What is an SSD, and how does it differ from a traditional hard drive?

An SSD (Solid State Drive) is a type of storage device that uses non-volatile memory chips to store data. Unlike traditional hard drives, SSDs have no moving parts and are more reliable, faster, and less prone to failure. They also consume less power and generate less heat, making them more efficient.

Why is it important to optimize Windows for an SSD?

Optimizing Windows for an SSD is important because it helps to improve the performance of the SSD and ensure that it runs as efficiently as possible. SSDs are much faster than traditional hard drives, but they also require special settings and optimization to ensure that they are running at their best. Optimizing Windows for an SSD can help to reduce boot times, improve overall system performance, and extend the life of the SSD.

What are some common performance issues that can occur when using an SSD with an unoptimized Windows installation?

Poorly optimized page file settings: If the page file settings are not optimized for an SSD, Windows may be unable to utilize the full potential of the drive, resulting in slow performance. Fragmentation: Fragmentation occurs when files are broken up into smaller pieces and stored across different parts of the drive. This can cause the SSD to take longer to access data, resulting in slower performance. Unnecessary services and programs running in the background: Unnecessary services and programs running in the background can consume system resources and slow down the system. Poorly configured power settings: Poorly configured power settings can cause the SSD to enter a low-power state, resulting in slower performance. Bad sectors: Bad sectors on an SSD can cause data corruption and slow down performance.

How can you check whether your Windows installation is optimized for an SSD?

To check if your Windows installation is optimized for an SSD, you can use the Windows Performance Monitor. This tool will show you the disk performance metrics, including read and write speeds, and will indicate whether or not the system is optimized for an SSD. Additionally, you can use the Windows Defragmenter to check if the disk is being defragmented regularly. If it is not, then the system is not optimized for an SSD.

What is TRIM, and why is it important for SSD performance?

TRIM is a command that helps maintain the performance of a Solid State Drive (SSD). It is an ATA command that allows an operating system to inform an SSD which blocks of data are no longer in use and can be deleted to free up space. This allows the SSD to quickly erase the data and make the blocks available for writing new data, improving the performance and longevity of the drive.

Optimize Windows for SSD: Guide

Author: Vladimir Artiukh
Editor: Oleg Afonin
Updated: 8.05.2024 12:34

In this comprehensive tutorial, we’ll show you step-by-step how to fine-tune your operating system for maximum performance and longevity. From enabling TRIM and disabling disk defragmentation to optimizing power settings and minimizing unnecessary writes, we’ll cover everything you need to know to ensure your SSD operates at its peak efficiency.

By the way, if you installed a fresh copy of Windows (from the scratch) onto your SSD, many services and parameters will be configured automatically during the installation (this is why many specialists recommend a new Windows installation when adding an SSD to your rig).

Optimization of Windows for an SSD will not only allow to extend your drive’s lifetime but also to improve Windows performance. As to optimization procedures, the advice and recommendations in this article are relevant for Windows 7, 8 and 10.

Contents

Go to view

SSD Diagnostics: Programs to Find and Fix SSD Errors 🛠️🔎👨‍💻

What Should Be Checked Before Optimization?

Make Sure That ACHI SATA Mode Is On

It is quite easy to see what mode is enabled for the controller, just by looking at BIOS settings. If the disk mode is set as ATA it has to be switched to ACHI.

Yet there are two important things to keep in mind:

the first – Windows won’t boot as it doesn’t have the necessary drivers. You will have to either install them beforehand or just reinstall Windows (which is both easier and more preferable, in our opinion);
the second – your BIOS might not have ACHI mode available (though, it applies mostly to pretty old PCs). In this case, you will probably have to update BIOS (or at least check at the manufacturer’s website to see if their new BIOS supports this function).

Go to view

How to Enable AHCI Mode Without Reinstalling Windows, INACCESSABLE_BOOT_DEVICE Error 💻🛠️🤔

It would be useful to enter Device Manager (it can be found in the Windows Control Panel) and open the tab containing information on IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers. If you can see a controller with a name that includes “SATA ACHI” then everything is all right.

The AHCI mode is required for supporting normal operation of TRIM in the SSD.

TRIM is a command of the ATA interface required for Windows to transfer to the drive some data on which blocks are no longer needed and can be overwritten. The matter is that the principle of file deletion and space formatting in HDD and SSD differs. With the use of TRIM, SSD performance in increased, with a steady wear-out pattern of the drive memory cells. TRIM is supported by Windows 7, 8, 10 (if you are using Windows XP I recommend upgrading your OS or buying a drive with hardware-based TRIM).

Make Sure That TRIM Support Is Enabled in Windows

In order to check if Windows support for TRIM is enabled, you can just launch command prompt as administrator. Then type in the command fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify and press Enter.

Enter command: fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify

If DisableDeleteNotify = 0 (as shown in the picture) – then TRIM is enabled and you needn’t enter anything else.

If DisableDeleteNotify = 1 – then TRIM is disabled; you can enable it with the command: fsutil behavior set DisableDeleteNotify 0.

Then check it once more with the command: fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify.

Optimizing Windows 7, 8, 10 for an SSD

Go to view

How to Move Windows From One Computer to Another, or From HDD to SSD 💻 ➡️ 💻

Disable File Indexing

This is the first thing I recommend because this function has been created for HDD in order to accelerate access to files. However, an SSD is fast enough by itself and this function is merely useless.

After all, disabling this function reduces the number of write sessions to your drive which means extending its lifecycle. To disable indexing go to SSD properties (you can start Explorer and go to “This PC” tab) and uncheck the box next to “Allow files on this drive to have contents indexed in addition to file properties.”

Disable Windows Search

This service creates a separate index of files which helps the system to find certain files and folders quicker. An SSD is fast enough and many users just don’t apply this function so it would be better to disable it.

First of all, open Control Panel / System and Security / Administration Tools / Computer Management

Then, search the Services tab for Windows Search and disable it.

Disable Hibernation Mode

Hibernation mode allows saving the contents of RAM to the hard disk drive which helps the PC to quickly return to its previous state when switched on again (applications launched, documents open etc).

When using an SSD this function becomes not so important. First of all, Windows starts much faster with an SSD, so there’s little point in saving its previous state. Secondly, extra write and overwrite cycles may influence the life of your SSD.

Disabling hibernation is quite simple – just launch the command prompt as administrator and type in the command powercfg -h off.

Disable Disk Auto Defragmentation

Defragmentation is a useful operation for HDDs that helps to improve their performance a little. However, it has no benefits for an SSD because it is designed in a different way.

Go to view

How to Defragment Your PC's Hard Drive on Windows 10 🛠️🗄️⏲️

The speed of access to all SSD cells containing data is the same, and it means the speed of access will be the same, no matter where “pieces” of files are stored!

Moreover, relocating these “pieces” from one place to another increases the number of write/overwrite cycles which eats up the SSD lifetime.

If you have Windows 8/10 there is no need to disable defragmentation. The built-in disk optimizing software (Storage Optimizer) will select the necessary option automatically.

If you have Windows 7 you should go to defragmentation utility (Disk Defragmenter) and disable it.

Disable Prefetch and SuperFetch

Prefetch is a technology that helps the computer to accelerate launching of frequently used programs. It is done by loading them into RAM beforehand. A special file with such name is created in the hard disk.

As SSDs are pretty fast this function is better to be disabled as it won’t give you any more speed.

SuperFetch is a similar function, the only difference being that the computer is trying to guess what programs you are likely to start and loads them into RAM in advance (this is also recommended to be disabled).

To disable these functions you should use the register editor.

When you have it started, go to the following link:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters

Then, in this part of the register you need to find two parameters: EnablePrefetcher and EnableSuperfetch. Their value should be set at 0. By default, they are set at 3.

By the way, if you install a fresh copy of Windows on an SSD, these parameters will be configured automatically. Frankly speaking, it does not always happen flawlessly: sometimes there can be errors if your system contains both SSD and HDD drives.

Utilities for Automatic Optimization of Windows for an SSD

Some people would choose to do manually every step described in this article, and some others would love to use special utilities for fine tuning of Windows. Such utilities are known as tweakers.

Many users also recommend transferring browser cache, paging files, Windows temporary folders, system backup copies (and other data) from SSD to HDD (or even disabling these functions at all).

Then why have an SSD? To make sure your system boots up in 10 seconds? In our view, an SSD is necessary to accelerate the general system performance (the main goal), reduce noise, extend the working time of a laptop when on battery power etc.

But when applying all these settings we can reduce all advantages of an SSD to nothing.

This is why when we talk about optimization and disabling unnecessary functions we mean only what cannot accelerate your system in any way but can affect the lifecycle of your SSD and therefore safety of your data.

That is because if an SSD goes wrong when depleting its resources, no data recovery software can help you.

Go to view

Recovering Data from SSD After File Deletion or Disk Formatting ⚕️📁💥