buying SSD, concerned about optimizations

zezadas · 2013-09-25 10:54:41

Hello,
I'm about to buy an samsung ssd 840 evo. but I'm councerned about ssd optimizations.
I have read that this ssd have some functionalities like rapid mode.
But it needs samsung magician software to activate that.
I'd like to known how can i use that functionalities on linux.

thanks

ANOKNUSA · 2013-09-25 13:13:49

I have no real knowledge of this, but a cursory search suggests that "RAPID mode" is external, software-level optimization, not build into the drive's firmware. You need to install it in Windows after installing the drive in your machine:

RAPID is a new feature that will be included with Samsung Magician Ver. 4.2 and can be easily installed through Samsung Magician to significantly improve the performance of your PC. Its initial release will only be compatible with the new 840 EVO, however, Samsung expects a follow up release to be compatible with the 840 Pro soon enough. RAPID Mode is storage management software that is in place between the systems OS and SSD and provides read acceleration and write optimization for a system level performance boost. RAPID Mode is compatible with Windows 7/8 systems and will use up to 1GB of your system memory as a cache where it stores frequently accessed data for lightning fast retrieval on demand.

That sounds to me like the same kind of RAM caching systemd-readahead does, and (I think) the kernel does something similar. Again, I only did a few minutes of looking around, here, but as far as I can tell this isn't a disk- or filesystem-level optimization; in my admittedly ignorant opinion, it looks more like a sales gimmick. As for other optimizations, the Arch wiki page on SSDs contains some info on that. Some of it is actually automated these days, so there isn't much to tinker with.

teateawhy · 2013-09-25 16:15:17

I second ANOKNUSA, and recommend you not to make your buying decision based on these funcionalities.
(Maybe this page is helpful instead. http://www.ssdreview.com/review/solid-state-ssd/ )
It is important that the SSD supports TRIM, you can read about how to enable it on linux here:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/SSD

zezadas · 2013-09-25 17:06:18

i'm not making the decision because that functionality, but if i had that option i'd like to use it...
cause i neither have windows installed neither i work on windows...
so, i think i will wait for that functionality on linux...

teateawhy · 2013-09-25 17:28:43

It is not going to happen on linux...

chris2kari · 2013-09-26 10:10:32

zezadas wrote:

Hello,
I'm about to buy an samsung ssd 840 evo. but I'm councerned about ssd optimizations.
I have read that this ssd have some functionalities like rapid mode.
But it needs samsung magician software to activate that.
I'd like to known how can i use that functionalities on linux.
thanks

I have SSD's here. Been through all the pain.
Linux supports TRIM. Natively.
Use ext4 filesystem. You're good to go.

Take absolutely no notice of all the 'go faster' & 'make it work' stuff you will read on blogs & forum posts.
I repeat, you don't need to alter or fiddle with your fstab or anything else.
Install your chosen Linux. End of story.

A straw poll of tech's I know gave a 'avoid' rating about Samsung SSD's.
Most recommended was Kingston. YMMV.

Regards,
Chris

zezadas · 2013-09-26 11:10:35

I have choosen this disk based on benchmarks and price
also a already have my arch configured, so i'm thinking in transfer my data from my hdd to my new ssd.
Also any better ideas how to do it? i'm thinking in dd, but i dont know if it will work well...

Mr.Elendig · 2013-09-26 11:24:40

Rsync is a better solution. Btw, btrfs is nice on ssd's, compression is nice too, since the 840evo doesn't do on the fly compression.

chris2kari · 2013-09-26 11:37:15

zezadas wrote:

I have choosen this disk based on benchmarks and price
also a already have my arch configured, so i'm thinking in transfer my data from my hdd to my new ssd.
Also any better ideas how to do it? i'm thinking in dd, but i dont know if it will work well...

I respect your decision to buy what you want. Basing your choice on price/performance only is asking for trouble.
I would do some more research about reliability/problems before buying.
Your choice may change..

Since Arch Linux is labor intensive by design I can understand your reticence to sit through it all again.
That's fine if your job description is professional OS installler or you're 14 years old or a retiree, most of us have this thing called a life.
If you have to re-install & you are short of time try Manjaro Linux. A very good Arch derivative thats get you a working system in 30 minutes.

Will it work? Probably yes.
Are you familliar with Clonezilla?
My suggestion is to clone your spinner to an external disk & then clone it back to the SSD.

Regards
Chris

Mr.Elendig · 2013-09-26 11:50:19

chris2kari wrote:

zezadas wrote:
I have choosen this disk based on benchmarks and price
also a already have my arch configured, so i'm thinking in transfer my data from my hdd to my new ssd.
Also any better ideas how to do it? i'm thinking in dd, but i dont know if it will work well...
I respect your decision to buy what you want. Basing your choice on price/performance only is asking for trouble.
I would do some more research about reliability/problems before buying.
Your choice may change..
Since Arch Linux is labor intensive by design I can understand your reticence to sit through it all again.
That's fine if your job description is professional OS installler or you're 14 years old or a retiree, most of us have this thing called a life.
If you have to re-install & you are short of time try Manjaro Linux. A very good Arch derivative thats get you a working system in 30 minutes.
Will it work? Probably yes.
Are you familliar with Clonezilla?
My suggestion is to clone your spinner to an external disk & then clone it back to the SSD.
Regards
Chris

First off, manjaro is not that good(to be polite...) and it is not really any faster to install than archlinux. Secondly, no need to clone to some external device, just install the ssd then copy the data over. And last: the 840evo is considered to be one of the best ssd's out there (atleast among the mlc/tlc selection), the marwell controller that samsung uses have had a lot less issues than eg sandforce used in may other popular devices.

chris2kari · 2013-09-26 12:00:31

Mr.Elendig wrote:

chris2kari wrote:
zezadas wrote:
I have choosen this disk based on benchmarks and price
also a already have my arch configured, so i'm thinking in transfer my data from my hdd to my new ssd.
Also any better ideas how to do it? i'm thinking in dd, but i dont know if it will work well...
I respect your decision to buy what you want. Basing your choice on price/performance only is asking for trouble.
I would do some more research about reliability/problems before buying.
Your choice may change..
Since Arch Linux is labor intensive by design I can understand your reticence to sit through it all again.
That's fine if your job description is professional OS installler or you're 14 years old or a retiree, most of us have this thing called a life.
If you have to re-install & you are short of time try Manjaro Linux. A very good Arch derivative thats get you a working system in 30 minutes.
Will it work? Probably yes.
Are you familliar with Clonezilla?
My suggestion is to clone your spinner to an external disk & then clone it back to the SSD.
Regards
Chris
First off, manjaro is not that good(to be polite...) and it is not really any faster to install than archlinux. Secondly, no need to clone to some external device, just install the ssd then copy the data over. And last: the 840evo is considered to be one of the best ssd's out there (atleast among the mlc/tlc selection), the marwell controller that samsung uses have had a lot less issues than eg sandforce used in may other popular devices.

I respectfully disagree with you.
Getting an Arch install to the same point takes much longer but to each his own..

Hardware wise my source of information is not marketing materials.
I talk to people who have to install/configure/debug/repair this stuff all day for a living.
YMMV

Chris

zezadas · 2013-09-28 17:15:03

well i use my pc for college. And I really dont have time to install and configure my arch again.

Well if someone think i should search i little more, i'm always open for new suggestions.

PS: I liked Mr.Elendig suggestion about brtfs. I'm also searching for tuning my system, to get the best performance/realibility

Mr.Elendig · 2013-09-29 12:56:05

chris2kari wrote:

Hardware wise my source of information is not marketing materials.
I talk to people who have to install/configure/debug/repair this stuff all day for a living.
YMMV
Chris

I don't base my opinions on marketing materials either. If I did, I would be recomending crappy sandforce controllers instead

Arch Linux

#1 2013-09-25 10:54:41

buying SSD, concerned about optimizations

#2 2013-09-25 13:13:49

Re: buying SSD, concerned about optimizations

#3 2013-09-25 16:15:17

Re: buying SSD, concerned about optimizations

#4 2013-09-25 17:06:18

Re: buying SSD, concerned about optimizations

#5 2013-09-25 17:28:43

Re: buying SSD, concerned about optimizations

#6 2013-09-26 10:10:32

Re: buying SSD, concerned about optimizations

#7 2013-09-26 11:10:35

Re: buying SSD, concerned about optimizations

#8 2013-09-26 11:24:40

Re: buying SSD, concerned about optimizations

#9 2013-09-26 11:37:15

Re: buying SSD, concerned about optimizations

#10 2013-09-26 11:50:19

Re: buying SSD, concerned about optimizations

#11 2013-09-26 12:00:31

Re: buying SSD, concerned about optimizations

#12 2013-09-28 17:15:03

Re: buying SSD, concerned about optimizations

#13 2013-09-29 12:56:05

Re: buying SSD, concerned about optimizations

Board footer