post. I prefer to close all programs before a fresh installation and also to make a System Restore Point.

 

[windude99]

I have everything on my ssd except for Virtual Machines, Disc isos, and backups. But, I don't have a huge amount of data like a lot of people.

 

[mjf]

Can I tell Windows to install the Libraries (such as "My Documents" folder) on the 1TB drive?
Jack

If you make backup system images, be careful about moving Win 7 files to a different drive. Those files are considered part of the Win 7 image.
Make sure you understand how that works with the image software you use.
I recommend you leave them alone.
You can point your applications to keep data on the other drive, and if any Win 7 library starts using too much space for any reason, the data can be copied to the other drive.
As others have said, 128GB is plenty big for Win 7 and apps.

As Brink points out you can move the libraries but the point made here has concerned me in the past. Brink is the man to comment.

I have a 128GB SSD and I keep OS and all apps on this drive. I keep misc data like word docos, spreadsheets, etc here plus some photos I want to edit as well. All other "big stuff" such as music large photo collections, videos I keep simply in folders on my spinner. I backup this relatively static data differently.
Anyway it's just the way I do it to keep my images relatively small.

 

[karlsnooks]

firebird,

This will show you how my 128GB SSD is laid out. You will notice: OS and apps on C, everything else on D

 

[Brink]

Can I tell Windows to install the Libraries (such as "My Documents" folder) on the 1TB drive?
Jack

If you make backup system images, be careful about moving Win 7 files to a different drive. Those files are considered part of the Win 7 image.
Make sure you understand how that works with the image software you use.
I recommend you leave them alone.
You can point your applications to keep data on the other drive, and if any Win 7 library starts using too much space for any reason, the data can be copied to the other drive.
As others have said, 128GB is plenty big for Win 7 and apps.

As Brink points out you can move the libraries but the point made here has concerned me in the past. Brink is the man to comment.

I have a 128GB SSD and I keep OS and all apps on this drive. I keep misc data like word docos, spreadsheets, etc here plus some photos I want to edit as well. All other "big stuff" such as music large photo collections, videos I keep simply in folders on my spinner. I backup this relatively static data differently.
Anyway it's just the way I do it to keep my images relatively small.

Yep, if you move a user folder or user profile to another drive, then that drive will be included in any system image (or must be if using 3rd party image program) since that drive will now be considered to be system drive by Windows and necessary for Windows to be able to run properly.

It's much better to include folders from different locations into a library instead since those locations will not be included in a system image unless the folders are on a system drive.

You could install programs to different locations if they give you the option during their installation, but if you do not include the location in system image backup, then the program will not work if you restore the image in the future.

 

[fireberd]

Wow! Thanks for all the help. I'll keep this as reference since it has links to various procedures. The SSD drive will be here tomorrow from newegg (and an optical drive). They are the last two pieces, I put the rest together today (Corsair Carbide 500 case, ASRock Z77 Professional motherboard, i7 3770 CPU, 16GB G-Skill memory, LG Optical drive, XFX 750 watt modular power supply, 1TB 7200 RPM hard drive and 1.5TB Acronis backup Drive).

 

[Brink]

Glad we could help. We would love to see some pics when it's finished.

 

[fireberd]

Here is a picture of the initial build. I'm letting it run for a while before I "button it up".

The motherboard is a Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD5H. i7 3770 CPU. 16GB of GSkill Ripsaw memory, 128GB SSD OCZ Vertex 4, 1TB 7200RPM hard drive, OCZ ZT750 fully modular power supply and Corsair Carbide 500R case.

Initially, I'm using the stock Intel CPU fan but that will be replaced with a "quiet" CPU fan later. Same way at some point I'll add a Video Card instead of using the built in Intel HD 4000 graphics, if needed.

 

[Brink]

Look good, and nice and tidy.

 

[fireberd]

The procedure to change my user profile default location did not work. I followed the instructions exactly including the registry entry. When I logged off the temporary administrator account and logged back on to my account, my desktop was gone, the I.E. setup was gone, my CPU monitor was gone, etc - basically starting all over. The folder was on the specified drive but it was still pointing to the "C" drive.

I had to do a System Restore to get back to my original setup.

 

[gregrocker]

You've had a lot of advice in this thread NOT to move User folders for various reasons we've learned over the past few years.

Instead copy backed-up User folders to internal HD, rightclick each to link to the related Library - Include a Folder - Windows 7 Forums as shown in the blue link. For some User folders like Downloads you may have to create a Library to link to.

 

[fireberd]

That is what I'm doing, just copying the folders to the hard drive. As I install programs I'm selectively installing some (most) on the hard drive instead of the SSD.

The procedure I tried, directed me to copy folders and not "move" folders.

 

[gregrocker]

You'll get better performance putting your programs on the SSD if you have space. Data is best offloaded to HD then linked via libraries.

I would wait until the SSD fills up then uninstall lesser-used programs and reinstall to HDD.

 

[fireberd]

I'm waiting until I get Sonar X1 and my other recording studio software installed on the SSD and then see how much space is left over. So far what programs I've installed on the hard drive, such as Office 2003 is loading very fast from the 7200 RPM drive.