SSD Install

[pickinthebanjo]

Has anyone tried installing SH3/GWX on an SSD drive yet? Apparently they are a lot faster drives, so I picked up an Intel X25-M and I am going to give it a try when my RAM gets here. I imagine it will shave some time off loading the game.

[K-61]

I'm very interested in your experiment. I just got a new gaming notebook with twin 7200 RPM SATA drives, but not RAID. I use the secondary drive as a live image disk using Acronis True Image Home 2010. It checks system changes every five minutes and backs up to a non-stop disk image. A very handy application and one that has saved my bacon more than once over the years that I have been using it.

I'd love to splurge on a SSD drive, but I need to do more research into their reliability, durability and any ancillary issues. Please, keep us posted.

[pickinthebanjo]

I expect the RAM I ordered to come in around a week, so I should have some viable results soon enough. Yeah I have no idea about the reliability of SSD's but I feel it's worth a try. I was also thinking those SATA III HDD's may be faster as well at 6Gb/s

[K-61]

Are SATA 3's on the market now? I had no idea a new standard had been introduced. Although it is a pain to keep up, I love the march of progress in the PC industry. Our new systems now have more RAM than previous systems had hard drive space. And the prices usually go down. Wish the same could be said about cars, the other love of my life.

[Herr-Berbunch]

I've been looking at the SSDNow! range, but still very expensive for such a small amount of storage. I'm interested in how you get one so do keep us informed :D

[pickinthebanjo]

I've been looking at the SSDNow! range, but still very expensive for such a small amount of storage. I'm interested in how you get one so do keep us informed :D

yeah no problem. And yeah they aren't cheap, I payed around $200 +tax/shipping, and that one had $70 off. (only an 80Gb)

-http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820167018

Here is the next one I had my Eye on - http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148362

I like that one because it is also SATA III, as well as 160Gb. Made by Crucial so it can't be too bad.

[pickinthebanjo]

Are SATA 3's on the market now? I had no idea a new standard had been introduced. Although it is a pain to keep up, I love the march of progress in the PC industry. Our new systems now have more RAM than previous systems had hard drive space. And the prices usually go down. Wish the same could be said about cars, the other love of my life.

Heres the SATA III WD HDD - http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136533

Yeah it is a pain trying to keep up with new computers, I had to buy an entire new I7 build, but it should be worth it with 6 cores, 12 threads and hyperthreading. The days of horrible frame rates during convoy attacks should be over.

[Tessa]

Heres the SATA III WD HDD - http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136533

Yeah it is a pain trying to keep up with new computers, I had to buy an entire new I7 build, but it should be worth it with 6 cores, 12 threads and hyperthreading. The days of horrible frame rates during convoy attacks should be over.

SH3 isn't written to take advantage of multithreading though, one core or 8 cores the game won't care and run the same speed. Assume though that you're using 7 or Vista? which the OS is built to take advantage of multiple cores. The SSD drive should be massive in the increase, when my desktop was working (fried motherboard, haven't been able to replace yet) and put SH on a 10k drive (WD Raptor) there was a noticeable increase in game performance, less slow down and freezes. Later on when I added a new video card the game ran without any glitches (though never tried running it with SHC at 8000x speed), you should have a pretty pimp rig once you get all the parts installed.

If you're using the same mobo, would be interesting to put on parts one by one and test the increase starting with the SSD. See what kind of boost each one gives until you start getting diminishing returns.

[pickinthebanjo]

I just completed the test.

First off, I installed Windows 7 Ultimate on a clean 80Gb Intel X-25m SSD.
After that I did a driver install/update, then installed SH3/GWX3 clean, with nothing else on the SSD.

It took exactly 39.52 seconds to load a new career, Amazing :o

I will upload a video using fraps for the non believers :DL

It may be a biased test considering the system specs, (see sig)

[Jimbuna]

That is very impressive :up:

Yesterday my new system arrived (2x500GB SATA2) and already it's looking old :-?:DL

[Arctic wolf]

Very interesting. Although given your machine configuration I doubt anything would have a hard time loading/running. Good job :up:. Well, now I know its possible to run SH3 through a SSD. Useful information. :DL

[BulSoldier]

Is that the latest nvidia gpu ? If so i envy you !!!! On the topic, 40sec is amaizing considering i have to wait for sever minutes.

[Herr-Berbunch]

Is that the latest nvidia gpu ?

Looks like two of 'em to me, I am so jealous :wah:

[K-61]

Banjo, that's great news! :salute: It gives me the courage to consider doing the same, once I can snaffle the money from the family budget. After getting both a new car and a new notebook, I think I've worn out my karma for the current year.

[pickinthebanjo]

That is very impressive :up:

Yesterday my new system arrived (2x500GB SATA2) and already it's looking old :-?:DL

At least you got some space though, I only own the 80GB ssd so I am sitting around 40 free Gb with just windows, drivers, 3dmark vantage, and SH3/GWX. So it looks like i'd better order a SATA III HDD and test how those are

[pickinthebanjo]

Is that the latest nvidia gpu ? If so i envy you !!!! On the topic, 40sec is amaizing considering i have to wait for sever minutes.

Well for the test I popped in a Zotac 210 (512Mb) because I still have to unpack/install the Water cooling loops needed for the 480's since they have built in water blocks

[K-61]

I've got 2 x 500 GB SATA's in my notebook. I'm the type of guy who is a minimalist PC wise; I keep only essential data on my systems, the rest goes on network or other external drives. The second drive is used to constantly update the first using an imaging utility. I've always got two backup copies of all drives in my house. My family relies on me to keep things flowing and I got tired of hearing my daughters crying over lost data.

[pickinthebanjo]

Looks like two of 'em to me, I am so jealous :wah:


You know for all the time, money, and stress that I spent building that rig sometimes I wonder if it was really worth it, But then I just start a career in GWX and see it load in the time it takes me to pull out a smoke and light it:D

[pickinthebanjo]

I've got 2 x 500 GB SATA's in my notebook. I'm the type of guy who is a minimalist PC wise; I keep only essential data on my systems, the rest goes on network or other external drives. The second drive is used to constantly update the first using an imaging utility. I've always got two backup copies of all drives in my house. My family relies on me to keep things flowing and I got tired of hearing my daughters crying over lost data.

Yeah at the moment I am using my notebook to hold 90% of my data also

[BulSoldier]

Would it be too much to ask you if you can post a picture or two of your system, i kinda want to see it :)
Anyway congrats on your deus machina.

[pickinthebanjo]

Would it be too much to ask you if you can post a picture or two of your system, i kinda want to see it :)
Anyway congrats on your deus machina.

Yeah a friend of mine owns an Iphone so I could have him take some pics, he should be free this weekend so maybe by sunday I'll have some pics for you.

[Arctic wolf]

Great idea! I would actually Love to see your rig. :D
(Jealousy is a baaaaad thing...:damn:)

[pickinthebanjo]

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/46/di7980x.png

[pickinthebanjo]

http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/586/vantagescore001.png
-Before the overclock, with the I7 980x and cheap zotac 210.

I am tempted to just run out and grab a 470 to use till the parts get here, I can always throw it in another build seeing as how I have a spare OCZ 700w PSU

The CPU test 2 would have went better but it is Physx based and that is one thing the 980x doesn't do, I will just throw a Physx card in my fourth PCIe16 slot.

And the zotac actually runs well for a $50 dollar card, it's just the Dx10 that slows it to a crawl, if you wanted a card just for SH3/4 I would recommend it, but I plan on playing metro as well so I am just using it for now.

[Herr-Berbunch]

Oh to be able to run out and just grab a 470 :o

And then just throw it into another build :wah:

Jealous? Me? :nope:

[pickinthebanjo]

Oh to be able to run out and just grab a 470 :o

And then just throw it into another build :wah:

Jealous? Me? :nope:

well the other build will probably wait a little while, but I do feel like grabbing the card soon.

[Jimbuna]

I wouldn't be able to hold myself back so I'm not going to read this thread :DL

[Herr-Berbunch]

I wouldn't be able to hold myself back so I'm not going to read this thread :DL

Calm down Jim, holiday soon - no U-Boats in the lakes :03:

[Jimbuna]

Calm down Jim, holiday soon - no U-Boats in the lakes :03:

There is a great bookshop on the high street of Bowness-on-Windermere though :03:

[Herr-Berbunch]

There is a great bookshop on the high street of Bowness-on-Windermere though :03:

It's supposed to be a holiday, a time to relax with family, not research!:D

[Jimbuna]

It's supposed to be a holiday, a time to relax with family, not research!:D


I do my researching........of the local restaurants and ale houses on an evening with the missus in close attendance :DL

[pickinthebanjo]

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/8535/vantagescore002.png
After some overclocking of the Zotac, and some minor overclocking on the I7 from 3.33Ghz - 3.60Ghz. (I just pushed the multiplier up by 1)

By the way what holiday are you talking about?

[Jimbuna]

I occasionally rent a largish house overlooking Lake Windermere in the Lake District located at Bowness-on-Windermere.

I'm off there next week....apologies for hijacking the thread.

[pickinthebanjo]

I occasionally rent a largish house overlooking Lake Windermere in the Lake District located at Bowness-on-Windermere.

I'm off there next week....apologies for hijacking the thread.

no problem, I know I've done it.

you ought to be using this next time - :hijacked: lol

[Jimbuna]

no problem, I know I've done it.

you ought to be using this next time - :hijacked: lol
Added to the collection :up:

[pickinthebanjo]

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/1470/vantagescore003.png
Up to 3.73Ghz now

[pickinthebanjo]

http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/9711/vantagescore004.png

Thats enough overclocking for tonight but I believe that I can get it up to 15000 per 460 (Zotac) :hmmm: It makes me wonder since they cost around $200 CD and the 480's I grabbed were like three times that. I think I am going to order two more instead of the third 480. When I finaly build a water loop, I'll switch over.

[pickinthebanjo]

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/4773/vantagescore007.png
A hard nights overclocking pays off

[pickinthebanjo]

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/5089/vantagescore009.png

Well I am almost there, as I thought a GTX 460 is able to hit 15000 3dmarks through an overclock. So for around $210 CD you can get a graphics card that runs cool even at 900mhz core clock. I would have to suggest these to anyone looking for a card that can handle most games on high settings, when you sli two of them together they pass even the GTX 480 in performance as well as price.

Only downside is that they only support 2-way SLI