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Newbie - which SSD is most reliable for Boot Camp?

J

jhbodle

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 6, 2010
6
6
Hi,

I'm a long time user of PCs but have just bought my first Mac - a new 2010 MacBook Pro 13". I want to replace the hard drive with an SSD, however looking through the threads on this forum have got me worried. The Intel ones seem to have issues with Boot Camp (I want to install Windows 7 x64 on it as well as OSX) and the OCZ Vertex forums have horror stories of Macbooks not booting at all off the SSD (albeit on the 2009 Macbooks).

Is there any SSD that has proven just to work? Ideally it should have garbage collection as well and be 120-160GB but that is my only stipulation.
 
jhbodle said:
Hi,

I'm a long time user of PCs but have just bought my first Mac - a new 2010 MacBook Pro 13". I want to replace the hard drive with an SSD, however looking through the threads on this forum have got me worried. The Intel ones seem to have issues with Boot Camp (I want to install Windows 7 x64 on it as well as OSX) and the OCZ Vertex forums have horror stories of Macbooks not booting at all off the SSD (albeit on the 2009 Macbooks).

Is there any SSD that has proven just to work? Ideally it should have garbage collection as well and be 120-160GB but that is my only stipulation.
Click to expand...


intel x25m gen 2
160g

that drive support trim. is the "garbage collection "
 
dplxy said:
intel x25m gen 2
160g
Click to expand...

That was my front runner until I read this thread:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/897323/

It must boot reliably into Windows every time I ask it to as it is a work machine.

Currently I'm looking at that Intel, the OCZ Vertex and the WD SiliconEdge Blue. I believe the last two have their own garbage collection / internal TRIM which could be useful. But I don't want to spend £200 + VAT on a drive that might not work properly.
 
You don't want the SiliconEdge Blue.

The OCZ Vertex II is one of the best drives on the market. But it's expensive.

Also take a look at the OWC Mercury Pros.
 
I had exactly the same concerns as I will be using the Windows side for work as well (regularly). I installed the X25-M and partitioned it with Bootcamp with no problems. So far it has been running perfectly (knock wood). Boot to OS X takes 19 seconds flat. In Windows 7 apps start instantaneously.

If you do get the SSD there were a couple of steps I had to take:

1. Update the firmware on the SSD. Intel has an iso to download and burn to a disk. Their instructions are pretty straightforward.

2. After the update you will have to format the drive (a step I missed at first).

3. After you format the drive (for OS X) you will have to partition it for your Mac first. The partition is essentially the whole drive. You will be walked through the process.

4. Then you will re-install Snow Leopard. Once the installation is complete you should be able to run Bootcamp with no problems.

What I just wrote is from memory (I did this a week or so ago) but is essentially the process.

I recommend the X25-M second generation 160GB highly!
 
I have a 1st gen X-25M that's running Bootcamp reliably.

I started with iDefrag first though.

rotobadger said:
I had exactly the same concerns as I will be using the Windows side for work as well (regularly). I installed the X25-M and partitioned it with Bootcamp with no problems. So far it has been running perfectly (knock wood). Boot to OS X takes 19 seconds flat. In Windows 7 apps start instantaneously.

If you do get the SSD there were a couple of steps I had to take:

1. Update the firmware on the SSD. Intel has an iso to download and burn to a disk. Their instructions are pretty straightforward.

2. After the update you will have to format the drive (a step I missed at first).

3. After you format the drive (for OS X) you will have to partition it for your Mac first. The partition is essentially the whole drive. You will be walked through the process.

4. Then you will re-install Snow Leopard. Once the installation is complete you should be able to run Bootcamp with no problems.

What I just wrote is from memory (I did this a week or so ago) but is essentially the process.

I recommend the X25-M second generation 160GB highly!
Click to expand...
 
Rotobadger and Steffi, from your other posts I see you have 15 or 17" MBPs. I think the 13" models are the only ones to have problems with the Intel drive.

I know the SiliconEdge Blue isn't a cutting edge drive, but the OS-independant TRIM system it implements could be worth its weight in gold, don't you think? Otherwise i'll probably go for an original OCZ Vertex (although some have reported sleep issues with the 13" MBP).

I am not after the outright speed king necessarily, just an SSD that works without any issues in a 13" MBP, which seems surprisingly hard...
 
According to the latest issue of MaximumPC, the SiliconEdge Blue has horrendous reads and writes that fluctuate more so than any other drive. I wouldn't touch it with a 10ft pole.
 
Xombie11 said:
According to the latest issue of MaximumPC, the SiliconEdge Blue has horrendous reads and writes that fluctuate more so than any other drive. I wouldn't touch it with a 10ft pole.
Click to expand...

Ah, OK i'll forget about that one then.
 
I'm looking at the Intel SSDSA2MH160G2R5.

160GB, it seems to be compatible with bootcamp- can someone confirm this?

Fast SSD with large storage and reasonable price for other SSD in this price range.
 
jhbodle said:
Hi,

I'm a long time user of PCs but have just bought my first Mac - a new 2010 MacBook Pro 13". I want to replace the hard drive with an SSD, however looking through the threads on this forum have got me worried. The Intel ones seem to have issues with Boot Camp (I want to install Windows 7 x64 on it as well as OSX) and the OCZ Vertex forums have horror stories of Macbooks not booting at all off the SSD (albeit on the 2009 Macbooks).

Is there any SSD that has proven just to work? Ideally it should have garbage collection as well and be 120-160GB but that is my only stipulation.
Click to expand...

Welcome to your new mac life and congrats on your MBP.
Look up the OCZ Vertex. It's awesome!
 
I have the Intel X25-M 80GB G2 and I cannot get Windows 7 to installed. Do anyone have a similar problem?
 
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