SSD Load times the same!!!!

[Robski]

Hi All,

Just installed a 60gb SSD, 50:50 split between IRST (see how that goes!!!) and DCS.

 

Prior to the install I had my DCS on a 2tb 7200.14 Seagate.

 

Prior to the install of the SSD I timed the following load time:

World>Instant action>KA50>Insurgents @ 47seconds

 

I uninstalled and reinstalled on my SSD.

 

Booted the exact same mission and timed it........ 47 seconds!!!!!! :cry: Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!!!!!:mad:

 

Is this normal? what gives, I was hoping for a 50%(ish) reduction in load times. Where is the bottle neck?????

 

i5 2500k Oc'd @ 4.1

8 gig of 1333 ram

Gigabyte P67A M/B

AMD 6870

 

Might be my imagination but the menus etc seem slightly more snappy.....

 

advice, comments most welcome

 

Peace...

[Pilotasso]

It sounds too slow for it to be operating normally. You did something wrong surelly.

 

what SSD you got?

 

 

EDIT for better explanation:

 

before you do all this below, check for the latest BIOS. I have recently found out that problems with windows recognizing USB devices slowed startup. After upgrade it was reduced to half (this only afected boot timings for me but can overcome incompatibilities with SSD's for others).

 

while at it update the SSD firmware and then secure erase it.

 

So, summing it up:

 

1 - Use your motherboard manual and make sure the SSD is on an Intell port 6GB/s. They are usually white.

2 - Update BIOS

3 - Go to SATA settings in the BIOS and toggle AHCI for SATA ports (if you have old hard drives set AHCI for the SSD port only).

4 - Update SSD firmware. usualy there are windows tools for this. You might want use another computer to this for the SSD because more often than not youll lose the windows instal on the SSD while performing the update.

5 - Secure erase the SSD.

6- reinstall windows.

 

Its a bit time consuming specially if you need to do research to do all this, but you only need to do it once. :)

Edited July 16, 2012 by Pilotasso

[Robski]

Its a gigabyte m/b so I used the EZ SRT to convert to RAID.

All seems to have installed okay.

 

I'm now running a raid set up...

 

I have the SSD connected to a SATA3 port with my System drive (1TB 7200.12) on the other.

 

I'll have to google Marvel, not sure what that is... but all the same I think it should be faster, or at least different to a HHD

[Robski]

it's a GA-Z68A-D3-B3 board. BTW

 

2 SATA3 and 4 SATA2 ports...

 

System drive into one of the SATA3 (7200.12) and SSD (OCZ Agility3 60GB) into the other.

[Pilotasso]

make sure its on the white SATA port. To be safe put the hard drive on one of the blue ports. The disk is too slow to benifit from 6Gb/s, and you cannever trust earlier BIOS having 2 different drives sharing the same controller due to some stupid bugs.

 

You need to go ver to OCZ forums and use the Firmware Linux pen Updater for AGility3/Vertex3, this way you dont need to do steps 5 and 6 above because your windows install will still be there and its easy to use.

 

Update your motherboard BIOS to U1a (UEFI BIOS) since older BIOS might be too old. UEFI is optimal for use with SSD's.

Edited July 16, 2012 by Pilotasso

[Robski]

Firstly thanks for this....

 

1) it's in the white port along with my HDD (system drive)

2)Bios is up to date

3)tried the AHCI setting and got the BSoD on start up - changed back to RAID (XHD) in bios (Is this the problem?)

4)will do

 

Thanks for this, it looked so easy on youTube!!!!!!

[HiJack]

Move your normal HD to the BLUE ports as this may be the reson to the problem!

[Pilotasso]

AHCI will give you the best performance. But as you can see you need to reinstal windows to avoid BSOD. this happens because windows doesnt have an AHCI installed by default. So when it tries to use generic IDE while on AHCI it will BSOD. Reinstalling windows from scratch forces the installer to load the AHCI driver.

 

I insist on swithing the hard drive to the blue port. Some stupid BIOS revisions do have a problem sharing dissimilar drives on the same controller.

 

Dont forget to go over OCZ and install the bootable Linux pen tool. latest Firmware 2.22 solves alot of problems!

Edited July 16, 2012 by Pilotasso

[HiJack]

You can run repair with Windows 7 and it will apply the AHCI drivers.

 

EDIT: You can add AHCI drivers up front!

[airdog]

AHCI will give you the best performance. But as you can see you need to reinstal windows to avoid BSOD. this happens because windows doesnt have an AHCI installed by default. So when it tries to use generic IDE while on AHCI it will BSOD. Reinstalling windows from scratch forces the installer to load the AHCI driver.

 

I insist on swithing the hard drive to the blue port. Some stupid BIOS revisions do have a problem sharing dissimilar drives on the same controller.

 

Dont forget to go over OCZ and install the bootable Linux pen tool. latest Firmware 2.22 solves alot of problems!

You DO NOT have to reinstall windows to enable AHCI if you are getting the BSOD after trying to go from IDE to AHCI.

DO this:

1. Exit all Windows-based programs.
   
2. Click Start, type regedit in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
   
3. If you receive the User Account Control dialog box, click Continue.
   
4. Locate and then click one of the following registry subkeys: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Msahci
    
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\IastorV
    
   
5. In the right pane, right-click Start in the Name column, and then click Modify.
   
6. In the Value data box, type 0, and then click OK.
   
7. On the File menu, click Exit to close Registry Editor.
   

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922976

 

It works with no ill effects at all. I did it myself a few months ago.

Edited July 16, 2012 by airdog

[Pilotasso]

You DO NOT have to reinstall windows to enable AHCI if you are getting the BSOD after trying to go from IDE to AHCI.

DO this:

Disable AHCI in BIOS; turn HDD configuration to IDE

Click Start, type regedit in the Search box, and then press ENTER.

Locate the following registry key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Msahci

In the right pane, right-click Start in the Name column, and then click Modify.

In the Value data box, type 0, and then click OK.

Reboot your computer and boot into BIOS setup

Turn on AHCI in your HDD configuration

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/922976

 

It works with no ill effects at all. I did it myself a few months ago.

 

You can do that, however I already could tell in the original post that hes not going to feel confortable with complicated hacks and setups. My method is time consuming but more straightforward for a begginer.

Edited July 16, 2012 by Pilotasso

[airdog]

There is a 1 click utility on the website that just for him then.

[Pilotasso]

That would work, which tool??

 

maybe tomorrow I could compile a list of procedures to get his SSD working. Right now Im talking with chicks on facebook :D

[airdog]

That would work, which tool??

 

maybe tomorrow I could compile a list of procedures to get his SSD working. Right now Im talking with chicks on facebook :D

 

Its on the linked microsoft page under the "Fix It For Me" title

here http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9741862

[Robski]

Thanks Guys.... I'm all out of (your) ideas, save the complete o/s install.

to summarise

 

1) put my HHD into Blue, leaving SSD in white socket

2) changed the reg keys as above, (seemed to work, all devices installed and now running in AHCI mode)

3) updated OCZ firmware to 2.2

4) numerous restarts (windows needed to check system drive (HHD) and seemed to find numerous errors!!!))

5) Several tests on load times at each phase.... all the same.

6) became despondent and slightly morose

 

Next step

 

Try to repair windows....

 

then finally set aside a day to reinstall o/s on the SSD and do away with ISRT all together.... which btw now crashes every time I try to open it from the task bar.

 

Am I beaten??? I feel I'm so nearly there......

 

No wonder I've read lots of reports of how SSD don't seem to be any faster.

 

Thanks again, you guys are some kind of awesome

[HiJack]

Did you change the BIOS to support AHCI mode on the 6GB HD interface?

[Pyroflash]

SSD's are plenty faster, trust me.

 

Like HiJack said though, now that you have told Windows that it is okay to interface with AHCI, you will need to tell your BIOS that it is okay.

 

The relevant option should be located in your BIOS under the "Storage" tab or somesuch.

[HawkMedic126]

Its a gigabyte m/b so I used the EZ SRT to convert to RAID.

All seems to have installed okay.

 

I'm now running a raid set up...

 

I have the SSD connected to a SATA3 port with my System drive (1TB 7200.12) on the other.

 

Am I crazy or does it sound like he's combined his SSD and mechanical drive into a RAID configuration, which could account for his lack of improvement?

[gudis]

SSD and mechanical drives in RAID is no performance win at all....

 

You should use the SSD as a standalone disk with the game installed on it.

 

I even put my \TEMP folder on the SSD to get more performance to windows. (just empty the \TEMP folder once a week and there will be no problem with TOO many files.)

[HiJack]

I even put my \TEMP folder on the SSD to get more performance to windows. (just empty the \TEMP folder once a week and there will be no problem with TOO many files.)

The problem is that the temp files is writen to very often (writing to open files) and by that shortens the SSD's lifespan as sectors have maximum writes. If you plan to change the SSD every other year it's not a problem but moving Temp to a normal disk had no performance effect as far as I know.

 

OT: Did Robski solve the problem?

 

(HJ)

[Pilotasso]

HDD and SSD RAID is not even possible. The drives need to be the exact same size to the last byte.

[Pilotasso]

The problem is that the temp files is writen to very often (writing to open files) and by that shortens the SSD's lifespan as sectors have maximum writes. If you plan to change the SSD every other year it's not a problem but moving Temp to a normal disk had no performance effect as far as I know.

 

OT: Did Robski solve the problem?

 

(HJ)

 

The lifespan of an SSD is greater than a hard drive. Your much likely to upgrade first without even have a dent on the remaining life.

 

I use all temporary files, and swap file on the SSD, without fears.

[Erforce]

The lifespan of an SSD is greater than a hard drive.[...]

 

No offense Sir, but how could you be sure of that?

 

actually my first 40Mb HDD is still funning fine, and every others ones after it. (Ok i've killed one by plugging it on the wrong current supplier.)

 

I only trust what i see, and up do date, commons HDD have 25y+, can't say that for SSD... yet

 

I just typed SSD lifespan in Google and i must admit i will wait another 2 years sitting with Raid0 HDD/RamDisk.

 

I may be writing about 70Gb per day. I understand everyone has differents needs.

 

 

Anyway, i good luck Robski, i was lost at the second post. (mainly because i don't have a BIOS :music_whistling: )

 

EDIT : the Raid0 Hard drives i'm using are up since dec-2006. first 7200.10 perpendicular recording :D:D

Edited July 17, 2012 by Erforce

[HiJack]

The lifespan of an SSD is greater than a hard drive. Your much likely to upgrade first without even have a dent on the remaining life.

 

I use all temporary files, and swap file on the SSD, without fears.

Yes i could do that as well as i change my system disk once every year to get new performance. But I can't see that FPS have degraded after moving temp to normal HDD. I may actually move the temp folders back again tonight as I'm a bit bored of all the tank driving :P

 

(HJ) :D

[Robski]

Hi Guys

Thanks you all for your help... Quite amazing, I've posted questions on dedicated Hardware/Computing forums and not received a fraction of the assitance you guys offered.

There must be something about the love of a great flight sim that makes for a great community.

 

Anyway, although all seemed well but I wasn't getting the anticipated r/w speeds. (SSD wasn't part of a RAID setup).

As advised very early on I decided to do a fresh install of Windows.

Setup looks like this (I've number the drives to illustrate the partitions)

SSD1 Vol1 40gb - OS W7

SSD1 Vol2 20gb - DCS

HHD1 Vol1 1tb - Data

HDD1 Vol2 1tb - Applications

HDD2 1tb - mirror of data (by way of backup routine - more below)

 

All is running sweet and brisk....... but I've been thinking....... what if I set up HHD1 Vol1 and HDD2 as a RAID 1. This would save me having to employ a backup routine, right?

I've do some googling and not found a suitable answer so I'm going to START A NEW THREAD as I think there must be a bunch of folk pondering this.

Once again thanks and hope to hear from you re: the above on the new thread.