I have a question about SSD + HD combos, when you buy a computer.

legaiaflame

New Member
Okay, I'm looking at a computer that comes with both a SSD + a HD. The SSD is 250 GB and the HD is a 1TB SATA Drive. This is a computer that contains a SSD and a HD. The main drive the computer will use for the OS with be the SSD. So my question is:

If I max out the SSD drive space, will it start switching over to and using up the regular hard drive automatically? Or is there something weird I have to do, to switch over to the regular HD once the SSD is used up?
 

johnb35

Administrator
Staff member
You only want windows and a few programs installed to the SSD that will benefit from the speed. If you have a lot of programs or games, install them to the HDD. Just change the install directory. It won't automatically start using the other drive when the SSD runs out of space. You can also go to your users folder and change the drive location for the following folders.

Music
Pictures
Video
Documents
Downloads

This way all your personal files will be on the HDD instead of the SSD. Right click on each of those folders and click on properties, then click on the location tab, then change drive location to your HDD.
 

legaiaflame

New Member
New
"You only want windows and a few programs installed to the SSD that will benefit from the speed."

What sort of programs benefit from the speed? So, I should store my games on the regular HD?

Also, if I ran out of space on the SSD what would happen? In other words, if I went to download something online and select "Save as" could I select the regular HD as a location for the file to download to?
 
Last edited by a moderator:

johnb35

Administrator
Staff member
Also, if I ran out of space on the SSD what would happen?
1. Your system would be slower
2. Some programs will only default to C drive.
3. Would probably freeze up quite a bit.
if I went to download something online and select "Save as" could I select the regular HD as a location for the file to download to?
You can yes, but thats why I mentioned changed the folder location for your personal files and stuff. It will automatically save there when you select the folder.
What sort of programs benefit from the speed?
Certain games and apps benefit from a faster drive. What stuff will you be installing? I mean if you are as steam or Origin junkie that plays a lot of stuff, some of the games require over 10 gigs of drive space.
 

legaiaflame

New Member
"Certain games and apps benefit from a faster drive. What stuff will you be installing?"

Most likely games and vr games.
 

legaiaflame

New Member
So if I wanted to install a game to the regular Hard Drive, would I just select the Hard Drive icon found in my computer during installation? Or do you need to be more specific with the exact directory?

Also, once files are downloaded onto the SSD can I drag or copy them into the regular hard drive if I wanted to?
 
Last edited by a moderator:

johnb35

Administrator
Staff member
Yes, you can drag and drop personal files but not anything that needs to be installed.

So if I wanted to install a game to the regular Hard Drive, would I just select the Hard Drive icon found in my computer during installation? Or do you need to be more specific with the exact directory?
You basically have to watch to see if you get custom install options or advanced install options like the following image for example. You would need to change install folder to the drive your HDD is labeled. Don't change anything else but the drive letter.

custom install.jpg
 

Agent Smith

Well-Known Member
I would also create a downloads folder to the platter not the SSD and configure your browser to use the platter for downloads and not on the SSD. You don't want to write too much to a SSD. Although, that was the rule of thumb years ago, I'm sure that philosophy has changed. Just install anything that needs fast hard drive speed to the SSD. All else goes on the platter. Like music, downloads, etc. If you have games that load levels it might be better to install those games to SSD.

I would also buy an external hard drive that's big enough for the SSD and clone the computer every now and then just in case the drive fails. I use AOMEI Backupper. Very simple interface.
 

Agent Smith

Well-Known Member
Whoopsie!


E96n9vp.jpg



Well, to my credit I did give a little more detail. You didn't mention that you should configure your browser for the new path. Albeit, you have another approach. I don't use that method myself.
 

ShadowSeeker

New Member
Basically, you want your system and program you'd want to load and work quickly on your SSD. I use to sit on HDDs and then I was gifted Toshiba Q300 Pro by my friend and the specialist of home electronics at besttechexpert.guide where we god the SSD recommended that you keep your system (Windows) and any handy soft you use, like Skype - there's enough space for it. Big files, like games and movies I'm keeping on my 2TB HDD and it works perfectly fine - but if you have a game you'd want to load very fast, like your main multiplayer game of choice, you can put it on the SSD as well and then wait for everyone else in the match to load ;)
 
Top