OS and Software on separate SSD?

[Mr. Cucumber]

Should one keep the operating system on a separate SSD (nvme) and software on another drive?

The OS ssd is understandable but should I keep software on another nvme, sata ssd or a traditional mechanical hard drive?

For example the MATLAB is a 150Gig piece of software I don't have enough space to keep it in another drive and I don't feel like buying another 250G m.2 for just that and 

(stupid question) aren't sata ssds and a high performance hard drive perform the same (for software installs? I doubt it though )

So Windows and Linux dual boot on M.2 software on Sata ssd and rest on a mechanical hard drive?

Thank You for reading. 

[Lorant]

You're overthinking.  Separate your OS and software to the point of what you need to reinstall should there be a problem.  Since most programs need registrty entries, if the OS goes bad... they'll need a reinstall anyway even if on another drive.  So that's moot.

 

I put game libraries and data (movies/music) on a separate drive since it can live alone.

 

That's about it.

 

Use whatever drives you have available.

[Mr. Cucumber]

1 minute ago, Lorant said:

You're overthinking.  Separate your OS and software to the point of what you need to reinstall should there be a problem.  Since most programs need registrty entries, if the OS goes bad... they'll need a reinstall anyway even if on another drive.  So that's moot.

 

I put game libraries and data (movies/music) on a separate drive since it can live alone.

 

That's about it.

 

Use whatever drives you have available.

I was saying about performance because the os continuously uses the drive ...so opening small tasks seem snappier when I used a separate drive. (I seen this with m.2/m.2 situation not sata ssd and hdds side by side)

[homeap5]

You should use your SSD drive (or nvme) as much as possible. You paid for it, not for empty space on it. Of course you may keep your free space under 80% if you want to keep your ssd speed at highest level, but you can also use overprovisoning and stop carrying about free space.

 

You should start worrying about performance if you notice that something is wrong.

[Lorant]

1 minute ago, Mr. Cucumber said:

I was saying about performance because the os continuously uses the drive ...so opening small tasks seem snappier when I used a separate drive. (I seen this with m.2/m.2 situation not sata ssd and hdds side by side)

Use the fast drives for what you want to speed up.

 

Your post talked more about separating things than any speed questions, but I boot off SATA SSD and game off SATA SSD.  NVMe won't give your OS faster booting,  so use any SSD for that. 

 

Unless you do huge ass file movement NVMe doesn't provide a big benefit, it's okay to go either.

[Mr. Cucumber]

1 minute ago, homeap5 said:

You should use your SSD drive (or nvme) as much as possible. You paid for it, not for empty space on it. Of course you may keep your free space under 80% if you want to keep your ssd speed at highest level, but you can also use overprovisoning and stop carrying about free space.

 

You should start worrying about performance if you notice that something is wrong.

Okay that makes a lot of sense. But are there any tips to fully utilize your ssd while making it last.

[homeap5]

2 minutes ago, Mr. Cucumber said:

Okay that makes a lot of sense. But are there any tips to fully utilize your ssd while making it last.

Your SSD will last forever. At least for you and most of users. Why? Because after few years you change it to something else, like everybody does.

How many times in your life do you bought drives that should "work forever and I'll never need anything more?". I bet few times and that was always a lie.

[Niklos]

I personnaly decided to put my games and my OS on separate SSD's. Actualy, I have 3 SSD :

1) For OS, NVMe

2) For My documents / My download / My savegames etc...

3) For games

 

One of my SATA drive crashed a couple days ago, so I replaced it with the NVMe one. I reinstalled the OS.

All of my games were still playable without having to reinstall them. But most of them are from BNet or Steam... So that might explain it.

 

Anyways, I don't feel like my computer goes faster or anything but, if one disk crashes for some reason, I still have some of stuff that is working. (I also backup everything every once in a while, just in case. 

 

So, yes, I would says that having softs and OS on separate SSDs makes sence. But more for "safety" than for speed.

[Niklos]

18 minutes ago, Mr. Cucumber said:

Okay that makes a lot of sense. But are there any tips to fully utilize your ssd while making it last.

I'd say that you don't want to fill it up. That's it...

Then, as said before, you will probably want to change it before it's dead anyways.

[Mr. Cucumber]

2 minutes ago, Niklos said:

I'd say that you don't want to fill it up. That's it...

Then, as said before, you will probably want to change it before it's dead anyways.

Don't fill it up and Don't hit it with massive files?

[Niklos]

Why not ? I mean, you may use massive files if you want. I don't think it make much difference. Does it ?

[Mr. Cucumber]

6 minutes ago, Niklos said:

Why not ? I mean, you may use massive files if you want. I don't think it make much difference. Does it ?

The great linus says that hitting solid state drives with massive files wears them out. But he also says these days it's getting harder and harder.

[Lorant]

2 minutes ago, Mr. Cucumber said:

The great linus says that hitting solid state drives with massive files wears them out. But he also says these days it's getting harder and harder.

Normal people can't wear out an SSD.  You need to 24/7 abuse them to even come close.

 

 

[Niklos]

Yes exactly. I think that, for you and me, it does not matter.

For, let's say, a big enterprise, it might be different. But for people like us, I think you can do whatever you want with your SSD without having problem with it before you want to replace it.

[f1ref1y]

On 2/5/2020 at 9:00 AM, Lorant said:

Use the fast drives for what you want to speed up.

 

Your post talked more about separating things than any speed questions, but I boot off SATA SSD and game off SATA SSD.  NVMe won't give your OS faster booting,  so use any SSD for that. 

 

Unless you do huge ass file movement NVMe doesn't provide a big benefit, it's okay to go either.

I know this is an old thread. But booting of an NVME will absolutely make your OS boot faster. I have lots of experience to back this up