ExpressCache effectiveness doubts

I installed ExpressCache on mine X220 using a MyDigitalSSD SC2 64GB mSATA SSD.
I don't configure the SSD at all, just put it into mSATA slot. It's not visible as a drive but it's visible as resource.
I also don't configure ExpressCache at all, just installed it.

Appear that EC is working:

ExpressCache Command Version 1.0.86.0

EC Cache Info
==================================================
==================================================
Mounted : Yes
Partition Size : 32.00 GB
Reserved Size : 3.00 MB
Volume Size : 32.00 GB
Total Used Size : 24.98 GB
Total Free Space : 7.02 GB
Used Data Size : 24.90 GB
Used Data Size on Disk : 24.97 GB

Cache Read Percent : 53.56%
Cache Write Percent : 51.91%

But: my boot time it's still 73 sec after many reoots and some days of usage and CrystallDiskMark can't find any improvement respect my HDD. Appear that some app sart time are improved and general usage it's sure faster but I was thinking something better.

Need I to do something else? Need I to increase the cache size? I read about not to use more than 50% of SSD to increase his lifespan and also the 32GB cache size are not fully used. Need I also to format the SSD?

Since my SSD it's also provided with FNet Hybridisk caching sw I wante to compare the two options, and want to be sure I use EC at best before try the other sw.

 

I have the same question. I already installed a new SSD on my T530, which comes with an 16GB internal SSD. I wonder if I can still use ExpressCache to further speed up the system?

 

If you have nothing but SSDs in your system then the answer is NO, EC will not speed up a ALL SDD system. EC was designed to speed up a system using a HDD as the primary system partition by using a small Solid State cache and I can confirm that it 100% works when used in this type of setup. The difference is very noticeable.

 

I can't remember if ExpressCache supports partitions larger than 32GB, if so, is there a reason why it's saying the partition is only 32GB on a 64GB mSATA drive? You said that you didn't configure any partitions on the SSD so I imagine it would report one large 64GB partition, unless it only supports 32GB.

EC definitely works, I know because I used it before moving to a 256GB intel SSD and it reduced my boot time by more than 12 seconds vs using the HDD alone. I still use EC with a 16GB mSATA drive to cache some of my 512GB HDD data.

To be honest if you have a mSATA drive that is 64GB or larger I don't see the point in using it just for EC. EC offers great performance for a very small cost when used with small 16GB or even 32GB mSATA drives but if you're spending on a 64GB or more SSD, you may as well install the whole OS on the 64GB mSATA, 64GB is more than enough for just the OS.

I don't know if EC needs the whole mSATA drive to be unpartitioned but if not, I would partition 48GB of your 64GB mSATA and install the OS on the 48GB partition, then have EC use the remaining 16GBs for the purpose of caching assuming you have a HDD to speed up.

I found 16GB was enough cache for EC to provide me a noticeable performance boost. This way you have all OS files permanently on the 48GB partition of the mSATA drive which will definitely boost your boot time performance and you still have 16GB of space to use for caching files stored on a traditional HDD.

 

I think EC support max 32GB, I even didn't format the drive and EC create the new 32GB partition from himself, the second part of the SSD was not partitioned at all.
I now formatted the other 32GB and try to use it as ReadyBoost cache.
Need to say I have a first improvement using EC, but since using also RB my boot time halved again.

I received many many times the suggestion to reinstall the OS, the problem is I'm both afraid to have problems (no experience) and also to waste a lot of time to reinstall and configure all the applications I got in the last coupe of years.

So I will try to maximize the benefit of a cache, without touching anything of my present conf. My present concern are:

1. Using both EC and RB can I have compatibility problems?
2. Using 100% of the SSD (32GB for EC and 32GB for RB) can I have wear leveling problems that will affect SSD reliability?

 

You need to stop toing with crappy technology and use your money wiser.

You could just buy usual msata 64GB ssd which is more than enough for OS and software and hold user data on hdd.

 

And spend the next 2-3 days reinstalling the OS, about 40 app, and configuring all of them? Also without the help of anyone, if something goes wrong it's my problem? Also without having MS Office installers, so that I can't find a way to reinstall all of them? Also without any backup system, so I can't use it to do my everyday work?

After reading too many times this mantra I'm starting to think may forums are filled with SSD vendors reps that push people to buy unnecessary SSDs. I already have my boot time 1/3 of the original one, most used apps start in seconds and also shutdown and standby are much faster, with just some minutes of SSD installation and some sparse time of caching experiments. Where is the problem with all of that?

Considerations not specific to you James D, I'm only a bit tired to read all the same without any specific reasoning.

 

And spend 30 minutes for cloning current OS to SSD.

SSD is like a new life. Caching solutions are like new liver for an old man.

 

I don't want to be rude, but this is not a response, it's just a statement.
Why SSD it's new life? Caching will do exactly the same work: transfer on the SSD most used files such as OS one.
Have you done any comparisons to support what you say?

 

I used all possible caching solutions before bought SSD.

RAMDISK + eBoostr (IMO the best caching software). Don't think that I am 10 years old boy whose 1-st laptop was with SSD and who came to a friend whose laptop has dual core and HDD. In fact, I believe that eBostr gave better Firefox's launch speed. Besides HDD had prefetch function enabled. But I have not seen or heared ANYONE who would want to go back to platter drives after he used SSD.

So yeah, maybe it was a statement but I believe I can do such statements. And maybe you should stop being that stubborn?
You bought SSD after all. All your problem was buying wrong SSD and wrong usage. My opinion of course.

Not speaking specifically about you but I see something similar in HDD hater's philosophy as in 80 years old virgin grannies who call prostitute any girl who walks with a boy later than 8 p.m.

 

nice comparison really! I really don't want to be stubborn, just to understand and avoid risks.

In fact I don't buy the wrong SSD as I understand 64GB can be enough for OS installation. I want to have both options, starting with the easy one and without spending a fortune for a bigger SSD.

Can you suggest a good cloning sw? I will anyway experiment more with the caching concept, that many state it's the first step before a full SSD installation.

 

I made a typo LOL. I wanted to write SSD haters. facepalm

Caching SSD (at least OCZ Synapse Cache which also comes with SSD and a code for some software) have twice bigger size than what is used. That is made for longer life because often writes and rewrites which will be on such kind of usage will kill SSD faster if it won't have 50% of spare area. Or overprovisioning.

Speaking about free cloning software I can't help. I know they exists for sure. In the past you could download norton software from Samsug's site but people say it is awful. There are others.

I used Acronis True Image Home but do not want to say that you need to buy any software at all. I just used it because it is not just possible to backup and restore it on another drive. It backs up whatever drive or partition you want in smart ways.

 

Hi Davide445,

I am all for using EC technology if that's the best you can afford at the time. It really does give a noticeable performance boost over using just traditional HDDs, I know I was really happy with the extra gains but moving to a 100% SSD solution normally gives you another level of performance again.

Do not be afraid to move your OS from a HDD to a SSD. As was mentioned earlier, there is now really good cloning programs for cheap like Acronis True Image Premium which you can buy for only $79. It's used by many of the experienced users here to clone and backup their data.

You should have a decent backup solution anyway. The only issue is you need to make sure your OS partition does not have more than 64GB of data stored on it, seeing that is the size of your mSATA drive. The size of the OS partition is not really a problem, Acronis can clone to different size drives, the issue can be the amount of data on the original partition, it needs to be less than the size of the disk you are cloning to.

The cloning process is easy, takes about 20-30min and zero risk as it doesn't modify your original data.

In saying this, I am glad you got EC working well.

 

The problem is my current OS installation it's not in a separate partition. How can I define what I need to clone? I'm at all not an expert into OS installation.