Vertex 2 SSD - Install guide and speed differences....

[Ifti]

Hi all

I upgraded my stock HDD today to the 240GB Vertex 2 SSD, which uses the SandForce controller.
Ive yet to update the SSD to the latest firmware - as it can only be done through Windows!!

Nevertheless, pretty happy with how much quicker the applications start up.....

Speed test times (in seconds):
Boot Up - HDD - 28.5
Boot Up - SSD - 21.7
Opening PhotoShop CS4 - HDD - 11.1
Opening PhotoShop CS4 - SSD - 3.4
Opening Word 2008 - HDD - 9.1
Opening Word 2008 - SSD - 2.4

Heres a video guide showing the unboxing, install process, and basic testing.....

YouTube - MacBook Pro 240GB Vertex 2 SSD Unbox, Upgrade & Testing

Not sure if updating the firmware would increase the performance much more, but Im hoping Apple bring an update along with better support for SSDs. This Vertex 2 SSD runs even faster with Windows 7 apparently!

Bedsides the firmware, and although Im pretty happy with the results so far, anything else I could try to tweak performance?

EDIT:
UPDATE!!!

After a couple of reboots, my SSD performance has INCREASED!!

Ive shaved another almost 5 secs off of my boot time. Im not sure how this has happened? Maybe the drive needed to settle in??

My new boot time is now 16.9 secs!!!
Ive created a new update video here.....

YouTube - MacBook Pro 240GB Vertex 2 SSD - Part 2 - Performance Increase!

Very happy with the performance now. I also read someone else had a sudden speed increase after a little usage. Not sure why this happens, but Im happy!!

 

[Mitchel]

Thanks for sharing your results! It's amazingly fast.

I have the 120 GB version but unfortunately I'm having some issues with it.

How many GB of the 240 are actually available to you?

 

[Ifti]

I will check when I get home tonight and get back to you

 

[Weaselboy]

Thanks for sharing your results! It's amazingly fast.

I have the 120 GB version but unfortunately I'm having some issues with it.

How many GB of the 240 are actually available to you?

If you have the hibernate command turned on (it is on by default on laptops), a virtual space is set aside on the drive to copy memory contents in case the battery looses power. So if you have 4GB of memory, it will set aside 4GB + 750MB for virtual ram space.

See this thread.

 

[stylinexpat]

Nice, congrats on the new SSD. I love mine

 

[Ifti]

Its saying I have the full 240GB available.
If I add the amount I have used to the amount I have spare - it totals 240GB precisely.

 

[chaoticbear]

I'd imagine it's actually 256 and is already hiding the spare 16 GB from you.

 

[JKK photography]

I'd imagine it's actually 256 and is already hiding the spare 16 GB from you.

Pretty sure SSDs devote a little bit to 'housekeeping,' so as to keep the drive running fast.

I read it in one of the anandtech explanations of SSDs.

 

[chaoticbear]

Pretty sure SSDs devote a little bit to 'housekeeping,' so as to keep the drive running fast.

I read it in one of the anandtech explanations of SSDs.

That's what I was getting at.

Did you make it through the whole 30something pages of that article? Lord, that was a longwinded one.

 

[JKK photography]

That's what I was getting at.

Did you make it through the whole 30something pages of that article? Lord, that was a longwinded one.

Yeah

I get obsessed sometimes about new tech, and I was really into SSDs when I read it. Slow day at the office, so I just pulled it up and started reading.

 

[gabicava83]

Awesome, just got one of these bad boys on my desk.

Let us know how you get on with the firmware upgrade, need to do that myself.

G.

 

[chaoticbear]

Yeah

I get obsessed sometimes about new tech, and I was really into SSDs when I read it. Slow day at the office, so I just pulled it up and started reading.

I kind of just started reading, and didn't ever click on the dropdown on the bottom to realize there were so many pages. I probably wouldn't have finished it if I had known that up front.