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Upgrading to SSD, a few questions before.

J

jetblk328i

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 20, 2010
403
0
Hey guys I have decided to go with upgrading my 13" MBP with a SSD. I did some research here but still have a few questions.

1. I have decided on the OCZ Vertex 2 ...I know we dont have TRIM but it has garbage collection, how will the speed degeneration fare?

2. Besides a small phillips, i need a torx t6 right?

3. I want to get an external enclosure for my old 250gb HDD, what should I put in here? for clarification, look at next question...

4.Obviously I will install osx, ilife, and iwork onto the SSD but what else is needed? As a student, I have powerpoints, and word documents, can I store them on my 250 gb HDD and still get effective speed or will I have to store them on my SSD as well?

know that your programs will open quicker when stored on an SSD but what about documents using that program? If they are stored on my HDD enclosure, will negatively affect the program opening from the SSD?

5. if I need to store these powerpoints and word documents onto my SSD for speed, what can I store in my old HDD?

6. How do I go about formatting and remove all the ilife/iwork/osx programs on my HDD so that it wont conflict with the data on the SSD?


Looking forward to SSD speed!!!

Thanks!

Jay
 
bump!

Can i just install the os and my essential programs like ilife and iwork for it to run quickly or do all my documents have to go on the SSD as well?

If I only need the OSX and iwork/ilife, then i can buy a smaller SSD(60-80) gb and save lots of money.

Thanks!
 
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Does that mean that the documents would open slower? I'm not sure what the process is for opening something like a document cause I know the app has to open which is stored on the SSd but it needs to access info from the hdd???
 
I'm not storing very large documents on the HDD, so they open very fast. If I was working on a project that would be large, I would probably do the initial work with it on the SSD and then move it to the HDD.
 
I am just curious how many large files would you have, if you plan to put most of them in your previous hard drive?

My recommendation is you install all the applications and software you use frequently in your new SSD ( inside your MBP), so that your daily task would be significantly faster; While you could put large files such as movies, video clips, and photos in the HD drive. For small files as photos, I think the different of speed would be slightly enough you won't be able to notice. While I am not quite sure about larger files such as movies, but even if there's difference, it wouldn't affect you too much ...
 
How big is your new ssd? If I missed that in your posts, sorry.

I have a 250 gb OCZ, and have the OS, about 40 or so apps, including office, my iTunes library and all my "working files" which are documents, presentations, spreadsheets, source code, and I have 1 windows XP virtual machine at 15GB... All that fits in under 100 gb on my ssd.

On my second hard drive in the optibay, I keep archives, movies, software and various other useful, but not necessary stuff.
 
I just ordered an OWC SSD (240gb) and will replace the HDD in my macbook pro when it comes. I plan on doing a clean install of OS and adding back files from time machine backup. I plan on keeping all my documents and applications on the SSD but I dont store much on my macbook pro, so its not much of a concern.

Im also heading out on the weekend to get the torx screwdrivers for the installation (t6 is correct). the manuals over at ifixit.com are excellent.
 
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I don't have many page files. Mainly word, excel, and powerpoints. I think what I'll do is the newer files will be put on SSS then as they get older and unusd I will move them into the hdd
 
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SSd*
 
I just changed my home folder in sys pref --> accounts to my caddy HDD. Apps automatically install onto the SSD in the appications folder and I have some school files on it but everything else like itunes music, movies, videos, bootcamp are all on the storage HDD. So itunes loads super fast from SSD and just reads the music from the HDD, etc. Never had any issues with things installing or knowing where my home folder is or the fact that it's split from the main SSD to the HDD.

I do have WoW installed on my SSD though, and it's great since it's such a huge open world game, loading on the fly is super fast, helps with minimum fps.. anyway =) good luck
 
Im planning to get an SSD drive for my 09' 13'MBP as well, but this is what i've been doing:

Install Applications as iLife, iWork, Office, etc on the main HD (in this case your SSD)
All movies, music, TV Shows, Videos on the external
All my photos are on the main HD as well (they're backed up in the external)
All my software .dmg's backed up in the external

For word, excel, powerpoint, iWork and every type of small file i store it in Dropbox, which i have it automatically backed up and i can access it anywhere there's internet.

Hope this helps...
 
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Hmm I think since word and PowerPoint documents are small I can put then onto the ssd as time passes and files accumulate, I'll move then into the hdd
 
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