ssd drive bracket. How to connect an SSD drive to a computer to the motherboard? How to prepare an SSD for installation
To improve the performance of your computer, as well as get rid of noise while using a laptop or system block, useful - a large, fast and silently working "flash drive".
Note. The computer will not "buzz" if you install only the SSD. By installing such a device as an addition to the classic hard drive, the computer owner will not get rid of noise, but will speed up the “machine” and increase storage.
In the article, we looked at options for connecting an SSD drive to a desktop PC, as well as installing it in a laptop. From the material you will learn what to do to install a solid state drive and set up a system under the SSD yourself.
How to connect an SSD to a desktop computer?
Connecting an SSD to a desktop computer is easy. To do this, the user will need to de-energize the system unit, as well as disassemble it. To access PC components and put in free space or replace HDD, you will need to remove the system unit panel.
In some cases, the user will need to disassemble the entire block. Usually this is required by small-sized models (for example,).
Life hack: on the back of the system unit is a button that serves to turn it off. It will need to be held for a few seconds. Do this before disassembling the system unit. The PC will not start at the same time, since the device is disconnected from the network, but such manipulation will remove static electricity from the motherboard, as well as other internal components of the computer.
The SSD drive is installed in free space using a special adapter made in the form of a sled and attached with screws. Fasteners are supplied with the drive in the kit. An adapter is required because the form factor of the media may be smaller than the dimensions of the slot. For example, the classic tray is designed for a 3.5 inch part, and the most common size for solid state devices is 2.5 ”as in .
When the drive is installed, you need to connect the SSD using a SATA cable to the “motherboard”, selecting the appropriate slot on it. Then the SSD should be connected to the power supply, which ensures the smooth operation of all components of the computer.
Important:the drive is fastest only when connected to a SATA 3.0 slot at least, with speeds of 6 Gb / s. Usually this connector is marked and painted black, so it is not difficult to see it on the board. However, if there are no designations, you should find documents for and find information about SATA in them.
When the disk is installed, and the system unit is assembled, for the normal functioning of the media, the SSD must be configured. To do this, you need to go into the BIOS, find a solid-state drive there and, if this drive acts as an addition to hard drive- put the SSD first in the list. Thus, the SSD will become the main one.
Once the installed SSD has become the first in the BIOS, you should confirm the changes, and then reinstall the operating system. You can simply copy the OS to the media if there is or the user does not plan to leave the SSD as a system drive.
Attention!If the drive will work as a system drive, you should use the classic, pre-installed Windows tools for configuration (usually the system itself optimizes operation, which prolongs the life of the media). When the operating system remains on the HDD, the same disk must be marked as the main one in the BIOS.
How to install an SSD in a laptop?
First of all, the user should create a backup copy of the information that is stored on the laptop. Then - disconnect all wires from the laptop (headphones and charging), remove the battery by pulling the latches.
To put the drive in a laptop, the user should arm himself with a thin one and unscrew the screws that are on the back cover of the device. They close the cover that protects the laptop's hard drive and RAM.
Life hack:using a plastic card (credit card, discount card) it is convenient to pry off the cover that covers the HDD.
3 installation methods:
- in place of the HDD;
- instead of ;
- The “tricky” method is to put a solid-state hard drive instead of a hard one, and install a hard drive in place of the drive. It is suitable if the speed of the bus to which the old hard drive is connected is faster than that of the drive.
Interesting:if there is no free space for a second storage medium, but you want to leave a hard one, the owner of a portable computer has the opportunity to purchase a case for a hard drive to connect an SSD via usb. True, this is only convenient if the laptop is used as a desktop device.
Classic method - HDD replacement
So, the battery is removed, the cover is unscrewed. It's time to pull out the hard drive: the drive is fastened with several bolts, you need to unscrew them, and then carefully remove the hard drive from the SATA slot. In this place, you will need to install a solid state drive and secure the SSD with bolts. Final installation steps: attach the cover, install the battery and turn on the laptop.
During the boot of the laptop (for example,), the user will need to enter the BIOS. There he will see that the system has identified the SSD. Now you need to check which mode the disk is in in the tab called Advanced: if not in AHCI, switch the media to this mode and save.
The last step is to install the operating system.
Putting an SSD instead of a drive
The preparatory steps are almost the same as those described above. So, the user needs to disconnect from the network and pull out the battery. Then, using a screwdriver, unscrew the screw that holds the cover that closes the optical drive bay.
Under this cover is a bolt that holds the drive. You will need to unscrew it, press the pedal: the drive will slide out of the connector. Now the drive is easy to get.
Important: to install an SSD instead of an optical drive, you need a pocket adapter that matches in size.
To securely fasten the SSD drive, you need to screw four bolts into the drive until it stops, put it in the pocket adapter and place it in the SATA socket. Points to the reliability of fixation will add a rubber seal.
So that the SSD does not hang out inside, the “pocket” should be fixed in the case. To do this, twist the drive mount and put it in the adapter. The shape of the fasteners is different, but the holes are arranged according to the standard, so installation should not cause difficulties.
Life hack:so that the connector with the SSD installed (for example,) does not look artisanal, you can remove the overlay equipped with the button from the optical drive. It is held on snaps, which are easy to unfasten with a credit card or pry off with a fingernail. It remains to attach the pad to the adapter and secure it to the body with screws.
Difficulties you may encounter
When installing an SSD or starting a computer / laptop after an upgrade, the user may encounter some difficulties. Most of them are solved at the initial stage.
So, the first thing you should pay attention to when installing yourself SSD drive and (for example,) into a computer or laptop - accuracy. Most cases are made of plastic, so careless handling can damage the skin. For example, the weak point of laptops is the sockets for wires.
Attention! It is better to supplement both portable and desktop SSD devices when the warranty on the computer has ended: any upgrade made by the user can “destroy” the warranty.
If the SSD media is planned to be installed in the optical drive slot, the thickness of the pocket adapter must be taken into account. Most models are available in 12.7mm or 9.5mm. To be sure that the adapter will fit, you need to find out the model of the drive and find its characteristics on the Internet.
The emergence of solid-state hard drives or SSD for short, can certainly be considered a breakthrough in the development of technologies for creating devices for recording and storing digital information. The first SSDs that entered the market, with the exception of the high speed of access to arbitrary blocks of information, were in many ways inferior to traditional HDDs. Not only could their volumes, without exaggeration, be called more than modest, they also had low fault tolerance and cost a lot of money.
What's wrong with SSD?
The high speed, quietness and low power consumption of solid state drives have served as good drivers for their development. Modern SSD drives are lightweight, very fast and mechanically quite reliable devices used in tablets, ultrabooks and other compact devices. The price of SSDs has also dropped significantly. However, they cannot be called perfect. All SSDs have a significant drawback - a limited number of write cycles.
The flash memory of most SSDs is of the MLC type and allows you to write data from about 3 to 10 thousand times, while conventional USBs exhaust their resource in 1000 or less rewrite cycles. There are also such SSDs, for example, with the SLC memory type, which can withstand several hundred thousand rewrite cycles. There are many nuances, so it is not surprising that just this feature of SSD drives raises a lot of questions from ordinary users regarding their operation, and most importantly, extending their service life. Is SSD optimization necessary in Windows 7/10 or is it just another myth created by manufacturers and commercial software developers themselves?
Basic training
Yes, you can leave things as they are on a PC with an SSD, and you might be right, but if you really care about your drive and want it to last as long as possible, it's worth considering tuning it. Let's start with whether you bought a computer with an integrated SSD, or just the drive itself, with which you want to replace the HDD by transferring Windows from it. In the first case, you can limit yourself to setting up the system. If you install the SSD yourself, be sure to check if the AHCI connection mode for the SATA controller is enabled in the BIOS.
There are two points here: after enabling AHCI and transferring Windows to an SSD, the system may not boot, as it will not have the appropriate drivers. Therefore, either install the drivers ahead of time, or reinstall Windows from scratch. Second. The BIOS of older PCs may not have AHCI mode. In this case, the BIOS will have to be updated. Now for the SSD controller firmware. SSD owners often ask if the drive will run faster if they install latest version firmware. Yes, it will, but if you decide to update it, and in general, if the need arises, it is better to contact the maintenance service for help.
System settings. Disable defragmentation
For HDDs, defragmentation is a useful thing, but for SSDs, on the contrary, it can damage it, so Windows usually disables it automatically. However, it's worth checking to see if it's actually disabled. Run command dfrgui disk optimization utility and click "Change settings".
Make sure the "Run on schedule" checkbox is unchecked. If it's there, be sure to remove it.
Enabling TRIM
The TRIM mechanism optimizes the SSD drive by clearing memory cells of unnecessary data when they are removed from the disk. The use of TRIM ensures uniform wear of the disk cells and increases the speed of its operation. To check if TRIM is active on your system, run the following command from an administrator command prompt: fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify.
If the value of the returned parameter DisableDeleteNotify will be 0, then everything is in order and the trim function is enabled, if 1 - it means it is disabled and it should be enabled by the command fsutil behavior set DisableDeleteNotify 0.
This SSD setting only applies to Windows 7/10, while Vista and XP do not support it. There are two options: either install a newer system, or look for an SSD drive with hardware TRIM. Please also note that some older SSD models do not support TRIM at all, however, the likelihood that they are still sold in digital equipment stores is very small.
During the process, a significant amount of data can be written to the hiberfil.sys file on the system disk, comparable to the amount random access memory. We, in order to extend the life of the SSD, need to reduce the number of write cycles, so it is advisable to disable hibernation. The disadvantage of this SSD setup is that you will no longer be able to save open files and programs when the computer is turned off. To disable hibernation, run the command in a running with administrator privileges powercfg -h off.
Restart your computer and make sure that the hidden system file hiberfil.sys is deleted from the C drive.
Disabling Search and Indexing of Files
What else can be done to properly set up an SSD drive for Windows 7/10? The answer is to disable indexing of the contents of the disk, because the SSD is already fast enough. Open the properties of the disk and uncheck "Allow the contents of files to be indexed ...".
But here's the thing. If you have a HDD in addition to an SSD, then you are unlikely to want to disable indexing on it. What will come of it? By default, the index file is located on drive C and data from drive D will still be written to the solid state drive.
If you do not want to disable indexing on the user volume, you will need to move the index file from the system SSD to the user HDD. Open by team control /name Microsoft.IndexingOptions indexing options.
Now click "Advanced" and specify your index location, having previously created a folder on the user's drive.
If your PC only has an SSD, you can completely disable indexing and search by opening the services.msc snap-in and stopping the Windows Search service.
Disabling system protection
Controversial moment. By disabling the creation of system shadow copies, on the one hand, you will reduce the number of write cycles, on the other hand, you will increase the risk of getting a non-working system in the event of some unforeseen failure. The use of rollback is one of the most effective and simple ways to return Windows to a working state, for this reason we would not recommend disabling this feature, especially since points are created infrequently and they do not take up so much space.
It does not recommend disabling system protection for its Intel SSDs, the same opinion is shared by Microsoft. However, it's up to you. If you use other backup tools, such as Acronis True Image, you can disable system protection. To do this, go to the system properties, on the "System Protection" tab, select the SSD drive and click "Configure". Next, in the recovery options, activate the "Disable system protection" radio button, move the slider to zero and click the "Delete" button.
Disable or not paging file?
An even more controversial solution is to disable the swap file. Someone advises to transfer it to the HDD, someone completely disable it, but not everything is so simple. The paging file is necessary to optimize the performance of the system and programs that require significant RAM resources. Disabling swap can indeed reduce disk usage, but the resulting effect will be very small. In addition, this disabling can significantly reduce the performance of your computer.
There is little point in moving the paging file to hard disk drive neither, since it is many times slower than an SSD, and the constant access to it by the system will slow down its work. Disabling, or even better, reducing the paging file is permissible only in one case - if your computer has more than 10 GB of RAM, and at the same time you do not use resource-intensive applications. And so, of course, it is better to leave everything by default. You can perform all manipulations with the paging file in the performance parameters window called in the "Run" window by the command system properties performance(hereinafter Advanced - Change).
Prefetch and Superfetch
In theory, it is also better to leave everything by default here. The function does not affect the durability of SSDs in any way, as it does not produce any writes. Moreover, when Windows installation on an SSD, the system automatically disables it. Want to make sure it's disabled? Go to Registry Editor at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Control/Session Manager/Memory Management/PrefetchParameters and see the parameter value EnableSuperfetch. It should be set to 0. You can also disable it through the Services Control snap-in.
As for Prefetch, its writes to disk are so insignificant that it can be ignored. However, you can turn it off, nothing bad will happen. To do this, in the same registry key, set the value of the parameter EnablePrefetcher 0.
The same can be said about disabling the additional Prefetch ReadyBoot function, which logs the process of loading applications. The volume of records it produces in a folder C:/Windows/Prefetch/ReadyBoot is negligible, but if you want to disable them as well, set the Start parameter in the key to 0 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Control/WMI/Autologger/ReadyBoot.
Programs for optimizing an SSD drive
Almost everything that was shown in the examples above can be done using special utilities. How to set up an SSD under Windows 7/10 using third-party programs? Very simple. Most of them have an intuitive interface, represented by a set of options that can be enabled or disabled. There are many SSD optimizers, but we will focus only on the most popular ones.
SSD Mini Tweaker
The most convenient portable program for optimizing solid state drives. The utility supports working with defragmentation, hibernation and system protection functions, Trim, Superfetch and Prefetcher, paging file and Layout.ini management, indexing, file system cache and some other settings.
The SSD Mini Tweaker interface is represented by a window with a list of functions available for management. You may need to restart your PC after applying the new settings.
A shareware utility for optimizing and tuning the performance of an SSD drive. There is no Russian language in Tweak-SSD, but there is a convenient step-by-step wizard that offers optimal settings. Features of this program include disabling file indexing, program compatibility assistant, hibernation, paging file, defragmentation, last file access time recording, working with TRIM, increasing the file system cache, removing the NTFS limit on memory usage, as well as removing the kernel in memory instead of unloading parts of modules to disk.
SSD Fresh Plus
Another SSD optimizer. Unlike analogues, it supports working with S.M.A.R.T. With Abelssoft SSD Fresh Plus, you can disable defragmentation, the use of abbreviated names for folders and files, timestamps, Windows log, prefetch services.
In total, the utility supports nine different settings that optimize the performance of the SSD. Additional program features include viewing detailed disk information. Distributed in paid and free editions.
Conclusion
On this, perhaps, everything. There are also other SSD optimization recommendations, but for the most part they are either dubious or harmful. In particular, it is not recommended to disable write caching for the SSD drive and the USN journal of the NTFS file system. You should also not transfer programs and Temp temporary folders, browser caches, etc. from the SSD, because then what's the point in buying an SSD drive? We need to speed up the work of programs, transferring them to the HDD, you will only slow down the system.
And finally, here's some good advice for you. Don't bother with SSD optimization especially. Even a budget 128 GB solid state drive will take at least a decade to wear out, unless you start writing and deleting terabytes of data every day. And during this time, not only the disk model, but also the computer itself will become hopelessly outdated.
Modern technologies do not stand still. More modern devices are constantly appearing, which are distinguished by a greater set of features, better quality and higher performance. One such device is a solid state hard drive. In this regard, the question often arises, how to install an SSD in a computer?
But before moving on to the installation, let's take a look at what it is and why this device is needed?
What is an SSD
SSD stands for Solid-State Drive, which, translated into Russian, roughly means a solid-state hard drive. But why is it needed? This is a new type of hard drives, which are characterized by high speed reading and writing information. In other words, if you compare SSDs with older HDDs, the former have much higher data transfer rates.
This, in turn, increases PC performance and reduces boot times. operating system. But there is also a drawback. Such drives have certain limits on the number of recording and deleting files. In other words, if you constantly copy and delete various files on an SSD hard drive, then it will fail after some time, which cannot be said about HDD drives.
But still, even with such restrictions, the life of the drive is quite long. And the increase in performance, even in games, is very noticeable. It is worth noting that modern HDD drives have the same interface for connecting as a solid-state counterpart, so installing an SDD drive into a computer is easy and fast, without any special costs and difficulties.
Hot keys in Windows 8. Hot keys Windows 8: Video
How to choose a solid state hard drive
So we got to the question of how to install an SSD in a computer. Everything is basically simple. To begin with, let's look at what interfaces for connecting a hard drive can be. There are several of them:
- ATA (the so-called IDE) is an outdated interface that has not been used for a long time. The data transfer rate in this case is not high, and if you have an outdated computer model that uses such a connector, it simply does not make sense for you to buy an SDD.
- SATA is a newer interface that has replaced the previous one. It has a higher transfer rate. In turn, SATA is divided into three types:
- SATA 1.
- SATA2.
- SATA3.
These types also differ from each other in the speed of data exchange. For example, the speed of SATA 2 is higher than that of SATA 1, and SATA 3 is the most modern and fastest interface.
Thus, before buying a solid state drive, you should find out exactly which slot is available in your PC. For example, it makes no sense to take an SSD with a speed rating of 600 Mb / s if it is connected to SATA 1, since the connection itself will limit the speed to 150 Mb / s.
It should be noted that all SATA interfaces are interchangeable. This means that if the motherboard is equipped with SATA 2, then a SATA 3 or 1 cable can be connected to it.
How to Install Gadgets for Windows 8: Video
How to install SDD
So, the choice has been made. Now you can move on to the question of how to install SDD in a computer. What is required for this? The first step is to make sure that the interface controller is in AHCI mode. You can do this in the BIOS, in the SATA Mode item. .
If the computer provides for the possibility of using additional hard drives, then you just have to disassemble the system unit and connect the SSD to one of the SATA interfaces. Most likely, Windows will require you to format the new drive. This is necessary because during the formatting process, Windows writes file system to the drive for further work with it.
In this case, you can boot the operating system and copy all the necessary data to the new hard drive. However, due to the fact that SDD has the above disadvantage, it is not recommended to use it for storing files. Typically, it is used to install the operating system. In this case, in order not to reinstall Windows after replacing the hard drive, you can install it already on a solid-state counterpart.
Thus, you will be able to use your familiar and customized system, but on a new, faster and quieter SDD drive. If your computer does not have the ability to use multiple hard drives at the same time, as, for example, in most laptops, then you will have to follow certain steps.
In the case of a laptop, you will have to disconnect the old hard drive from the computer interface. We see that the device is located in a special case. We need to remove it and rearrange it to a new solid-state counterpart. As a rule, the body is fastened with 4 bolts. After reinstalling the case, insert the hard drive back in the same way as you disassembled it, only in the reverse order.
This completes the installation of the SSD drive. No special drivers are required. The operating system already contains everything you need software. After the first Windows boot will detect a new device and automatically install the driver. After that, the system will ask you to restart your PC.
How to install an SSD hard drive in a computer: Video
Installing solid-state drives by default on laptops and computers has only recently begun, and a device bought just 1-2 years ago is most likely equipped with a regular SATA HDD. This option is also not bad - especially if the SATA III interface is used, however, conventional hard drives are unable to provide maximum performance.
What you need to install an SSD drive
A user who wants to speed up access to information will need:
- Increasing the speed of working with data;
- Reduced power consumption and weight (important for laptops);
- No need to defragment the disk.
Tip: If your computer is fairly old (single-core processor, less than 4 GB of memory, and a 5-6 year old motherboard), there is no point in installing an SSD. In this case, even updating the hardware will not help speed up the system. And you have to change the entire device.
Installing an SSD on a Computer
The standard size of a solid state drive is 2.5 inches. 3.5-inch versions were also produced, however, due to the fact that they were most often installed on laptops, only the smallest drives remained (including 1.8-inch and M2 formats). And, therefore, for installation on a PC, an SSD requires the use of so-called sleds, or rails - devices for fixing a disk inside bays designed for standard HDDs and drives. And, although, due to the low weight of the solid state drive, it weighs a little and can only be mounted on one side of the system unit case, you should not do this - it is safer to purchase a small adapter from 3.5 to 2.5 inches.
Installing a disk is carried out in several stages:
- The computer is de-energized;
- The power supply is turned off using the button on the back of the system unit;
- The power button is pressed and held for a few seconds. In this case, a de-energized computer, of course, will not start, however, static electricity will be removed from the motherboard and other parts;
- The PC case is disassembled (usually only one panel is removed for this, most often the left one, but sometimes you have to disassemble the system unit almost completely;
- The SSD is installed in place (for a PC it is not necessary to remove the HHD that was already there) using a slide adapter and secured with screws. Fasteners are included with the device;
- The installed drive is connected to the motherboard via a SATA cable and the corresponding slot on the "motherboard";
- The disk is connected to the computer's power supply;
- Assemble the system unit and configure the SSD.
As a rule, the maximum performance of the drive will be ensured only when it is connected to a SATA 3.0 connector and higher at speeds up to 6 GB / s. On the board, it usually differs from others in black and markings. In the absence of any designations for SATA 3.0, you should read the documentation for the "motherboard".
It is worth noting that SSD drives do not tolerate heating to high temperatures. Therefore, when adding a new drive, it is worth taking care of improving the cooling system. To do this, you can provide, for example, an additional cooler with a size of 80x80 or 120x120 in the side of the system unit. Such a fan will perfectly cool not only a solid-state drive, but also a regular drive.
Job setup
After installing the drive, you first need to configure the media for optimal performance and longer life:
Go to BIOS (or UEFI) in one of the ways available on your operating system. The easiest way to do this for Windows 7 is by pressing the function key during reboot (different manufacturers of the motherboard or laptop use different letters);
Set the SSD disk to the first in the list of devices (if it is not the only drive);
- Save changes and restart your computer.
Now you can either transfer the system to a solid state drive in order not to reinstall. Or leave the old OS if the SSD will not be used as a system drive. When choosing the first option, you should use either the built-in Windows tools (they are available in systems starting with version 7 and higher), or applications such as Acronis True Image. In the second case, when the system remains on the HDD, the same hard disk should be left first in the boot list in the BIOS.
Installation on a laptop
Installing SSDs on a laptop is a bit different. First of all, due to the fact that there is less space inside the laptop case and, most likely, to connect the second disk, the user will have to remove the first one. But after installation, the laptop will work faster, and the battery life will practically not decrease, even if you reconnect the old HDD.
To install, the user will need a standard SSD and a drive adapter. The main installation steps include:
- Power off the laptop (by removing the battery);
- Opening the back cover and carefully removing the HDD. At the same time, the cable and the power wire are turned off;
- Installing an SSD hard drive with a cable connection;
- HDD installation using an adapter;
- Return to the place of the laptop cover;
- Turning on the laptop and setting up the system.
HDD Installation
Installing the hard drive back is desirable in cases where the system remains on it. Or, if the size of the SSD is insufficient to accommodate all the necessary information there, and the solid state drive itself is used to store only system files and operating system. At the same time, the data transfer rate of the optical drive is quite enough to support the operation of the HDD. And to ensure the effective use of the SSD in this way will no longer work. Therefore, it is the standard laptop hard drive that is inserted into the adapter, and the drive is removed - especially since today it is practically not used.
The adapter for connecting the HDD is selected according to the thickness of the drive, which can be equal to either 12.7 or 9.5 mm. The following actions are performed in turn:
- The drive is installed inside the adapter;
- The optical drive is removed from the laptop (for most models, it is held on by one screw). To do this, you need to open the drive (usually it is enough to press a button with a thin needle inside a special hole on the panel in front of the button;
- The panel is removed from the drive tray and installed on the adapter so that the replacement does not affect the appearance of the device;
- The hard drive in the adapter is put in place of the drive;
- The screw is tightened, which now secures the HDD.
System Setup
After replacing the hard drive and installing the solid state, the system should automatically detect the type of new device and install all the software necessary for it. Another utility like Migrate OS to SSD may be needed if you need to move the operating system from the old disk to the new one. Now you can proceed to the main steps to optimize the system. These include:
- enable the TRIM function;
- turn off automatic disk defragmentation;
- prohibit indexing of files and allow their caching.
The TRIM function, which is necessary in order to detect in time the space left after deleting files, is included in Windows starting from version 7. If it is disabled, disk performance degrades over time.
To test the function, open command line as administrator and enter the fsutil behavior query disabledeletenotify command. If the result is 1, then TRIM is not working. You can enable it by calling the line again and typing fsutil behavior query|set DisableDeleteNotify = 0.
Disable defragmentation
Defragmentation is a completely unnecessary feature for SSD drives. Moreover, in some cases, the frequent execution of the process can even reduce the resource of the drive. To prevent this from happening, defragmentation is disabled using the Run menu (Win + R) and the dfrgui command. In the window that opens, disable scheduled optimization.
You can enable caching, which allows the disk to process files faster, by entering the command devmgmt.msc in the Run menu. This will open the Device Manager, where you can open the properties desired disk and allow file caching in the policy tab.
Disk Prevention
After installing a new disk, the improvement in system parameters can be seen immediately after booting. Especially if the SSD is selected as the main drive and the system boots from it. First of all, the loading time decreases, and secondly, the disk performance index increases almost to the maximum value.
However, in order for the disk to last as long as possible, certain rules for its use should be followed:
- to increase the resource on the SSD, it is worth leaving at least 10–15% of free space;
- during use, you should make sure that the latest drivers for the drive are installed in the system. They are usually found on the manufacturer's website. Most often, with each new firmware, the number of drive capabilities is updated and its service life increases;
- do not exceed the recommended amount of information rewritten in one cycle. At different models SSD this volume reaches from 10 to 33% of the total;
- to check disk life, you should periodically run programs to detect errors and the number of hours already worked - such as SSD Life.
(speed, fault tolerance, low power consumption, etc.)
Our reader Mikhail Ivanovsky noticed that even if the selected laptop model does not have an SSD, you can easily install it yourself. At the request of the editors, Mikhail wrote a simple and understandable guide for installing an SSD for a laptop.
For those who prefer to watch, we have prepared a video version of this article:
While Windows was loading, did you manage to forget why you turned on your laptop at all? So it's time to change something. And this “something” is not necessarily the entire laptop.
The reasons for a slow boot may vary, but they all affect the speed of the system and installed programs. Only one thing can be said for sure - a system installed on a good old hard drive (HDD) is, in principle, not capable of breaking records. But do not despair and stock up on glycine!
If earlier few could afford a laptop with an SSD drive, today such models are becoming more affordable. Alas, manufacturers are not yet in a hurry to install them on all laptop models, since this option will still noticeably affect the price. Not everyone is ready to overpay for a laptop with an SSD, especially if the purpose of use does not go beyond the usual limits.
Especially for those who want to enjoy all the benefits of a system on a solid state drive, but at the same time do not have the desire or opportunity to purchase a laptop in a top configuration, we have prepared this guide. With it, you will see that it is not at all difficult to install an SSD with your own hands (easier than assembling a chest of drawers from IKEA).
Moreover, the increase in laptop performance and the pleasure of the work done are incomparable with the effort expended.
There are several installation options. It all depends on your needs, as well as on the size and configuration of the laptop. Let's consider the most common case when the SSD is installed in the regular place of the native hard drive(HDD), and that, in turn, in place of the optical drive. This configuration is recommended because the interface for connecting an optical drive is not always able to provide the SSD with the required data transfer rate.
Whether we like it or not, CD- and DVD-drives in portable computers are becoming an atavism and will probably soon disappear altogether (as once happened with floppy disks and dinosaurs). Do you remember the last time you inserted a disk into your laptop? But the drive takes up space, periodically buzzes, consumes electricity, and even heats up.
So, here's what we need to upgrade:
- Standard size 2.5” SSD
- Adapter for HDD\SSD 2.5” for laptop drive
- Utility to transfer the system and programs from HDD to SSD
We only note that it is reasonable to use an SSD first of all to place an operating system and programs on it, and only then to store data. Therefore, it is logical to determine the volume based on the current load on your C drive, and take into account that the SSD will require about 25% of free disk space for efficient operation, so it’s definitely not worth taking “back to back”. Most users will be quite sufficient volume from 80 to 120 GB.
Having decided on the volume, budget and based on reviews in online stores, choosing an SSD is not difficult.
With adapters, things are even easier. Their purpose is to provide a comfortable placement of the SSD in place of the optical drive. You can take any adapter for the size of our SSD (2.5 ”) and the thickness of the drive (as a rule, it is 12.7 mm, but in thin laptops it can be 9.5 mm). From time-tested options, you can choose Espada adapters.
Adapter
The installation process in general looks like this:
- Turn the laptop over and remove the battery
- We find the cover with the marking of the disk storage, unscrew the screw that secures it (may be hidden by a plug), remove the cover and carefully remove the HDD, after disconnecting the cable with wiring
- We install our SSD in place of the HDD, insert the cable, put the cover back in place and tighten the screw
- We install the HDD into the adapter and fasten it with screws from the delivery set
- We find a screw (may be hidden by a plug) with the marking of the drive and unscrew it. In most laptops, this is all that holds the optical drive.
- We open the tray with a needle (the hole next to the button) and, holding the laptop with one hand, carefully remove the optical drive with the other
We take out the drive
- We remove the front panel with the button from the tray and rearrange it to the adapter so that the surgical intervention does not affect the appearance of the laptop in any way
Adapter with bar
Everyone is here
- We insert the adapter with the HDD into the place of the drive and tighten the screw
- Do not forget about the stubs, if any
- Turn on the laptop
Install, follow its simple instructions and voila! Our SSD is ready to go. It's time to arm yourself with a stopwatch and, with bated breath, note the system boot time. Although the difference "before and after" will be noticeable to the naked eye. The system performance index will increase significantly, if not in the overall assessment, then in the “Main hard drive” column for sure - from 5.9 (the maximum possible index for an HDD) to 7.9 (the maximum performance index in principle).
In conclusion, it is worth mentioning one more important point. Since the principle of operation of the SSD has its own specifics, in order to extend its service life and greater reliability, it is recommended to perform several optional, but useful system settings. Windows 7 will make friends with the SSD without any problems, but taking a few minutes to set it up, you are guaranteed to extend its life.
Tips for optimizing the system can be easily found, for example,. For starters, we just wanted to convince you that anyone can install an SSD. We hope we succeeded.
Successful upgrades!
Mikhail Ivanovsky
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