Installing Lion on a used SSD

[SuprUsrStan]

I couldn't think of a better place to post this so if this is in the wrong place my bad.

I have a Intel 510 SSD running snow leopard and I was wondering when I install Lion, should I do a full wipe with the intel optimization software? (Different from just zeroing out the drive) Ideally I guess I should but that requires a lot of work considering I would have to stick this drive into a desktop and perform the wipe, install Snow Leopard on the computer, download Lion and then do a clean install of Lion on the drive.

I'm debating if it's really worth the trouble since Lion does support Trim.

 

[fehhkk]

Lion doesn't support non-Apple SSDs out of the box (even on the Developer Preview). You will have to use the TRIM Enabler tool, and it does work.

Just install Lion, download the tool and enable TRIM.

 

[SuprUsrStan]

Right I have no doubt I can get Trim to work in Lion but what I'm asking is if I should trim the entire volume before installing SL to install Lion or if it is the same as just clean installing Lion w/o trimming the volume beforehand in the long run.

 

[fehhkk]

For best performance, you should secure-erase the drive first.

Not sure how it is with your 5-series Intel, but with the X-25M G2, you can secure erase it with Linux, within your same Mac (No need to use a Windows-based PC).

https://ata.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/ATA_Secure_Erase

 

[SuprUsrStan]

Thanks for the replies but the answers aren't exactly what I'm looking for so let me rephrase.

In the long run, is it the same if I do a full trim of the drive vs letting Lion's trim do it's job during usage? ie. 3 months after, the performance should be the same right? Since you wrote and rewrote over everything many times over by then.

EDIT: Also, there's a fine line between zeroing out a drive and trimming a drive. Disk utility's zero, 7 pass and 35 pass erase would actually do more damage than good.

 

[awer25]

Thanks for the replies but the answers aren't exactly what I'm looking for so let me rephrase.

In the long run, is it the same if I do a full trim of the drive vs letting Lion's trim do it's job during usage? ie. 3 months after, the performance should be the same right? Since you wrote and rewrote over everything many times over by then.

EDIT: Also, there's a fine line between zeroing out a drive and trimming a drive. Disk utility's zero, 7 pass and 35 pass erase would actually do more damage than good.

Yes, assuming TRIM is working properly with the drive (which is a big assumption at this point).