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Storage Crucial M4 or Samsung 830 Which for OS and for storage

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by Gurdeep14, 31 Jul 2012.

  1. Gurdeep14

    Gurdeep14 Minimodder

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    I have a Crucial M4 256GB as my main drive and just received my Samsung 830 256GB drive today as I was running out of space.
    Out of the two drives, which is better suited for OS and main applications and which is better to run games from?
     
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  2. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

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    I'd have the fastest drive for OS and applications, so that would be the 830. Game maps etc will still load blisteringly fast from any SSD compared to a HDD.
     
  3. modd1uk

    modd1uk Multimodder

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    Sammy for OS. Although I don't think theres much in it.
     
  4. Gurdeep14

    Gurdeep14 Minimodder

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    Thanks for the quick replies.
    What about drive durability? Is one better than the other at TRIM, GC?
     
  5. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

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    I've had my 830 for a while now, and performance is identical to when it was new. GC seems excellent, and the software that comes with it is good too.
     
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  6. Gurdeep14

    Gurdeep14 Minimodder

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    Thanks again for the quick reply. One last question, will a quick format on the M4 be enough before I use it to install games to?
    My thinking it if I quick format, and make the Samsung my primary drive, the TRIM on the M4 might not fully erase everything on the M4 before I install the games to it.
    Should I secure erase and if so, how would I go about it?
     
  7. Harlequin

    Harlequin Modder

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    you on sata 2? wont make any difference then :D
     
  8. Gurdeep14

    Gurdeep14 Minimodder

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    lol unfortunately the speed wont, but the drive durability will :p
     
  9. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

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    A quick format is fine, as you can force TRIM with various software. I use Diskeeper 2011's "hyperfast" to maintain performance, and you can force an optimisation run. GC on either drive is good though, so just leave the PC on overnight at the BIOS screen and the internal GC should take care of itself.

    However, grab a copy of the Parted Magic .ISO here

    It has a secure erase tool on it. (read instructions here)
     
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  10. PocketDemon

    PocketDemon Modder

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    +1 on parted magic.


    jfyi though, what DK 2011's Hyperfast does is to force x amount of block combining ahead of either GC doing the same thing or the necessity of it having to happen in real time - thus helping to maintain speeds by front loading the cycles needed to do this (which, incidentally, can reduce overall cycle usage).

    (the white papers at the time called it "free space fragmentation" - but, in normal SSD parlance, it's taking about dirty blocks)

    [NB the differences between this & other approaches (for example PerfectDisk's) is that it (a) doesn't do it to the nth degree - there being no point, of course, in combining every very temporary file as it just adds to cycle usage & (b) it (only) runs when it's actually needed & during idle time - rather than being scheduled.]​

    it's not the same as trim though.


    Also, incidentally, the last 2011 build allowed the use of intelliwrite on SSDs (you had to manually enable it) - though, whilst this will optimise block usage as data's written, it *may* have a side effect of increasing the no of dirty blocks...

    ...it's not possible to tell exactly what it's doing & there no specific info about it that i could find to lead me to a definite conclusion.

    (though 'if' it were all gain & no potential downside then i would have expected it to be enabled by default when a SSD is detected - it's not in 2012 either)


    Then, with DK12, it apparently also allows some kind of implementation of trim in (some?) non-trim environments.

    Well, other it being stated that it does it & there's the setting for it on my proper machine (but not this one as it's only got a single SSD in atm, as i've not sorted putting some of my V2s in instead, so it has trim anyway), there's a lack of detailed info from Condusive about how it's doing anything.


    [Edit]

    Oh, & i should say that if there's sufficient idle time & free space (& OP) then there's no *need* to buy any 3rd party solution - be that DK or anything else...

    ...instead it's an additional choice that can improve the maintenance of speed.

    This isn't saying don't buy it (well i value the thing so money & mouth) - just making things clear.
     
    Last edited: 1 Aug 2012
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  11. N17 dizzi

    N17 dizzi Multimodder

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    Much more crucial (pun goodness) than an ssd. I feel obligated after discussion, to raise the issue of the 4 gpus in your system that have a usable 1GB of RAM each.

    What did you say your power usage was at the wall? 1KW? Can't even run BF3 with full settings @ 1200p because the VRAM runs out? Air conditioning needs to be on when gaming which probably adds another 800w?

    Change the thread title. We need a war cabinet meeting about this!

    As promised, here is an 11' score of my system

    http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3865282

    Lets see your bragging rights :)
     
  12. Instagib

    Instagib Minimodder

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    If you're running them both on sata2, i'd be tempted to jut leave the m4 as the boot drive and move what you newd on to the sammy as storage. True the sammy is quicker, but as they both saturate the sata 2 connection, you won't see the differance. Also, that way, you don't need to go through all the faffing around of changing them over.
     
  13. Gurdeep14

    Gurdeep14 Minimodder

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    Lol, downloading the benchmark now but I hardly see how this is gonna be fair, I have a 1st gen i7, you have 3rd gen clocked higher than me, you have SATA 3, im on SATA 2, you are running more RAM and faster RAM :p
    But sure, what the heck

    Thanks, I do like the sound of the easier solution, any was to change my steam directory and move the games over to the new drive?
     
  14. Gurdeep14

    Gurdeep14 Minimodder

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  15. N17 dizzi

    N17 dizzi Multimodder

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    The CPU is a valid point, the RAM wont affect the scores much and the SATA ports really have nothing to do with it at all. Unless you meant PCIe.

    I am simply trying to demonstrate that despite having 4 cores, a single 670 or 680 will wipe the floor in games and save you and your fam a massive amount on leccy!!

    Oh btw, our tents have been raided
     
  16. Harlequin

    Harlequin Modder

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  17. Gurdeep14

    Gurdeep14 Minimodder

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    What? Did they take stuff and save?
    Ok, im gonna look at getting a 670 or a 680, you win :p
     
  18. N17 dizzi

    N17 dizzi Multimodder

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    Just use the electricity argument, you'll win hands down :thumb:

    Plus you should raise some cash from the sale of your gpus :)


    Don't know if they saved, but our tents have been cleared out and a new tent erected. So obviously its been had and is a bit risky now.
     
  19. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

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    I got your ass wupped!

    http://3dmark.com/3dm11/3891989


    [edit]

    Not really teh thread for that though... couldn't resist
     
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  20. Gurdeep14

    Gurdeep14 Minimodder

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