128 SSD, 115 GB system drive

[seclusion]

Good morning.

I am looking at purchasing an SSD Drive.
My OS system drive is 115 GB, I have moved everything that can be moved without wrecking software installs.
I know it is optimal to have 30-40 GB of space on a regular HD or else the system will slow down.
Is this the same with an SSD, should I have 30-40 GB of free space available?
I could go with the Intel 160 version but that is another $150 then a 128 GB one.

Thank you

 

[Hellhammer]

It's good to have at least 10GB free space so you should be fine

 

[Makosuke]

Is that 115GB as reported by 10.6, or an earlier OS? I ask because, while Snow Leopard reports sizes in "decimal GB", as do hard drive makers (usually, anyway; I THINK that's the case with SSDs, but haven't checked personally), earlier OSes do it in binary GB, which are about 7% larger, and mean you'd be cutting it a LOT closer.

Either way, my guess is that's a little too close for comfort--taking into account that stuff on the drive has a much stronger tendency to increase rather than decrease, and swap files created by the OS, you could easily eat up the remaining space (if it actually is 13GB, which might not be the case depending on how either number is calculated) in a short amount of time. Particularly if you have software that's using 115GB alongside the OS--that's rather huge (what ARE you running?).

Possible options: If your OS install is "stock" that came with the computer, it probably includes several GB of printer drivers and language files that you never use. Doing a fresh install with everything but the drivers and languages you use unchecked, then using the migration assistant to import your apps and user files, might well free up a few extra GB. Doing the same but NOT migrating apps, instead reinstalling those you actually use, could also free up a little extra (or a lot, depending).

Final question: You said you'd moved everything you could, but are you sure you completely cleaned out everything not essential from your user(s) folder? 115GB for only apps and system seems awfully large to me, so maybe you missed some large files in the user folder somewhere? For example, if you've got a massive amount of email (say, you regularly get big attachments or something), maybe you could move your mail folder to a non SSD...

 

[seclusion]

Thanks

Ya I think I'll spring for the 160 GB SSD.
I do audio recording and there are a couple of older instruments that have to be stored on the OS drive or they won't work.
Yes I've minimized as much as can be without affecting these apps.

Thanks