Optimize Windows for SSD: Guide

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.

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

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

What Should Be Checked Before Optimization?

Step 1. Make Sure That AHCI 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 AHCI.

Feature ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment) AHCI (Advanced Host Controller Interface)
Full Name Advanced Technology Attachment Advanced Host Controller Interface
Purpose Standard for connecting and controlling storage devices Defines a newer standard for SATA storage devices
Interface Parallel ATA (PATA) or Serial ATA (SATA) Works only with SATA devices
Data Transfer Method Legacy mode with limited features Supports advanced features like Native Command Queuing (NCQ)
Performance Lower speed and efficiency Higher speed and better efficiency
Hot Swapping Not supported Supported
Compatibility Compatible with older systems and drives Requires modern hardware and BIOS/UEFI support
Power Management Basic Advanced power-saving features
Driver Support Does not require additional drivers Requires specific AHCI drivers
Usage Legacy systems and older operating systems Modern systems with SATA drives

Yet there are two important things to keep in mind:

  1. 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);
  2. Your BIOS might not have AHCI 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).
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How to Enable AHCI Mode Without Reinstalling Windows, INACCESSABLE_BOOT_DEVICE Error 💻🛠️🤔

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 AHCI then everything is all right.

Optimize Windows for SSD: Guide

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).

Step 2. 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.

fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify

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.

fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify 0

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

Optimizing Windows for an SSD

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

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

Step 1. 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.

Local Disk (C:) Properties

Step 2. 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 Windows Search

Step 3. 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.

powercfg -h off

Enter command: powercfg -h off

Step 4. 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.

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

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.

Disk Defragmenter

Step 5. 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.

Run: regedit

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.

Regisrty Editor

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.

Partition Recovery™ 5.0
The tool recovers data from any devices, regardless of the cause of data loss.
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Recovering Data from SSD After File Deletion or Disk Formatting ⚕️📁💥

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

Vladimir Artiukh

Author: , Technical Writer

Vladimir Artiukh is a technical writer for Hetman Software, as well as the voice and face of their English-speaking YouTube channel, Hetman Software: Data Recovery for Windows. He handles tutorials, how-tos, and detailed reviews on how the company’s tools work with all kinds of data storage devices.

Oleg Afonin

Editor: , Technical Writer

Oleg Afonin is an expert in mobile forensics, data recovery and computer systems. He often attends large data security conferences, and writes several blogs for such resources as xaker.ru, Elcomsoft and Habr. In addition to his online activities, Oleg’s articles are also published in professional magazines. Also, Oleg Afonin is the co-author of a well-known book, Mobile Forensics - Advanced Investigative Strategies.

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Questions and answers

  • 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?
    1. 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.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. Poorly configured power settings: Poorly configured power settings can cause the SSD to enter a low-power state, resulting in slower performance.
    5. 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.

Comments (12)

  • Tim
    Tim 15.09.2020 03:39 #
    Hi, love all your repair/mod info and been very helpful. IDE to AHCI great- fixed 2 computers with that. Your article/vid on transfer windows to other computer. Dosent that reject if you try as the MS Key/servers will see a diff motherboard and one per computer thing kicks in even if you use image as you said ,its from a diff computer/motherboard? and you have to ring MS and they issue you with another key if accept your reason such as PSU blew damaged motherboard.
    Reply
  • Ronnie Hely-Hutchinson
    Ronnie Hely-Hutchinson 27.06.2016 22:51 #
    What are some best practices for maintaining the health and longevity of your SSD?
    Reply
    • Hetman Software
      Hetman Software 27.06.2016 23:09 #
      1. Disable disk defragmentation: Disk defragmentation is not necessary on an SSD as it does not suffer from the same performance degradation that traditional hard drives do.
      2. Keep your SSD cool: Heat is one of the biggest enemies of an SSD, so make sure to keep your system cool and away from direct sunlight.
      3. Limit write cycles: Write cycles are the number of times an SSD can be written to before it begins to fail. To limit write cycles, try to keep a majority of your data on a separate hard drive and only use the SSD for the operating system and essential applications.
      4. Disable hibernation: Hibernation can cause unnecessary wear and tear on an SSD, so it is best to disable it in the power settings.
      5. Update firmware regularly: SSDs come with their own firmware, which should be updated regularly to ensure optimal performance and reliability.
      6. Use TRIM command: TRIM is a command that helps an SSD optimize its performance by deleting unnecessary data. Make sure to enable this feature if your system supports it.
      Reply
  • Kyle Bysshe
    Kyle Bysshe 27.06.2016 19:48 #
    How can you monitor the performance of your SSD to ensure it is running optimally?
    Reply
    • Hetman Software
      Hetman Software 27.06.2016 20:11 #
      1. Monitor the health of your SSD using a third-party tool such as CrystalDiskInfo or HD Tune Pro.
      2. Monitor the temperature of your SSD using a third-party tool such as HWiNFO or SpeedFan.
      3. Check the read/write speed of your SSD using a benchmarking tool such as ATTO Disk Benchmark or AS SSD Benchmark.
      4. Check the amount of free space on your SSD and make sure it is not running out of space.
      5. Update your SSD firmware regularly to ensure it is running the latest version.
      6. Make sure the power settings for your SSD are set correctly in the BIOS.
      7. Disable unnecessary features such as write caching or write combining.
      Reply
  • Zeke Milne-Edwards
    Zeke Milne-Edwards 27.06.2016 16:56 #
    What are some other performance tweaks you can make to optimize Windows for an SSD?
    Reply
    • Hetman Software
      Hetman Software 27.06.2016 17:27 #
      1. Disable Disk Defragmentation: SSDs don't need to be defragmented as they don't suffer from the same fragmentation issues as traditional hard drives. To disable this feature, open the Start Menu and type in “defragment” and select the “Defragment and Optimize Drives” option. Select the SSD drive and click “Configure” and choose the “Turn off system protection” option.
      2. Disable SuperFetch and Prefetch: SuperFetch and Prefetch are two services that help speed up the loading of applications by pre-loading them into memory. On an SSD, these services are unnecessary as they can actually slow down the system. To disable them, open the Start Menu and type in “services” and select the “Services” option. Scroll down to “SuperFetch” and “Prefetch” and set both to “Disabled”.
      3. Enable Trim: Trim helps optimize the performance of an SSD by telling it which data is no longer needed and can be deleted. To enable Trim, open the Start Menu and type in “cmd” and select the “Command Prompt” option. Type in “fsutil behavior set DisableDeleteNotify 0” and press enter.
      4. Disable Hibernation: Hibernation stores all of the data from RAM onto the SSD when the computer is turned off, which can cause unnecessary wear on the drive. To disable this feature, open the Start Menu and type in “power options” and select the “Power Options” option. Select “Change what the power buttons do” and uncheck the box next to “Hibernate”.
      Reply
  • Philip Sykes
    Philip Sykes 27.06.2016 14:02 #
    What is the page file, and how can you optimize its use with an SSD?
    Reply
    • Hetman Software
      Hetman Software 27.06.2016 14:21 #
      The page file is a file on a hard drive used by the operating system to store data that cannot be held in the computer's random access memory (RAM). It is also known as a virtual memory or swap file. When RAM is full, the computer will move some of the data from RAM to the page file, allowing more RAM to be available for other tasks. You can optimize the use of the page file with an SSD by setting the initial and maximum size of the page file to be equal. This will ensure that the page file does not take up too much space on the SSD, as it will only ever need to use the amount of space that has been allocated. Additionally, you can move the page file to a different drive, such as an HDD, if you have one available. This will allow the SSD to focus on running applications and programs more quickly, as it will not be bogged down by the page file.
      Reply
  • Tobias Hart-Davis
    Tobias Hart-Davis 27.06.2016 11:47 #
    How can you enable TRIM on your Windows installation?
    Reply
    • Hetman Software
      Hetman Software 27.06.2016 12:19 #
      1. Open the Command Prompt as an administrator.
      2. Type the command “fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify” and press Enter.
      3. If the output is “DisableDeleteNotify = 0”, TRIM is already enabled. If the output is “DisableDeleteNotify = 1”, type the command “fsutil behavior set DisableDeleteNotify 0” and press Enter to enable TRIM.
      4. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
      Reply
  • Hetman Software: Data Recovery
    Hetman Software: Data Recovery 27.04.2018 14:23 #
    Read how to optimize windows for an SSD. If you do have any questions, don't hesitate to contact our technical support service - we will be happy to help you.
    Reply
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