Hi guys,

I'm a complete SSD noob but have been given a 120GB SSD, which I've installed today and all is fine.

I am wondering (flight sim wise) what to do with it next lol!    I use P3Dv4, FSX:SE and XP11 but each of these sims currently sits at more than 120GB, so I don't have the option to place a full sim onto the SSD.

So other than just using it for archive storage (installers, etc) I am wondering what you would recommend for putting it to good use?

Should I install scenery to it?   Photoscenery (which I use a lot of in XP11, and which currently totals 105GB) ?

Any other creative uses that would take advantage of it?

Many thanks in advance.

Yep, scenery installation is a good choice, Bill.  Also, move your system's Page File to the SSD.

Have fun!

Greg

The most clear advantage of an SSD is for your OS.  Ideally, you'll have your OS and sim/scenery on the SSD.  However, you won't get too much of an advantage with the sim/scenery.  Windows is a different story.  It is a night and day difference when Windows is on a SSD.  Unfortunately, 120 GB is pretty light, so you won't get much else on there besides Windows.

For reference, I use an mSata SSD for my OS and P3Dv4 and associated add-ons/programs/etc.  I have a second SSD (a 250 GB SSD is less than a hundred dollars) for other games and a mechanical drive for data hoarding (movies, large files, etc).  

3 hours ago, lownslo said:

Also, move your system's Page File to the SSD.

Have fun!

Greg

Thanks Greg and Brian.     Gregg - do you have a recommended link on how to do that?

thanks

Do a Google search on "HOW TO MOVE WINDOWS PAGEFILE" and include whether you use win 7  or 10.  You'll be greeted by a slew of help including videos!

You actually don't NEED a page file.  It's basically RAM in the form of your hard drive.  I have mine turned off to save space, and haven't had any issues.  There's probably folks online that say it's good to have, but I haven't seen a need on well build machines with decent RAM (and I've worked in IT since the early 2000's).  May be something worth researching 

My OS (including some other dependents) proved too large to migrate to such a small SSD.    However I had miscalculated my FSX:SE installation, which was in fact only 90GB (I only use FSX these days for the PMDG heavies, as I can't afford to re-buy them for P3Dv4!).    .... So I moved FSX to the SSD (using the mklink method) and it's running like a dream! 

Thanks.

Awesome!  Now the bet will be how long before you decide all your sims must be on an SSD (and the OS, too). 

Greg

55 minutes ago, lownslo said:

Awesome!  Now the bet will be how long before you decide all your sims must be on an SSD (and the OS, too). 

Greg

That's exactly where my thinking process is going Greg!  .... was checking out some 1TB SSDs on line today ..... ouch !! 

Don't mean to hijack but I'm in the same boat, I have no idea about SSDs. So just to be clear, it's ok to use a SSDs for an OS and your sims. I guess I was under the impression that your OS had to be on an regular hard drive.

The best place for the OS is on an SSD.  Anything can be installed on these drives... and all is good about them except the price.  And even that is becoming far more acceptable than it had been.

Cheers,

Greg

So far, all I can say about SSD's relates to my office laptop.  I went from a laptop with a conventional HD and Windows Vista to a laptop with a SSD and Windows 10.  Turning on the old laptop meant waiting at least one minute before the laptop could actually be used and with the HD at 50% full, the load times got longer.  With my new laptop, the wait is 15 seconds from pressing the power button to being ready to use, even with the SSD now slightly past 50% full.  I think you definitely want the OS to be on the SSD.