Hey guys, I'm planning on picking up my first SSD today: http://microcenter.com/product/364779/A ... Drive_(SSD)_with_SandForce_2281_Controller

I'm planning to use DriveImage XML to transfer the contents from the old HDD to this SSD. Is there any issue in doing this? Perhaps I should do a clean install of Windows 7? I would rather not do that but wanted to get some opinions before I find out the hard way. Thanks!

Welcome to the forum!

Do yourself a favour and:

a) Stay away from OCZ drives, *especially* ones based on SF controller. Their failure rate is horrendously high.

b) Get a Crucial M4 (not V4) or a Samsung 830 or 840Pro. You'll be glad you did.

c) Do a clean install on your new SSD.

Thanks for the advice but the Crucial and Samsung's don't seem to come in small enough sizes. I have a 60GB drive in there now (stock) and don't even come close to filling it. I'm a Computer Science student who really only uses the machine for note taking and coding, just looking for something to give my 7 year old computer a little bit of "pep."

While browsing, I also found this drive from Corsair: http://microcenter.com/product/377028/F ... Drive_(SSD)_with_SandForce_SF-2200_Controller You said to stay away from OCZ drives with SF controllers... is the issue OCZ or with SF controllers? Still trying to learn about the good and bad parts of the SSD world.

EDIT: Or this one: http://microcenter.com/product/406436/U ... Drive_(SSD)

Trying to keep it at around 60GB since that's all I need. No need to pay for what I won't use.

Thanks

Personally, I wouldn't install a SSD with a SF controller in any of my laptops if someone gave it to me for free.

As for the "smaller" SSDs:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6820148441

I own a couple of these and love them. Obviously, YMMV.

I have Agility IIIs in all three of my desktops that replaced Agility IIs. I've never had a single issue with any of them. They're fast and work great.

You must be one of the chosen few...the web is saturated with complaints regarding failures of these drives...

If you get the M4 (and that's not bad advice) just be aware of the "5000 hours" bug that affects this drive.

Ask me how I know, as of three days ago! Happily burning new firmware into the drive, approximately as emotionally stressful as burning a new BIOS into one's Thinkpad, seems to have corrected the issue. (or delayed it another 5000 hours???)

Art

Oh, I am the chosen one. I bring balance to the force.

IDK, I know people like to rag on OCZ, but failure rates are pretty low for all SSDs. I've owned eight or nine of them and only the original Core drive stuttered badly, but that was when SSDs where pretty new. If someone buys an SSD regardless of the brand, the most likely outcome by far is it'll work well and the buyer will be a happy camper. I think there's a bit of a mob mentality going on too. One person says they had a bad experience or they're bad, then everyone kind of jumps on the bandwagon so to speak.

If you haven't picked one up yet and aren't in a huge hurry, I have a thought for you. If you have a Micro Center locally, go down there and look at their SSD case. Usually, they'll have 1 or 2 in the bottom of the case, that have very few marking on them and no box.....sometimes, no price. Ask to see one and ask if they have it in stock. You might be surprised.

Here's what happened to me. I had a Mushkin Chronos SSD (SF-2281 controller) in my main desktop workstation. Worked great for 6 months, just coughed up one day with no warning signs. I've used Mushkin memory products for years, and have even had a Callisto (SF-1200) SSD before. We have 8 computers running with SSDs. Now, 6 of them are on either Samsung, or Samsung OEM SSDs. The only ones that aren't is that Callisto, I just mentioned and a Sandisk Extreme 240Gb drive that I got such a good deal on that I couldn't resist. I'm not saying that SF controller are bad, but for my personal use, I generally prefer not to take the risk.

Oh yeah, back to my original tip. When that Chronos failed and it was out being RMA'd. I decided to buy a temporary SSD if I could find a small one cheap enough. I was looking at some Intel 330s when I saw that drive down in the bottom of the case. It had Dell OEM marking on it. When I asked about it, the sales guy told me it was part of a buy-out of old Dell stock that was SATA-2 and he'd have to check on the price. He came back to say that it was an OEM Samsung and price was $29.95. I said, Sold!

I used it for 2 weeks in my desktop till I bought a 256Gb Samsung. Now it's in my son's Z60t. I sold the replacement Chronos Mushkin sent me.

For a T60, even an older drive like the Intel X-25 G2 would be great, the Intel 320 series, even better. A short while back, TigerDirect had an unbeatable deal on the 80GB model for $40 new --> http://www.dealigg.com/story-Intel-SSDS ... TA-2-5-OEM

Check eBay and/or deal sites for these.

I've used Intel SSDs in dozens of machines with excellent results.

I have Vertex2 in my wifes X60s and Agility3 in my desktop as a boot drive, never had any problems. In the T601 I have 128GB Crucial C300 and the same 64GB version in X60 Tablet. No problems whatsoever. X31 has Samsung 64GB MLC drive from X300 and X300 has 64 GB Samsung SLC SSD.

I love SSD's.