What Programs for SSD Install

[dwayne3686]

I'm installing a new Vertex3 today and will run my OS from it. I am wondering beside Windows7 x64, what other programs should I install onto the SSD? Do I have to run my antivirus (Norton) from the SSD? Also, How about Microsoft office? I use Microsoft Outlook for my e-mail and use Word, etc. very little. Can I install Office to an alternate HD?

 

[Shootist]

I'm installing a new Vertex3 today and will run my OS from it. I am wondering beside Windows7 x64, what other programs should I install onto the SSD? Do I have to run my antivirus (Norton) from the SSD? Also, How about Microsoft office? I use Microsoft Outlook for my e-mail and use Word, etc. very little. Can I install Office to an alternate HD?

I have installed all my programs on the SSD. I do have it partitioned into 2 drives, C & D, and most of my programs are installed on the D partition. That is mainly because that is the way my original spinner was set up. So I just images my main BOOT/Program drive and loaded that image on the SSD.

But years ago I made a decision to always use a small drive as the OS & program drive and have other drives in the system to store the main bulk of data. I do have the Documents folder on the SSD but as for images, music and other files they are all on other spinning HDD.

 

[BugMeister]

I put the OS and Office on the SSD
- works like a charm..


PS: watch that WEI go thru the roof..!!

 

[gregrocker]

I would install programs to the OS partition as they write Registry Keys which integrate themselves into the OS so should be included in it's image.

If you start running out of space on the SSD, you can easily link your User folders to another HD using this method: User Folders - Change Default Location
You can even link your full named User account: User Profile - Change Default Location - Windows 7 Forums

This way if Win7 ever becomes irreparable or otherwise needing reimage from backup image, your data is all current and waiting in its own partition "vault."
Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup
Backup User and System Files - Windows 7 Forums

 

[Shootist]

I would install programs to the OS partition as they write Registry Keys which integrate themselves into the OS so should be included in it's image.

If you start running out of space on the SSD, you can easily link your User folders to another HD using this method: User Folders - Change Default Location
You can even link your full named User account: User Profile - Change Default Location - Windows 7 Forums

This way if Win7 ever becomes irreparable or otherwise needing reimage from backup image, your data is all current and waiting in its own partition "vault."
Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup
Backup User and System Files - Windows 7 Forums

I agree partially with moving the user folders to another drive to save space but as for the other reason, being in a vault, that is until the other drive fails then you are left with nothing.
Leaving the user files on the main drive and then imaging that drive guaranties that the image you create will have all the info needed if and when you need to restore that image to a new or another drive without having to worry about putting back all the user files and folders.

 

[DeaconFrost]

I have a 128 GB SSD in my system, and I install all of my normal apps and games to it. It's just a drive like any other...just much faster.

 

[gregrocker]

I would install programs to the OS partition as they write Registry Keys which integrate themselves into the OS so should be included in it's image.

If you start running out of space on the SSD, you can easily link your User folders to another HD using this method: User Folders - Change Default Location
You can even link your full named User account: User Profile - Change Default Location - Windows 7 Forums

This way if Win7 ever becomes irreparable or otherwise needing reimage from backup image, your data is all current and waiting in its own partition "vault."
Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup
Backup User and System Files - Windows 7 Forums

I agree partially with moving the user folders to another drive to save space but as for the other reason, being in a vault, that is until the other drive fails then you are left with nothing.
Leaving the user files on the main drive and then imaging that drive guaranties that the image you create will have all the info needed if and when you need to restore that image to a new or another drive without having to worry about putting back all the user files and folders.

Incorrect. An image will be to some degree dated hence lack some of the latest (and perhaps most crucial: e.g. taxes ) data.

The keyword in describing linking User data to another drive or partition is that upon OS reimage the data is waiting and current.

And I gave a link for backing up User files as they should be anyway, wherever they are.

Perhaps "vault" is too strong to describe a simple data partition, however.

 

[Shootist]

I would install programs to the OS partition as they write Registry Keys which integrate themselves into the OS so should be included in it's image.

If you start running out of space on the SSD, you can easily link your User folders to another HD using this method: User Folders - Change Default Location
You can even link your full named User account: User Profile - Change Default Location - Windows 7 Forums

This way if Win7 ever becomes irreparable or otherwise needing reimage from backup image, your data is all current and waiting in its own partition "vault."
Backup Complete Computer - Create an Image Backup
Backup User and System Files - Windows 7 Forums

I agree partially with moving the user folders to another drive to save space but as for the other reason, being in a vault, that is until the other drive fails then you are left with nothing.
Leaving the user files on the main drive and then imaging that drive guaranties that the image you create will have all the info needed if and when you need to restore that image to a new or another drive without having to worry about putting back all the user files and folders.

Incorrect. An image will be to some degree dated hence lack some of the latest (and perhaps most crucial: e.g. taxes ) data.

The keyword in describing linking User data to another drive or partition is that upon OS reimage the data is waiting and current.

And I gave a link for backing up User files as they should be anyway, wherever they are.

Perhaps "vault" is too strong to describe a simple data partition, however.

Well I am glad you edited your post because the version I received in my email was a bit over the top.
I was not picking at others proven solutions. I was stating what I do which for me over the years has worked out very well. I image one complete drive and have all my main personal, work and leisure files along with all the programs I need installed all in one image. No need to restore anything other then that one image. I also have all those files backed up on other PCs and on a external drive. All Photos music and whatever are on other drive and again backed up on other PCs and external drive.

Have a great day, really.

 

[pparks1]

I'm installing a new Vertex3 today and will run my OS from it. I am wondering beside Windows7 x64, what other programs should I install onto the SSD? Do I have to run my antivirus (Norton) from the SSD? Also, How about Microsoft office? I use Microsoft Outlook for my e-mail and use Word, etc. very little. Can I install Office to an alternate HD?

You will want to install as much as you can onto your SSD because it will be much faster than a standard conventional hard drive. What I wouldn't necessarily put onto an SSD drive would be a ton of file storage. For example, for internet downloads, video files and MP3 files...storing them on a conventional hard drive is often desirable. They just don't often need the increased speed the SSD drive provides.

Incorrect. An image will be to some degree dated hence lack some of the latest (and perhaps most crucial: e.g. taxes ) data.

This is true, and often the reason that images either need to be quite frequent or backups frequent. I don't take a ton of images...usually once a month or so. But data backups happen quite regularly to a pair of external hard drives via the robocopy utility and these backups happen in mere seconds since not much data changes. And then I keep one of the external drives off site at all times in case I am robbed or my house burns to the ground.

 

[whs]

I have a 128 GB SSD in my system, and I install all of my normal apps and games to it. It's just a drive like any other...just much faster.

Absolutely right. Just treat the SSD like any other disk. I move my user files to the spinner (on the desktop). But on the laptops there is no choice - everything has to stay on the SSD unless you move it to an external drive.

The only "tweaks" I make is to disable defrag and to get rid of the hiberfile. All the other "recommended" tweaks are useless or counterproductive - at least in my book after 5 SSDs and 2 years with some.

 

[Mongler]

I realize I am digging this up, but my question is relevant, and has not even been touched upon (as far as I noticed) in the thread.


I am in the same boat. I am also not dumb. I know WHY I spent ~$1.75/gb for this hard drive.

The reason why I want to know what programs to put on the SSD is to minimize my Read/Write cycles as much as possible.

I am wondering about things like Norton, because norton will need to be constantly updated with new viruse definitions. I am even going to go out of my way to do things like:

1) shut down indexing on the SSD
2) set virus scans to never or once a year or something ridiculously long term
3) set all of the TEMP and TMP and internet temp folders to my D drive.

it goes without saying that all of my download and storage directories, compressed files, movies, pictures, music, etc. will all be located on a spinning disk storage drive.

the question I have is:

which software NEEDS to be installed on the C drive for effective functionality.


Yes, I realize that the lifespan of an SSD given normal usage is at least on the order of 6-8 years, and with careful control of read/write, it could be pushed to as much as 10 years. It should be said that newer drives have shorter lifespans because the increasing quality of the lithography actually results in less stable memory. It decreases costs, so that I can afford to replace the drive, but that does not change the real life economics very much.

but why tempt fate? who knows where my drive falls in the MTBF (mean time between failure) Gaussian curve? I have no idea what level of bin my memory came from.


So I would like to err on the side of safety, and install the minimal amount of heavily read/written software on my OS drive. Here is another example: I have Adobe Master Suite. I am going to install SOME of the programs on my C drive, and SOME on my D drive.


true, I would be wasting my money if I did not install the most important programs on C, because those are the programs that I want to run fast. But others, I can tolerate slightly slow load times.

 

[Solarstarshines]

OS/ virus protect

EVERYTHING ELSE on the spare drive


you can run all programs from D drive

 

[whs]

Mongler, you have a good logic. But I think you worry too much. Your SSD will last as long as you care to keep it - and that will probably be about 4 years when you will replace it with something better.

I never move anything off the SSDs except my user files on the desktops. But I also have 3 SSDs on laptops where they have everything on it. My oldest SSD is 3 years old and it is still at 95% with an estimated lifetime of 9 years and 11 months. So I am all relaxed.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello Mongler, welcome to Seven Forums; have a look at this tutorial at the link below.

User Profiles - Create and Move During Windows 7 Installations


​

 

[DeaconFrost]

I agree with WHS. The drive, since you are buying a quality one, should last long enough until something new is much more common. I figure my C300 will last me long enough until TB SSD drive are common and inexpensive.

 

[HammerHead]

Good Advice

Mongler, you have a good logic. But I think you worry too much. Your SSD will last as long as you care to keep it - and that will probably be about 4 years when you will replace it with something better.

I never move anything off the SSDs except my user files on the desktops. But I also have 3 SSDs on laptops where they have everything on it. My oldest SSD is 3 years old and it is still at 95% with an estimated lifetime of 9 years and 11 months. So I am all relaxed.

You mentioned the cost of the disk. To destroy the disk would be a waste of your money. On the other hand not to use it to the fullest extent would also be a waste of your money. Relax and enjoy and use the disk.