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Installing on SSD vs mechanical HD

Post Date: 2014-03-03
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Bahger View Drop Down
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Posts: 279 		  Quote Bahger Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Topic: Installing on SSD vs mechanical HD
    Posted: 03 Mar 2014 at 11:22am
I just bought my second Digital Storm gaming PC, very excited.
 
I've never had an SSD before.  I do not want to store bulky data on the small (128GB) SSD.  Can anyone confirm, or correct, my understanding of the following:
 
- The SSD will be the C: drive.
 
- The HD will be an E: or F: drive
 
- The OS (Win 8.1) for my new PC will be installed on the SSD.
 
-  Data files (photographs, music, video, documents) can be stored on the HD and the OS on the SSD will access them from there.  Windows 8.1 does not require user data to live on the same drive as the OS.
 
-  iTunes needs to go on the C: drive (the SSD) but it can access my music library on the HD.
 
-  I can install Steam on the HD (even though it's not my C: drive) and it will place my games library on the same drive.
 
-  In general (I can think of no exceptions at present) I should install games on the HD, as the SSD will only improve load times not game performance (framerates, etc.).  And anyway, I have way more than 128GB of games.
 
I need to educate myself about this before the PC arrives, so I'd really appreciate guidance, thank you.
 
 
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Tidgxor View Drop Down
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Posts: 13000 		  Quote Tidgxor Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 07 Mar 2014 at 7:18pm
- The SSD will be the C: drive.

Yes

- The HD will be an E: or F: drive

Yes, most likely.

- The OS (Win 8.1) for my new PC will be installed on the SSD.

Yes

-  Data files (photographs, music, video, documents) can be stored on the HD and the OS on the SSD will access them from there.  Windows 8.1 does not require user data to live on the same drive as the OS.

Correct

-  iTunes needs to go on the C: drive (the SSD) but it can access my music library on the HD.

iTunes can be installed to either the SSD or the HD, it does not have to be on the C: drive.

-  I can install Steam on the HD (even though it's not my C: drive) and it will place my games library on the same drive.

Yes, and you can move games between drives with something like SteamTool (or Steam Mover) if you wish, you can also change directories within Steam now. But yes, by default it will install to the same drive it is installed on.

-  In general (I can think of no exceptions at present) I should install games on the HD, as the SSD will only improve load times not game performance (framerates, etc.).  And anyway, I have way more than 128GB of games.

That is entirely up to you. I tend to have the games I normally play on the SSD, then "store" the games I don't play as often on my HD via SteamTool.
My Two Digital Storm Rigs: Mr. Bojangles (HAF-X, 2010) & Mrs. Bojingles (Bolt I, 2013).
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Bahger View Drop Down
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Posts: 279 		  Quote Bahger Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 07 Mar 2014 at 10:57pm
Thanks, Tidgxor.  Those Steam utilities may come in very useful.  Meanwhile I have a much better understanding of how people (especially gamers) organise these SSD/HDD systems.
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Meller View Drop Down
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Posts: 1627 		  Quote Meller Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 01 Apr 2014 at 2:59pm
Just remember, you can always drag a game from your HDD to your SSD when you're ready to play. And an SSD can give you better FPS.

For example, when you have a slow HDD and you're playing any game that is an MMO, whether RPG or FPS, and you have a clunky mechanic drive that is slow, or you're downloading stuff too while playing, etc... this can cause some frame lag as the hdd is just dying in usage.

That's why you should move any game you're playing from your HDD to your SSD when you're ready to play them.

Make sense?

If you have enough ram, you can always make a ram disk and move your game to said ram disk for the absolute best performance imaginable (just be sure to move back to your HDD before you delete said ram disk)
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Socks223 View Drop Down
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Posts: 38 		  Quote Socks223 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 02 Apr 2014 at 5:05am
"-  Data files (photographs, music, video, documents) can be stored on the HD and the OS on the SSD will access them from there.  Windows 8.1 does not require user data to live on the same drive as the OS.

Correct"

Thanks, my computer left Sacramento yesterday and is heading on its way to me, and I have the same set of questions. 

But  I was wondering if the above is also true for Win 7.1?
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Counsel View Drop Down
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Posts: 125 		  Quote Counsel Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 05 Apr 2014 at 8:53am
Originally posted by Socks223

"-  Data files (photographs, music, video, documents) can be stored on
the HD and the OS on the SSD will access them from there.  Windows 8.1
does not require user data to live on the same drive as the OS.Correct"Thanks, my computer left Sacramento yesterday and is heading on its way to me, and I have the same set of questions.  But  I was wondering if the above is also true for Win 7.1?

I believe you can at least do this on a program specific basis on Windows 7. Steam should let you have games installed on multiple different drives, if you go into the settings. iTunes also allows you to choose where your media library lives, though I believe it all has to be on one drive.

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Socks223 View Drop Down
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Posts: 38 		  Quote Socks223 Quote  Post ReplyReply bullet Posted: 07 Apr 2014 at 7:27am
Thanks, Counsel.
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