I ask since I have had to return two SSD drives within a fairly short timeperiod. One failed after about a year and the other within months. The firmware was upgraded on both of them. It was OCZ drives. This makes me wonder if SSD drives are more prone to fail compared to a mechanical drive ? Logic on the other hand says that it should be the other way around. No moving mechanic would make them more reliable. But that is not quite what I experience. Anyone else have experienced failing SSD that needs to be replaced ? Are some brands of SSD better than others ?

SSD drives are basically flash ram. They suffer from limited writes, IE if you are continually writeto it , then it will fail. Usually you can still read from the drive but you cant write to them, Flsah drives have the same problem. Untill that issue goes away mechanical drives will hang around for a long time to come yet.

SSDs typically are very reliable. You seem to have just gotten unlucky with yours. I have had my 128GB ADATA SSD for 2 years now and I haven't had one issue.

Are some brands of SSD better than others ?

 

Yes, some are better than others. In fact, you can still pay $5,000 for a 400Gb drive if ultimate reliability is concerned! But you don't want to do that I would guess. So, a good strategy is this: do a dual-boot configuration, putting an OS & FSX on one SSD. Use this boot ONLY for flying. If you need the computer to do other things, install a HDD and use that drive for another OS install where you can do all the write operation you need to. An OS & FSX on one SSD WILL NOT involve a lot of write operations, so you should have excellent service life. This is my strategy for my next build. Another good rationale for the dual boot approach is that you can use an overclocking profile for each boot: use default clock for your HDD install, and your overclocked profile for the SSD/FSX install.

 

Noel

An OS & FSX on one SSD WILL NOT involve a lot of write operations

 

This is blown way out of proportion. An SSD will last usually about 3000-5000 write cycles before it starts to die. That means you would have to write nearly 600 terabytes of data to a 128GB SSD before any damage occurs.....

This is blown way out of proportion. An SSD will last usually about 3000-5000 write cycles before it starts to die. That means you would have to write nearly 600 terabytes of data to a 128GB SSD before any damage occurs.....

 

Sure, however I still like my approach ;o)

Sure, however I still like my approach ;o)

 

I just don't want people to get the idea that if they use an SSD, it will rapidly degrade. Honestly, by the time an SSD begins to degrade for a regular user, way newer tech will already be around. It would take years of constant use to wear one out....

I just don't want people to get the idea that if they use an SSD, it will rapidly degrade. Honestly, by the time an SSD begins to degrade for a regular user, way newer tech will already be around. It would take years of constant use to wear one out....

 

Sure Ben, I guess that's true. The MBP I'm responding on has a 128Gb SSD on it so I'm a believer. Still, I always aim for at least 'two-fers'. With my approach you can easily keep your install super clean since it's FSX w/ OS only, you won't sacrifice much if anything by putting FSX w/ OS on one SSD, unlike HDD's, plus bonus 3-fer, clones/images are easy, plus 4-fer, you can use overclock profiles consistent with your needs as mentioned.

I just don't want people to get the idea that if they use an SSD, it will rapidly degrade. Honestly, by the time an SSD begins to degrade for a regular user, way newer tech will already be around. It would take years of constant use to wear one out....

 

I was going to ask the same question on this forum concerning SSD's. Having never owned one before, I want to look into one as I am currently suffering from constant stutters, since the whole limited writes issue is no that big of a deal. Currently I have two HDD drives, one is C:\ and the other is G:\. My FSX is installed on G:\ which has more space but nonetheless I get stutters. I am planning on upgrading my video card to a GTX 550 Ti but I do not know whether that will be enough for more FPS. And yes, I do understand that SSD's increase loading times but not FPS.

Actually been meaning to ask Ben this.... My son, who built this FSX PC for me said to never-ever try to defrag the SSD's. Forgot to ask why.. Do you know Ben, or someone else here? Just curious...

 

BTW the performance and silent running is a great feature of these as well..

 

Jeff

Yes, some are better than others. In fact, you can still pay $5,000 for a 400Gb drive if ultimate reliability is concerned! But you don't want to do that I would guess. So, a good strategy is this: do a dual-boot configuration, putting an OS & FSX on one SSD. Use this boot ONLY for flying.

Noel

 

You mean that the regulary sold SSD are equal in quality and realiabilty ? I had Win 7 + FSX on one SSD before. This is no goos mstrategy since FSX is going to need much more storage. For the moment I have Win 7 installed on a 128 Gb OCZ Vertex4 SSD. I also got a 500 Gb Seagate 7200. Here I have other games. I have returned a 120 Gb SSD and are waiting to get a replacement. I have asked to have it replaced with a

INTEL 330 SERIES 2.5" 180GB SSD SATA/600 MLC 25NM RESELLER

 

for a minor extra cost. This is to be for only FSX.

Actually been meaning to ask Ben this.... My son, who built this FSX PC for me said to never-ever try to defrag the SSD's. Forgot to ask why.. Do you know Ben, or someone else here? Just curious...

 

BTW the performance and silent running is a great feature of these as well..

 

Jeff

 

That IS one thing that will eat up write cycles... It isn't like defragging an SSD ONCE is going to kill it. :lol: - But, doing it over and over again will significantly reduce the lifespan.

 

Also, SSDs don't have any difference in speed when fragmented. Defragging an SSD will make 0 difference in performance.

That IS one thing that will eat up write cycles... It isn't like defragging an SSD ONCE is going to kill it. :lol: - But, doing it over and over again will significantly reduce the lifespan.

 

Also, SSDs don't have any difference in speed when fragmented. Defragging an SSD will make 0 difference in performance.

From what I have read so far, SSD's help a lot with stutters in FSX. I want to know why that is though? Yes it loads things faster but should only the OS and FSX be installed on the SSD or can add-ons like aircraft and sceneries go on there as well?

Yay! Thanks Ben... Appreciate the feedback....My fresh PC and the the massive reload of things... Norton included... It tried to do it.. I have of course shut it off to never try it as a "maintenance item...

 

Karim, regarding stutters? I have yet to have one and I am running a lot of stuff... I have all of my FSX add-ons on this drive, my OS and FSX Acceleration (Gold)... zero stutters.... ever... Even with sliders maxed at a heavy airport like PANC-X My frames drop to 28-30 but NO-ZERO stutters.... That is what was really irking me with my old rig... Good frames... heaps of stutters... slide-show anyone..? crappy slide-show landings at my VA? GONE!!!

 

So... you can see the PC specs at left... I still have 30G on the first SSD (Samsung) with everything I have for FSX loaded... A second one for my Sony Acid Pro and a 1T HDD for Vegas Video... Loving it!...

 

Jeff

I have had two SSDs fail within a short period of installation - maybe unlucky but I now avoid SSDs not worth the hassle.

 

Bruceb