I've tried searching the web but didn't have much luck so I am asking here. I am build a system from scratch with a Samsung 840 (not pro) 120GB SSD. My question is simple (I believe). I have zero experience with SSD's so I am wanting to know do I install Win7 on it just like I would a HDD, then install the software that came with the SSD? Followed buy MoBo drivers after install of Win7 is complete? Or is there something special I have to do. The SSD will be the ONLY storage device in the PC. I don't want to screw it up so that's why I am asking. Thanks for the help!
The SSD works like HDD. Nothing special to do. Just don't defrag (data is acquired instantly, so i your data is 1 peace or in 2 million, it will take the same time), in fact the SSD will on purpose fragment your files to evenly use the SSD memory chip to extend the life span of the memory. In your specific case, your SSD uses TLC memory (the only SSD with them), that's the same chips in USB drive. So write amounts is very very limited. Much lower than low end SSD that uses asynchronous memory MLC SSD. So once you have Windows installed, you may want to to move the pagefile to the HDD, keep download on your HDD, and anything that is write intensive on your HDD. And after 3 years, where the warranty will end, I would not longer trust the SSD. My concern reflects on reviewers concern. If you can return it I would, and get something like OCZ Agility 4, Vertex 4 or Vortex, Corsair Force series, Force GS, Force GT, Cruial V4 or M4, Intel SSD. The warranty reflects the life span of your SSD.
I wouldn't fear so much : http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums...25nm-Vs-34nm&p=5163560&viewfull=1#post5163560 432.92 TiB written before drive died is pretty good result, for majority of users that amount of data will be result of more than decade of use. Sure, it is not the 6.2PiB of the 830, but still better than many OCZ drives in the same write test . Considering my use, i could reach maybe 10TiB writes per year - that means even if my 830 would survive only those 400TiB, that would mean 40 years of use, which is absurd (and not even talking about possibility of the 6.2PiB). And GoodBytes, my 830 has the same 3 year warranty as 840. Only the Pro drives from Samsung have 5 year warranty.
Faugus, I don't understand half of what you said but thanks for the reassurance lol. I will have no HDD in the PC so everything is staying where it is. And it's only a media PC. Nothing to crazy but IE, MS Office and YouTube.
Oh ok just a Media PC... ok dude. Even if it was a problem, you would not have one. All is good then You must remember, that I don't know what you do with your computers or needs, so sometimes I assume the worst, do that you don't have any surprises. Sorry for the scare.
Yea, usually I'm very detailed on threads I start. Apologies for leaving that out. What about the SSD software that comes with it? Any advice? and +rep to both.
Those guys in that thread write to their SSD all the time just for the sake of the test, testing how much data can you write on those SSD's. As you can see in the thread, most SSD's were able to get more than 400 TiB of writes before they died (a lot survived more than 1000TiB of writes) - 52 days of constant writes. Maybe 400 TiB doesn't sound like a lot to you, but in reality 10-15TiB writes per year are what most users will see as their yearly maximum of data written to their SSD. And when you compare those two numbers, you can clearly see that write cycles are not an issue even with TLC based SSD, simply because it will take decades for you to write that amount of data in real life. If it was me in your situation, i would just do what is needed - enable AHCI in BIOS, install OS, don't defrag and after few weeks use tool like SSDLife to check how many data you have written, including the swap file. I will be surprised if your write rate will be above 2-3GB/hour. SSD Magician in Windows 7 is needed only for firmware update.
