Questions about SSD cards as HDD

[Pirschjaeger]

I'm planning on building a new rig in the near future. The main purpose will be for editing audio and video so I need something fast.

At the same time I'm pretty much fed up with carrying a laptop everywhere. Since I'm a Linux user booting any machine from a LiveUSB is pretty easy and straightforward. I wouldn't have to carry my laptop anymore, only my OS and whatever partition I wanted.

I think SSD cards might be the way to go. They are small and compact and if I used a different card for each partition, I'd have a lot of choices. Basically I could carry only the part of my HDD I want to bring.

What I am concerned about is the speed. If an SSD card is in an adapter, connected to a computer by USB, would the USB slow the OS down significantly? I've installed an OS on a USB flash drive before and found it was as fast as if the OS had been installed on the internal mechanical HDD.

[Pirschjaeger]

I'm planning on building a new rig in the near future. The main purpose will be for editing audio and video so I need something fast.

At the same time I'm pretty much fed up with carrying a laptop everywhere. Since I'm a Linux user booting any machine from a LiveUSB is pretty easy and straightforward. I wouldn't have to carry my laptop anymore, only my OS and whatever partition I wanted.

I think SSD cards might be the way to go. They are small and compact and if I used a different card for each partition, I'd have a lot of choices. Basically I could carry only the part of my HDD I want to bring.

What I am concerned about is the speed. If an SSD card is in an adapter, connected to a computer by USB, would the USB slow the OS down significantly? I've installed an OS on a USB flash drive before and found it was as fast as if the OS had been installed on the internal mechanical HDD.

[iroseland01]

I think where you would really feel it would be on sustained writes.

Most of the time you would be pretty darn ok.

Of course this will be a non issue once USB 3 is everywhere.

BSS_AIJO

[jarink]

I agree, writes would be the biggest problem performance-wise. If you use it a lot, be sure to leave lots of free space on the drive for wear leveling, too.

[Pirschjaeger]

Some of the cards can hold quite a bit. I saw some that hold 60Gb. For storing data and files I will used a USB mechanical HDD. Linux let's you divide your OS up into different partitions so I won't need to carry everything with me.

I've been told that certain cards or certain adapters are not bootable. Do you guys know anything about this?

[K_Freddie]

SSD cards, memory sticks all contain what is called Electrically Erasible PROgrammable Memory (EEPROM).

These devices are usually only guaranteed for approx 100 000 write cycles (might be more), and indefinite read cylces.

As windoze does a sh.tload of temporary file writing, it will very quickly pass this guarantee limit - although the device might last a lot longer, it's always waiting to surprise you.

I've had 3 HD disks running for 5 years plus now, and not one problem (touch wood).
http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_cool.gif

To make it bootable the PC must have this enabled in BIOS or you can possibly install a SSD Boot-Loader, if this thing exists.. that is.
It is currently possible to boot from CD and USB, so I'd imagine SSD booting should be possible.

[iroseland01]

ohh..

ssd is totally bootable..

A number of higher end rigs are booting off of ssd these days.. .Put your windows virtual memory file over on the regular disk, to keep from killing your writes.

The cool part is the raw read performance of SSD over sata.. booting in 10 seconds? no problem, launch il2 in a few seconds, again no problem...

[WTE_Galway]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by K_Freddie:
I've had 3 HD disks running for 5 years plus now, and not one problem (touch wood).
http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_cool.gif
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Then you have been lucky.

Hard disks are not near as reliable as people think.

[Pirschjaeger]

Windows? http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/blink.gif

Do people still use that? http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/blink.gif

What a cruel world we live in. http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/51.gif

http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/winky.gif

I'm 100% open source software. Unless it is a game (which I don't do anymore) I will not pay for sub-par software. Linux has served me well for over 5 years now and there's no turning back. Even the IL-2 series runs much better and faster on Linux.

Having said that, making things bootable is a breeze. I was in Saturn in Germany earlier this year and one of the sales people told me that not all SSD cards are bootable and that not all SSD adapters can be used to boot a machine. The problem is I didn't have time to sit and chat with him for more details.

But that's what I have you guys for. http://forums.ubi.com/images/smilies/16x16_smiley-wink.gif

I also don't know what questions I need to ask y'all. http://forums.ubi.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif