Can I Use a 120Gb SSD to Speed Up A HDD?

[TTesla]

I have an old samsung 840 EVO 120gb, which on it's own isn't enough storage to be very useful.

So I was wondering if / how I can use it as a cache for a 2TB 7200 RPM HDD, which I store a lot of games on?

I think this would be a decent use for the drive, and I don't want to erase the data on the HDD.

 

Using a 9600k, on Z390, if that matters.

[Boinbo]

48 minutes ago, TeenTesla said:

I have an old samsung 840 EVO 120gb, which on it's own isn't enough storage to be very useful.

So I was wondering if / how I can use it as a cache for a 2TB 7200 RPM HDD, which I store a lot of games on?

I think this would be a decent use for the drive, and I don't want to erase the data on the HDD.

 

Using a 9600k, on Z390, if that matters.

Once the ssd is installed, move windows, and any important files to it, and leave the rest on the HDD.

[TTesla]

1 minute ago, Boinbo said:

Once the ssd is installed, move windows, and any important files to it, and leave the rest on the HDD.

You misunderstand. My OS is on another SSD.

This HDD is just for games and files, and I want to combine it with the 120gb ssd as a cache. So that both the 120gb ssd and 2tb HDD show up as one 2.12 TB drive that's slightly faster, and automatically puts most used files on the SSD.

[Boinbo]

1 minute ago, TeenTesla said:

You misunderstand. My OS is on another SSD.

This HDD is just for games and files, and I want to combine it with the 120gb ssd as a cache. So that both the 120gb ssd and 2tb HDD show up as one 2.12 TB drive that's slightly faster, and automatically puts most used files on the SSD.

Ahh I see. I'm not sure on what cacheing is, but I'll mention some users who probably do:

@fasauceome

@Stefan Payne

@jerubedo

@trevb0t

@LienusLateTips

@Herman Mcpootis

@Firewrath9

[Herman Mcpootis]

1 hour ago, TeenTesla said:

I have an old samsung 840 EVO 120gb, which on it's own isn't enough storage to be very useful.

So I was wondering if / how I can use it as a cache for a 2TB 7200 RPM HDD, which I store a lot of games on?

I think this would be a decent use for the drive, and I don't want to erase the data on the HDD.

 

Using a 9600k, on Z390, if that matters.

you can get an intel optane module for the HDD.

[Stefan Payne]

There are tools for that, its called Tiered Storage and LTT has made a couple of videos about that.

The thing is that its pretty useless for non recurring access patterns. Meaning Games.

 

 

It makes sense if you have a situation were you access the same data often. If not, there is no point in it...

[TTesla]

12 minutes ago, Stefan Payne said:

There are tools for that, its called Tiered Storage and LTT has made a couple of videos about that.

The thing is that its pretty useless for non recurring access patterns. Meaning Games.

 

 

It makes sense if you have a situation were you access the same data often. If not, there is no point in it...

So I found these instructions here: https://www.wepc.com/tips/ssd-cache/

They claim the benefits are huge. Why would there not be much benefits for games if the ssd is large enough to cache the whole game and then some?

[Stefan Payne]

43 minutes ago, TeenTesla said:

So I found these instructions here: https://www.wepc.com/tips/ssd-cache/

They claim the benefits are huge. Why would there not be much benefits for games if the ssd is large enough to cache the whole game and then some?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cache_(computing)

Because it only accelerates data you regularly use or access.

 

You see it here for example:

 

Again, I'm only talking about games...

If you don't constantly die and have to load the same stuff (From Soft), its not particularly useful.

 

It makes more sense to have your game on the HDD and copy it to the SSD when you need it...

[TTesla]

3 minutes ago, Stefan Payne said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cache_(computing)

Because it only accelerates data you regularly use or access.

 

You see it here for example:

 

Again, I'm only talking about games...

If you don't constantly die and have to load the same stuff (From Soft), its not particularly useful.

 

It makes more sense to have your game on the HDD and copy it to the SSD when you need it...

The graph makes it seem like if I play the same games more than once frequently I'll be getting the benefits.

I can take a slow initial load if it is almost SSD speeds everytime after, or am I misinterpreting things?