The emergence of solid-state hard drives or SSD for short, can certainly be considered a breakthrough in the development of technologies for creating devices for recording and storing digital information. The first SSDs that entered the market, with the exception of the high speed of access to arbitrary blocks of information, were in many ways inferior to traditional HDDs. Not only could their volumes, without exaggeration, be called more than modest, they also had low fault tolerance and cost a lot of money.

What's wrong with SSD?

The high speed, quietness and low power consumption of solid state drives have served as good drivers for their development. Modern SSD drives are lightweight, very fast and mechanically quite reliable devices used in tablets, ultrabooks and other compact devices. The price of SSDs has also dropped significantly. However, they cannot be called perfect. All SSDs have a significant drawback - a limited number of write cycles.

The flash memory of most SSDs is of the MLC type and allows you to write data from about 3 to 10 thousand times, while conventional USBs exhaust their resource in 1000 or less rewrite cycles. There are also such SSDs, for example, with the SLC memory type, which can withstand several hundred thousand rewrite cycles. There are many nuances, so it is not surprising that just this feature of SSD drives raises a lot of questions from ordinary users regarding their operation, and most importantly, extending their service life. Is SSD optimization necessary in Windows 7/10 or is it just another myth created by manufacturers and commercial software developers themselves?

Basic training

Yes, you can leave everything as it is on a PC with an SSD, and you might be right, but if you really care about your drive and want it to last as long as possible, it's worth considering tuning it. Let's start with whether you bought a computer with an integrated SSD, or just the drive itself, with which you want to replace the HDD by transferring Windows from it. In the first case, you can limit yourself to setting up the system. If you install the SSD yourself, be sure to check if the AHCI connection mode for the SATA controller is enabled in the BIOS.

There are two points here: after enabling AHCI and transferring Windows to an SSD, the system may not boot, as it will not have the appropriate drivers. Therefore, either install the drivers ahead of time, or reinstall Windows from scratch. Second. The BIOS of older PCs may not have AHCI mode. In this case, the BIOS will have to be updated. Now for the SSD controller firmware. SSD owners often ask if a drive will run faster if they install the latest firmware. Yes, it will be, but if you decide to update it and in general, if the need arises, it is better to contact the maintenance service for help.

System settings. Disable defragmentation

For HDDs, defragmentation is a useful thing, but for SSDs, on the contrary, it can damage it, so Windows usually disables it automatically. However, it's worth checking to see if it's actually disabled. Run command dfrgui disk optimization utility and click "Change settings".

Make sure the "Run on schedule" checkbox is unchecked. If it's there, be sure to remove it.

Enabling TRIM

The TRIM mechanism optimizes the SSD drive by clearing memory cells of unnecessary data when they are removed from the disk. The use of TRIM ensures uniform wear of the disk cells and increases the speed of its operation. To check if TRIM is active on your system, run the following command from an administrator command prompt: fsutil behavior query DisableDeleteNotify.

If the value of the returned parameter DisableDeleteNotify will be 0, then everything is in order and the trim function is enabled, if 1 - it means it is disabled and it should be enabled by the command fsutil behavior set DisableDeleteNotify 0.

This SSD setting only applies to Windows 7/10, while Vista and XP do not support it. There are two options: either install a newer system, or look for an SSD drive with hardware TRIM. Please also note that some older SSD models do not support TRIM at all, however, the likelihood that they are still sold in digital equipment stores is very small.

In the process, a significant amount of data can be written to the hiberfil.sys file on the system disk, comparable to the amount of RAM. We, in order to extend the life of the SSD, need to reduce the number of write cycles, so it is advisable to disable hibernation. The disadvantage of this SSD setup is that you will no longer be able to keep files and programs open when you turn off the computer. To disable hibernation, run the command in a running with administrator privileges powercfg -h off.

Restart your computer and make sure that the hidden system file hiberfil.sys is deleted from the C drive.

Disabling Search and Indexing of Files

What else can be done to properly set up an SSD drive for Windows 7/10? The answer is to disable indexing of the contents of the disk, because the SSD is already fast enough. Open the properties of the disk and uncheck "Allow the contents of files to be indexed ...".

But here's the thing. If you have a HDD in addition to an SSD, then you are unlikely to want to disable indexing on it. What will come of it? By default, the index file is located on drive C and data from drive D will still be written to the solid state drive.

If you do not want to disable indexing on the user volume, you will need to move the index file from the system SSD to the user HDD. Open by team control /name Microsoft.IndexingOptions indexing options.

Now click "Advanced" and specify your index location, having previously created a folder on the user's drive.

If your PC only has an SSD, you can completely disable indexing and search by opening the Services.msc snap-in and stopping the Windows Search service.

Disabling system protection

Controversial moment. By disabling the creation of system shadow copies, on the one hand, you will reduce the number of write cycles, on the other hand, you will increase the risk of getting a non-working system in the event of some unforeseen failure. Using rollback is one of the most effective and easiest ways to return Windows to a working state, for this reason we would not recommend disabling this feature, especially since points are created infrequently and they do not take up much space.

It does not recommend disabling system protection for its Intel SSDs, the same opinion is shared by Microsoft. However, it's up to you. If you use other backup tools, such as Acronis True Image, you can disable system protection. To do this, go to the system properties, on the "System Protection" tab, select the SSD drive and click "Configure". Next, in the recovery options, activate the "Disable system protection" radio button, move the slider to zero and click the "Delete" button.

Disable or not paging file?

An even more controversial solution is to disable the swap file. Someone advises to transfer it to the HDD, someone completely disable it, but not everything is so simple. The paging file is necessary to optimize the performance of the system and programs that require significant RAM resources. Disabling swap can indeed reduce disk usage, but the resulting effect will be very small. In addition, this disabling can significantly reduce the performance of your computer.

There is no particular point in moving the paging file to a hard HDD either, since it is many times slower than an SSD, and the system’s constant access to it will slow down its work. Disabling, or even better, reducing the paging file is permissible only in one case - if your computer has more than 10 GB of RAM, and at the same time you do not use resource-intensive applications. And so, of course, it is better to leave everything by default. You can perform all manipulations with the paging file in the performance parameters window called in the "Run" window by the command system properties performance(hereinafter Advanced - Change).

Prefetch and Superfetch

In theory, it is also better to leave everything by default here. The function does not affect the durability of SSDs in any way, as it does not produce any writes. Moreover, when you install Windows on an SSD, the system automatically turns it off. Want to make sure it's disabled? Go to Registry Editor at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Control/Session Manager/Memory Management/PrefetchParameters and see the parameter value EnableSuperfetch. It should be set to 0. You can also disable it through the Services Control snap-in.

As for Prefetch, its writes to disk are so insignificant that it can be ignored. However, you can turn it off, nothing bad will happen. To do this, in the same registry key, set the value of the parameter EnablePrefetcher 0.

The same can be said about disabling the additional Prefetch ReadyBoot feature that logs the process of loading applications. The volume of records it produces in a folder C:/Windows/Prefetch/ReadyBoot is negligible, but if you want to disable them as well, set the Start parameter in the key to 0 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CurrentControlSet/Control/WMI/Autologger/ReadyBoot.

Programs for optimizing an SSD drive

Almost everything that was shown in the examples above can be done using special utilities. How to set up an SSD under Windows 7/10 using third-party programs? Very simple. Most of them have an intuitive interface, represented by a set of options that can be enabled or disabled. There are many SSD optimizers, but we will focus only on the most popular ones.

SSD Mini Tweaker

The most convenient portable program for optimizing solid state drives. The utility supports working with defragmentation, hibernation and system protection functions, Trim, Superfetch and Prefetcher, paging file and Layout.ini management, indexing, file system cache and some other settings.

The SSD Mini Tweaker interface is represented by a window with a list of functions available for management. You may need to restart your PC after applying the new settings.

A shareware utility for optimizing and tuning the performance of an SSD drive. There is no Russian language in Tweak-SSD, but there is a convenient step-by-step wizard that offers optimal settings. Features of this program include disabling file indexing, program compatibility assistant, hibernation, paging file, defragmentation, last file access time recording, working with TRIM, increasing the file system cache, removing the NTFS limit on memory usage, as well as removing the kernel in memory instead of unloading parts of modules to disk.

SSD Fresh Plus

Another SSD optimizer. Unlike analogues, it supports working with S.M.A.R.T. With Abelssoft SSD Fresh Plus, you can disable defragmentation, the use of abbreviated names for folders and files, timestamps, Windows log, prefetch services.

In total, the utility supports nine different settings that optimize the performance of the SSD. Additional program features include viewing detailed disk information. Distributed in paid and free editions.

Conclusion

On this, perhaps, everything. There are also other SSD optimization recommendations, but for the most part they are either dubious or harmful. In particular, it is not recommended to disable write caching for the SSD drive and the USN journal of the NTFS file system. You should also not transfer programs and Temp temporary folders, browser cache, etc. from the SSD, because then what's the point in buying an SSD drive? We need to speed up the work of programs, transferring them to the HDD, you will only slow down the system.

And finally, here's some good advice for you. Don't bother with SSD optimization especially. Even a budget 128 GB solid state drive will take at least a decade to wear out, unless you start writing and deleting terabytes of data every day. And during this time, not only the disk model, but also the computer itself will become hopelessly outdated.

You will need an SSD, a piece of wire with a USB connector, and blue electrical tape. Will such a set of “ingredients” suit you for assembling an external USB SSD? I'm not there, and I offer you an option to solve the problem with improvised means, but the result should be no worse than the factory one. The problem is actually small, and easily solved in other ways, but it requires a trip to the store or waiting for delivery.

I found an unclaimed SSD with a SATA III interface and the idea came up to use it as an external high-speed drive. What is it for? You can install a second operating system on it, you can record project files when processing video or photos, you can use it as a high-speed flash drive if you often have to carry large files between work and home laptops.

Connection interface selection

There are no SATA inputs on my laptop, but there is USB 3.0. Their speed is approximately the same - 5 Gb / s on USB3.0 and 6 Gb / s on SATA 3.0, but USB is much more common and versatile, there will be no problems finding a device where to connect it. This determined the choice of the connection interface.

The theoretically achievable speed of USB 3.0 is 640Mb/s, which is higher than the declared speed of the SSD. For USB 2.0, the bandwidth does not exceed 60Mb / s, you will not see any difference in performance between an SSD and a regular hard drive, but if necessary, you can use this interface. This is a plus of the versatility and backward compatibility of USB.

Unfortunately, SATA and USB are not compatible with each other, it will not be possible to connect them simply by connecting the pins. An interface converter is required for connection. The speed of work with such an adapter will be lower than with a direct connection via SATA. In any case, it is much higher than the speed of the HDD, which will never exceed 100Mb / s, and in most operating modes it will be significantly lower.

Donor

Previously, I used Thermaltake to connect external SATA HDDs. BlacX Duet 5G HDD Docking Station. It is designed to connect two hard drives of 3.5 ″ or 2.5 ″ format, the design is rather big, but it is quite convenient for the house. Carrying it with me is not included in my plans, I need to look for another way to connect an SSD.

The easiest way was to buy a USB box for 2.5″ drives, but the decision came unexpectedly. One of the external USB drives died at work, I'll try to use it as a USB box.

Disassembling a USB drive

For disassembly, it is better not to use metal tools, they can easily damage the case. I use plastic spatulas from a phone repair kit.

The case of the external HDD consists of two halves, interconnected by latches. Separate them carefully.

Inside is the 2.5″ HDD itself, pasted over with protective foil. We pry it from the side opposite to the USB connector, and the disk can be easily removed from the case.

We peel off the foil together with the insulating substrate, under it there is a small scarf attached to the HDD, this is the converter we need.

SATA 3 to USB 3.0 converter

The board is double-sided, factory soldering, almost perfect. On one side of the board are the main components and the USB 3.0 connector. On the left side of the board is a USB 3.0 to SATA controller - JMICRON JMS577, on the right is a microcircuit responsible for power supply.

The power and SATA 3 connectors are located on the other side.

SSD connection

We connect the converter to the SSD, the contacts are completely the same.

If you need to connect different drives to your computer, often changing them, then you can simply insulate the scarf (here it’s an amateur, you can use electrical tape or heat shrink) and use it without a case.

Since the dimensions of the SSD are the same as the 2.5″ HDD, we can use its case. We insert an SSD into it with a connected converter. It stays in there pretty tight.

Close the top with a lid. If you were careful not to break the latches, then the lid will close tightly.

Work speed

It remains to check the performance of the design and test the speed. I copied several video files to the SSD, and then started copying them to another folder on the same disk. The copy speed was at the level of 164Mb/s.

If you have any questions, you can watch the video version of this article.

You can also buy ready-made USB 3.0 converters or USB boxes for 2.5″ drives.

conclusions

I am quite pleased with the result, with a direct connection of this SSD to SATA on the motherboard of another computer, its speed differed slightly.

One of the easiest ways to improve the performance of your PC is to install a larger hard drive (HDD) for it, or even look for a so-called solid state drive (SDD) to increase the performance of your computer to incredible heights. In this article, we will discuss with you the issue of choosing a disk and installing it.

Step One: Choose Your New Drive

The very first thing all users start with is choosing a disk. Currently, you can install HDD or SSD in your system. It would seem, take what is better - and rightly so. However, it's not all that simple...

Which drive to choose: HDD, SSD or both?

Ask yourself the following question: do you want more performance or more free space?

Today's SSDs are amazing - they are an unrivaled improvement to any existing system. By switching from a conventional hard drive to a solid state drive, you will notice an incredible increase in the performance of your computer. Your PC will start up faster, load applications and large files faster, and last but not least, it will reduce loading times in most modern video games. However, if you look for an SSD with a size of, say, a terabyte, the price will scare you.

However, you can buy a classic hard drive for your system, which will provide you with a huge amount of free space for a relatively low price. In computer equipment stores, you can easily find four terabyte hard drives, which will surely satisfy the needs of any media enthusiast, within 6-8 thousand rubles, and possibly even cheaper.

Among other things, no one forbids you to combine HDD and SSD in the system. If your computer is quite capable of working simultaneously with two disks (and most PCs can do this), then you can install the operating system on the SDD for faster access to various programs and system files, and use the HDD to accumulate all kinds of files, for example, movies, music , some games and even working papers. If, for example, you already have a hard drive, buying an SSD becomes even more attractive: just move the operating system to an SSD, and take the old hard drive as storage.

If money isn't an issue for you - or you're limited to a single connection in your laptop - you can invest in a multi-terabyte SSD, which will solve your dilemma completely. However, most PC users still prefer to create combinations of HDD and SSD.

How big should my disk be?

Typically, hard drives come in two form factors: 2.5″ and 3.5″(inches). The latter, i.e. 3.5″ is considered a full-sized hard drive designed for a desktop computer. As a rule, almost every PC has a place in its system unit for one or even several HDDs of this size. The only exception may be small form factor PCs, such as some HTPCs, which can only fit 2.5″ hard drives inside.

The 2.5″ form factor is traditionally designed for laptops, however, it may also be suitable for some PCs. For example, in some system units you can find places to install a 2.5″ HDD. If you decide to buy a 2.5″ HDD for your PC, but you don’t have a place to install it in the system unit, you will have to buy mounting brackets somewhere in a specialized store. It is worth noting that such braces can be designed to install SSD drives, which, however, does not change anything, since many classic SSDs are made exclusively in the 2.5″ form factor.

Speaking of SSDs, there is another form factor for them - M.2. Solid state drives of this format look completely different: a small and thin board that resembles a bar of RAM. Instead of the usual connection to the motherboard via a SATA cable, it connects to a special M.2 slot. It is worth noting that not all computers are able to work with this type of SSD.

Let's look at something else. Most laptops still use the 2.5″ drive form factor, however, not all models provide their users with easy access to a SATA or M.2 connection. Getting access to the drive mount is quite easy on cheap, large, and business-class laptops. On other models, it may take a lot of sweat to get to the desired element of the device - especially on new models that have switched to the M.2 standard. Changing the drive on such laptops will probably void the warranty and you will probably have to look at some more specific guides for a particular model.

What kind of connection do I need?

All modern 3.5″ and 2.5″ drives use SATA connections for power and data transfer. If you are installing a drive for your PC, then you need to find a 15-pin SATA cable on your power supply. If your PC only has an old 4-pin Molex, use an adapter that can be found in a computer electronics store.

It is definitely not worth worrying about SATA support in your computer, since all modern PCs undoubtedly support this connection interface. You have something to worry about only if you own some really ancient monster, but then you need to think not about buying a working disk, but about changing your computer. However, let's not deviate from the topic.

Let's talk about SATA cables. In the picture below you can take a good look at one of these cables. These are ordinary double-sided cables, one end of which is connected to the motherboard, and the other to the desired drive. Some connectors on SATA cables are L-shaped, but this is done only for ease of connection. However, there are cable variations with exclusively straight plugs. You need to choose a cable based only on how little space your system unit has.

If you are installing a new drive in a laptop that has access to a SATA connector, then you will not even need cables. You can simply connect the HDD or SSD you need directly to the slot that is suitable for this, which already has an output for power and data transfer.

Let's talk a little more about SATA. At the moment, the latest version of the SATA interface is SATA III. Most modern motherboards support SATA III, so you shouldn't have any trouble finding the right HDD or SSD. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that SATA interfaces are fully compatible with each other, for example, you can connect a second SATA HDD to SATA III to the motherboard - it will work fine, but in a limited mode.

For example, by connecting a 550/520MB/s SSD via SATA II, you will limit the sequential read and write speed to about half. There is nothing wrong with connecting SATA III to SATA II, especially when your motherboard supports only SATA II, but if it supports SATA III, try to choose drives with the latest interface version for maximum performance. Use exactly the same principle when buying SATA cables.

Among other things, at the moment there are even more modern SSDs connected via the M.2 interface. This connection interface can be found on many modern motherboards. This is how the M.2 interface looks like with an SSD already installed in it:

We will talk more about these drives and their connection below.

Notebooks. Laptops do not use SATA cables, and therefore you simply have to select one or another drive for it with a SATA interface that suits it. It all depends on the model of a particular laptop, so you will have to find out on your own what SATA (or even M.2.) your old drive is running so that it can be replaced with a new one.

How much free space do I need?

Yes, sometimes this question is asked. The price of a hard drive or solid state drive is commensurate with the amount of free space that it offers to its user. The larger the carrier, the higher the price for it. It's that simple. Stay within your budget.

How fast should my drive be?

In fact, the faster your drive is, the better. For example, if you're swapping out your old hard drive for a new SSD, your mouth will open wide at how much faster your PC is now. And this is even taking into account the fact that your SSD will not be the fastest on the market. Believe me, the difference between HDD and SSD in terms of write and read speed is simply colossal. However, like the price between them, which also cannot be ignored.

If you buy a classic hard drive for your computer, then the speed of such a device is usually expressed in RPM - the purity of spindle rotations per minute. 5400 RPM is a typical speed of some inexpensive solutions (especially the 2.5″ form factor). 7200 RPM is the most common speed for HDDs, and these are the kind of HDDs we recommend using on regular PCs. Among other things, you can also use the services of high-speed 10,000 RPM hard drives, however, for the price at which such devices are usually sold, one cannot help looking at much faster SSDs.

There is also a third option - hybrid drives, which combine HDD and SSD. Such hybrids will not have the speed of a real SSD drive: you will get at your disposal a regular hard drive with a small flash storage cache. Your HDD won't magically become much faster, but it will greatly increase your file caching speed if you're constantly requesting access to the same programs and files. However, these drives are somewhat more expensive than regular hard drives, making them highly unpopular with computer users.

Step Two: Whether to Move the Operating System to a New Drive or Perform a Clean Install

Once you have bought the drive you need for your system, nothing prevents you from opening the case of a laptop or system unit to install it. The next question we have to discuss is whether to move the operating system to a new drive or clean install it. Of course, each of these actions has its pros and cons.

Moving an operating system to a new drive

Transferring the OS to another drive is an extremely lengthy, but important process for those users who do not want to part with the habitable system. Well, it’s understandable: when installing a new system, you will have to configure everything and everything again, which not everyone wants.

Do we recommend doing this process? Only if you really care about your operating system. In another case, we advise you to perform a clean installation, so as not to waste your time on such a simple, but lengthy task. However, you should be aware that there are a number of software that will help you when moving your operating system to another drive.

If you are using a laptop, then you will need to use a SATA adapter connected via a USB interface in order to transfer the operating system and all necessary files. You can do the same with a desktop computer, but it's easier to just install a new disk in the system unit, perform a data transfer, and then disconnect the old disk (or stop it there).

Performing a clean install

Installing a clean operating system on a new drive has a lot of advantages. One of the biggest upsides to this situation is that you literally start from scratch. Your OS will not be littered with old temporary files, forgotten programs and installation files of all kinds of updates. We are also confident that you will notice a small performance boost by moving to a clean OS.

The downside, of course, is that you will have to set up a clean system: installing drivers for PC hardware, installing the necessary programs, as well as games (where can we go without them). Alternatively, you can make a backup of all your important personal data in advance, such as work documents or movie collections, install a clean OS on a new disk, and then download all the copied files to the system. Actually, many users do this in order to get their hands on a clean system and the necessary data.

Step Three: Installing a New Drive

The steps for installing a new drive may vary slightly due to differences between desktops and laptops, as well as SATA and M.2 drives.

Installing a new drive in a laptop

Different laptop models have different access to the drive connection. However, it is worth noting that on some laptops it is extremely problematic to access the drive connection. Some business-class laptops allow their users to remove the drive from the device case by unscrewing just one screw. On other models, it may be necessary to completely disassemble the bottom of the machine or even remove the keyboard. Of course, you will have to find out on your own how to perform this procedure for your laptop model.

Let's, for example, analyze the disk replacement for the ThinkPad T450s laptop model. A laptop like this is several years old, and in order to replace a drive in a machine like this, you would have to completely remove the bottom of the case. It is worth noting that most often you will have to perform exactly the same procedure on other laptops, at least on models similar to the ThinkPad T450s.

To access the drive, you first need to remove the battery and eight screws in various places on the case. Once you're done, you can remove the bottom of the laptop case. This laptop has a hard drive installed, which you can see in the upper right corner of the screenshot below.

To remove the drive itself, you need to unscrew another screw, lift the drive a little, and then carefully remove it from the SATA connector built into the system. Next, you need to pull the old rim out of the aluminum mount with rubber bumpers. Then take your new drive and place it in this aluminum mount, after which you need to follow the previously described process in reverse: connect the drive to the SATA connector.

Now let's take a quick look at connecting an M.2 SSD drive. So, connecting such a small board is done as follows: take the board, gently insert it into the connector (on the right side in the previously shown screenshot), slowly bend the board in the connector to the screw hole, screw the board to the motherboard. As a result, the SSD drive in M.2 literally does not take up space in the laptop, as it is pressed against the motherboard.

It is worth noting again that the process of changing a disk may differ from laptop to laptop. If you need step-by-step instructions for disassembling your particular laptop, Google search will help you. You will definitely find at least some material related to your laptop model.

Installing a new disk in a desktop computer

If you have never changed anything in your computer, but only, for example, cleaned it, then it must be said that the process of replacing a disk is exactly the same process in terms of complexity as replacing a disk in a laptop, which you could learn about from the above information.

All you need to change a drive on a desktop PC is a screwdriver, a purchased drive, and a SATA cable that fits it. You'll also need to connect power to the drive you're installing, but your power supply should have the correct cable included with it. However, if there is no such cable, use an adapter.

So, turn off your computer first, as trying to replace something in a running computer is a very bad idea. Then, as a rule, remove the side cover from the system unit case (on the left side, if you look at the front side of the unit). Having exposed the insides of the machine, take a good look around: the place you need to install the disk will be in the front of the case. If you are replacing a drive, you should see it connected to the motherboard via a SATA cable. The power cable, in turn, will go from the side of the power supply.

The note: it is worth noting that in your system unit you can see both 2.5″ and 3.5″ disks. Among other things, it can be located in a completely different place. In some custom system units, disks can be placed completely behind the motherboard. Not finding the disk in the usual place, remove the second cover from the system unit and examine the bottom of the board.

If you're not going to keep the old drive as a spare, then it's time to take it out. Depending on the situation, you can also leave the power and SATA cable in order to connect the new drive. So, first you need to disconnect a couple of cables from the old disk: power and data. CAREFULLY: these cables are often equipped with special latches.

If the old disk is placed in a special mount, pull it out from there using a screwdriver. As soon as you make sure that the disk has been detached from the system unit, pull it out and put it aside. We remind you that things like disks are extremely delicate devices, so be careful with them. All you have to do is repeat the whole process described above, but only with a new drive: fix it in the system unit and connect the power and data cables.

M.2 SSD drives - everything is done here in the same way as in the case of laptops: insert the board at an angle into the M.2 slot, bend it to the screw hole and screw it to the motherboard. The advantage of these drives is that you can easily combine them with SATA drives without taking up too much space.

That's all. You may have to fiddle around with a bunch of screws, but other than that it's pretty straightforward. Once you're done, take another look at your work: check the connections, count the screws, and more. After replacing the old or installing a new disk, close the system unit, and then try to start your PC. If you did everything correctly, you can start installing a new OS or enter a previously transferred one.

Found a typo? Select the text and press Ctrl + Enter

Unlike traditional hard drives, SSDs don't have any mechanical parts to access data, so switching from a boot drive to an SSD reduces read times. Physically installing an SSD drive is no different than installing a conventional HDD, but to optimize SSD performance, you must tweak your operating system and computer firmware.

Replacement of old equipment

When replacing the HDD with an SSD, you can either transfer the existing OS from the old disk by cloning it or install a new copy of the OS. Disk cloning requires assigning a partition at least as large as the source, and SSD drives are usually smaller than hard drives, so you need to back up and remove unnecessary files from the source.

On the computer, connect the SSD to the SATA slot, leaving your HDD connected. Also, replace the HDD with an SSD, and then connect the HDD to the computer as an external drive. The USB drive converts the drive's SATA connector to USB format so you can use it as a removable media. Boot from the external drive, select "Temporary boot options" or a similar choice in the BIOS on the splash screen, and then select the external USB hard drive in boot options.

Cloning a boot partition

Before cloning your hard drive, defragment it using a disk defragmentation and optimization tool. Select a partition, then click the "Analyze" and "Optimize" buttons and defragment the disk if necessary. Next, you need to shrink the partition to fit the new drive using the Disk Management utility; press the “Windows” key, type “diskmgmt.msc” (without quotes) and press the “Enter” key to open it. Right-click on the partition, select "Shrink Volume" and then, in the field "Enter the Amount of Space to Shrink in MB," enter the number of megabytes to remove everything from this partition so that it is suitable for an SSD. Transfer files to the new SSD using a disk cloning program such as Clonezilla, EaseUS Todo Backup, or Acronis. Each of these programs works differently, but they all contain an option that directly allows you to transfer files from the old drive to the new one. Select this option from the main menu, and then select the source and destination drives when prompted.

Installing and fine-tuning the OS

When you don't have a lot of apps installed on your HDD, installing a fresh OS version is a bit easier than cloning as it doesn't require any additional software. Installing an OS on an SSD is no different than installing it on a hard drive, but when using an SSD drive as a boot drive, some minor tweaks are required. Enable the Advanced Host Controller Interface for SSD by opening Regedit and selecting the following directory:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services

Click the “msahci” button, then double-click the “Start” button and make sure the DWORD value is 0. Confirm the same Start DWORD in the pciide directory. Restart your computer and enter the BIOS, then select "Storage" or similar in the BIOS. In your SSD storage options, select "AHCI" so that Windows recognizes the drive as an SSD. Before exiting the BIOS, open the boot options menu and follow the on-screen instructions in - Device Boot Order to install the SSD first.

Optimizing your system

After booting Windows to the SSD, open Defrag and Optimize Your Drives, and then select Your SSD from the menu. The applet displays the SSD next to the drive letter because Windows recognizes it as an AHCI device. Windows doesn't know whether to defragment it or not, which shortens the disk's lifespan with unnecessary writes and erasing bytes. Instead, Windows automatically enables the Trim feature to optimize SSD performance. Trim are special commands that the OS sends to your SSD to make up for the difference in how SSD and HDD handle data. SSD data is processed instantly, except for a few seconds or minutes, the HDD needs time to move its mechanical head to find blocks of data that become fragmented when the disk is spinning. The disadvantage of using it as a boot SSD is that after writing and deleting data, 10,000 to 100,000 times, the flash memory degrades and no longer stores data. To prolong the life of your SSD drive, store your documents, media, and other files on an HDD with plenty of storage.

My wife uses a laptop, so I decided to upgrade her computer too. The installation process is somewhat easier and faster. So here are my steps.

1. I unscrew the bolts of the compartment in which the old hard drive is installed.
2. I open the lid and find a plastic tab on the hard drive.
3. I pull the tab in the opposite direction from the connectors to which the HDD is connected.
4. I put an SSD in its place, close the lid.

The laptop is now ready to install the OS. That's all well and good, you say, but what if your SSD isn't big enough to handle all your tasks? An additional external hard drive (portable) is not always convenient to use. But you can't do without the good old hard drive. Therefore, we leave it in its old place and sacrifice the DVD drive. It must be dismantled, and in its place, install a special adapter into which the drive is inserted. I think that it is preferable to send the old HDD in place of the adapter.

As a result of the work, both computers accelerated at times. All programs open instantly after a double click. After I learned how to install an SSD in a laptop in a more complicated way, I immediately bought an adapter and reinstalled Windows for my wife. A prerequisite for increasing speed is the fact that the operating system must be installed on a solid state drive. The old hard drive will now serve to store media files, documents and other information.