Is it good to partition a SSD?

Hi all,

Thanks for all your help, I've just ordered a T510 and a 3rd party Intel X25-M 160GB SSD.

Before the machine comes (which will at least be a dreadfully long 2 weeks), I'd like to educate myself properly on how to handle a SSD.

So I've always been partitioned a HDD into two partition - one for system/programs, and the other one for storage. I do this mainly for convenience, as if I have to wipe out C drive and reinstall windows, I don't need to bother with my data on the data partition. This reduces the size of the backup image as well.

I know the best bet is to get a 2nd hardrive to go on the ultrabay, but I'd like to carry the disc drive around most of the time.

So, my question is, is it a good idea to partition a SSD like I do with a HDD? Is there any pitful/drawback, if there exists? And, how do people manage their SSD space in general, compare to with HDD?

Thanks in advance!

 

There's no real benefit for SSDs since the only rotating media plus I can see is doing disk defragmentation and other error repair activities on a per-partition basis to save time. With the SSD, all the free cluster reorganization is drive by the controller through the OS (not the other way around) so you won't see any benefits.

I'd encourage you to intelligently place files into Win7 libraries to keep the organization clean and easy.

 

I don't use explorer to manage my files, but that may change in the future. My main incentive to partition is only OS&Prorgram/Data segregation. I understand there's not any sensible performance gain arise from partitioning a SSD. My concern is mainly can I still partition my drive for the sake of data segregation, without impacting the performance/life/health of the SSD?

 

Correct - partioning will have no impact on SSD longevity.

 

I've heard concerns somewhere that partitioning an SSD makes system partition much more prone to write damage as it's written on a lot more. Worse is when one of the partition gets filled up, then it will deteriorate even faster.

However, there're other suggestions that the partition in SSD is absolutely abstract and conceptual, in a sense that partitions do not confine data storage to any particular physical regions in the SSD, as is the case in HDD. If this true, a partitioned SSD is no different from a non-partitioned one, at least in the system level operation that the disk carries out.

May I know which one is the correct opinion?

 

Partitioning a SSD has no real effect, negative or positive, except for organizational purposes, which is what I do on mine.

Partitioning an SSD does not create extra wear. The drive itself does not "see" partitions. It does wear leveling across the drive evenly.

 

Be careful to leave the SYSTEM_DRV partition intact when you set up the drive, this is the boot partition necessary for Window to work.

 

Where can I see the 'SYSTEM_DRV' partition?
For your reference, I have not received my neither of the SSD or the T510 machine yet. I will swap the original 5200rpm drive out from the T510 and put in a completely fresh and blank X25-M SSD.

In this case, is the SYSTEM_DRV an intel default partition or it's only visible after I install windows on it?

 

It is a partition without a drive letter that you will see in Disk Management.
If you use the Lenovo recovery media (or a Windows retail disk, I assume) to install the OS on the SSD then the partition will be written automatically.

I don't know what would happen if you just copied the C: partition to the SSD using a clone tool, which is why I mentioned it. Someone wiser than me may shed light on it.

 

I also like to have a separate partition for files, and did so for 6 months with a Summit OCZ. But after updating the firmware to TRIM-enabled I daily lost of everything on the data partition, so I now place everything on the one partition, and haven't had a problem since. I still don't know the reason...

 

Thank you. I plan to burn the recovery partition in my upcoming T510 to DVD and install in back onto the blank SSD. So I guess that'll take care of it automatically.

This is scary...does anyone know why, or has similar experience? ......make me wonder if I should avoid partitioning.

 

Well updating the firmware of an SSD is always a little spooky, so who knows? I have repartitioned my X25-M a couple times, and have installed OSX twice and Win 7 twice, without issue. I updated to the latest firmware when I got it several weeks ago.

 

yeh, I wouldn't worry. OCZ has not been of any help, so I took easy way out, and removed partition. Probably I should have removed partition before doing the firmware update, and then created a new partition...then restored the files to the new partition. OCZ did not give such instructions or give any warnings except that the firmware update destroyed all data. I think the problem is something to do with partition alignment - but do not have the knowledge in that area...

 

SSD's will last longer than you will ever use them

 

Though SSD MTBF's are 1.2-2 million hours (SLC versions have much better expected longevity than MLC), but that does not mean that in any particular instance they will last that long - or even that they won't fail in the next second.
SSD's and HDD's are usable as long as they last