Thinkpads Forum

After trashing my fourth hard drive in the T60p I am going to switch over to an SSD.

I use the laptop to data log drag racing passes in my Subaru STi

This is what a typical (11.44 @ 123.60 MPH) pass looks like: http://n8rws.com/11%2044%20vlq.wmv (right click and save to your desktop).

The laptop sits in the passenger seat gently nested against the back of the seat. I don't think the drag passes subject the laptop to enough vibration to cause the yearly hard drive failure but I am really sick of the problem so I am going to install an SSD in the T60p after I get it back from warranty at Lenovo.

If you are running a SSD I would be interested to know the following:

* What machine is it in (T60p etc.)
* What brand, model # and size are you using
* How many months have you been using the SSD
* How does the performance compare to your standard drive (general opinion)
* Have you had any problems associated with the SSD
* Have you subjected it to any sort of rough service.

Thanks a BUNCH for the feedback.

I've a T60 2007-FVG
T5600 1,83 M/RAM 3 Gb/15' FV Ati Fire GL V5250 512 Mo SXGA+ 1400x1050 with a SSD Mtron Mobi 3025 32 Go /XP Pro
-----------
I've it since mid of March
Not the least problem
It runs cool fast'n silent .
I'm happy with it and dont want comme back to mechanical HDs
To day if I've to buy one, I'll choose a Mtron 7500 which is +/- the same price as my March Mobi 3000 .
I hope being helpful

Jeff,

I read your previous thread on the matter. What data logging software are you using? Is it not possible to have it record data to an arbitrary location? I second the suggestion from that thread to use a relatively inexpensive USB flash key instead of sinking a lot of money into an SSD.

I'm obviously not familiar with the inner workings of that piece of software, but if you install it to a USB key and tell it to log data to that key, you can leave APS enabled for the hard drive without affecting the data logger.

How quickly is data generated? I can't imagine it would be more than hundreds of kilobytes per second or perhaps single-digit megabytes per second?

Rochefort wrote:I've a T60 2007-FVG
T5600 1,83 M/RAM 3 Gb/15' FV Ati Fire GL V5250 512 Mo SXGA+ 1400x1050 with a SSD Mtron Mobi 3025 32 Go /XP Pro
-----------
I've it since mid of March
Not the least problem
It runs cool fast'n silent .
I'm happy with it and dont want comme back to mechanical HDs
To day if I've to buy one, I'll choose a Mtron 7500 which is +/- the same price as my March Mobi 3000 .
I hope being helpful

Very helpful... thank you

taob wrote:Jeff,

I read your previous thread on the matter. What data logging software are you using? Is it not possible to have it record data to an arbitrary location? I second the suggestion from that thread to use a relatively inexpensive USB flash key instead of sinking a lot of money into an SSD.

I'm obviously not familiar with the inner workings of that piece of software, but if you install it to a USB key and tell it to log data to that key, you can leave APS enabled for the hard drive without affecting the data logger.

How quickly is data generated? I can't imagine it would be in the range of hundreds of kilobytes per second or perhaps single-digit megabytes per second?

Hi Brian,

I got around the interrupted data logging sessions by disabling the Thinkpad hard drive vibration utility. I use Cobb StreetTUNER software to datalog and make changes to the ECU in my STi. The program is installed on the T60 and it has to be running in order to capture data. The data is written to the hard drive in the T60.

The T60 works great during the datalogging sessions but it seems the vibration is causing the hard drive to fail after each season. Actually, I have never had it fail during a 1/4 mile pass... it always waits until I am at home using the computer for some other task.. out of the blue.. it crashes (usually when just sitting on my desk with zero vibration).

Thanks,

Turboqueef wrote:The program is installed on the T60 and it has to be running in order to capture data. The data is written to the hard drive in the T60.

So have you tried installing the software on a USB key instead of the hard drive, and also logging the data to the same USB key? That should all but eliminate the hard drive from the equation, and only cost you $20 or $30 to try (rather than a couple hundred dollars or more on an SSD, only to find out that the problem is not actually solved).

Actually, I have never had it fail during a 1/4 mile pass... it always waits until I am at home using the computer for some other task.. out of the blue.. it crashes (usually when just sitting on my desk with zero vibration).

Right... what I'm suggested is that you leave APS enabled to protect the hard drive from shock, but move just the software itself to a USB key (which is not subject to vibration-related problems). And depending on how the StreetTUNER software is written, you might now be able to take that USB key to *any* laptop and instantly have access to the software and your data!

O... I got you now... I never tried to do that... but very good idea. I will test it out when I get the laptop back from Leveno.

Thanks for the idea.

Jeff B

taob wrote:

Turboqueef wrote:The program is installed on the T60 and it has to be running in order to capture data. The data is written to the hard drive in the T60.

So have you tried installing the software on a USB key instead of the hard drive, and also logging the data to the same USB key? That should all but eliminate the hard drive from the equation, and only cost you $20 or $30 to try (rather than a couple hundred dollars or more on an SSD, only to find out that the problem is not actually solved).

Actually, I have never had it fail during a 1/4 mile pass... it always waits until I am at home using the computer for some other task.. out of the blue.. it crashes (usually when just sitting on my desk with zero vibration).

Right... what I'm suggested is that you leave APS enabled to protect the hard drive from shock, but move just the software itself to a USB key (which is not subject to vibration-related problems). And depending on how the StreetTUNER software is written, you might now be able to take that USB key to *any* laptop and instantly have access to the software and your data!

Turboqueef wrote:O... I got you now... I never tried to do that... but very good idea. I will test it out when I get the laptop back from Leveno.

Let us know how it goes. I have a few friends who race their WRX's on weekends... I should ask them what they use and how they have it setup. BTW, have you asked the folks at the Cobb support forums about this? It's possible someone may have already found a solution.

http://forums.cobbtuning.com/forums/for ... y.php?f=24

Thanks for the info...

If you could ask your friends how they datalog during the actual race that would be great.

Most "normal" folks have their car tuned by a "pro tuner" on a dyno and then they head to the track to try it out. They normally don't tune out any problems by themselves so they rarely datalog during the race itself!

I did contact COBB but they are not so knowledgeable about the software (another company wrote it for them I think)

I am going to try your suggestion once I get the laptop back but even if it works, I may decide to switch over to a SSD to avoid any problems in the future. Even with the APS turned on I am worried that the vibration will eventually take its toll.

I will keep you posted, thanks again for the info.

taob wrote:

Turboqueef wrote:O... I got you now... I never tried to do that... but very good idea. I will test it out when I get the laptop back from Leveno.

Let us know how it goes. I have a few friends who race their WRX's on weekends... I should ask them what they use and how they have it setup. BTW, have you asked the folks at the Cobb support forums about this? It's possible someone may have already found a solution.

http://forums.cobbtuning.com/forums/for ... y.php?f=24

Quick update..

Have been running the SSD for a couple of months... so far, zero problems with one exception. For some reason, I loose audio when capturing high def. video to the SSD. I have pulled all my hair out trying to solve the problem but no go.

I got the STi out of storage last weekend and had the opportunity to test the SSD during datalogging. Worked perfectly (the STi and the SSD)

http://n8rws.com/387%20306.jpg

Here's an interesting little tidbit, copied from Wikipedia....I'm sure this has been mentioned on this forum but I didn't want to search.


Tests by an SSD maker show that Windows 2000 is markedly faster than Windows XP, Windows Vista, Mac OS X or Linux, when it is run from an SSD using NAND flash memory.[37] Windows 98 is even faster, but does not support wear leveling, so would cause the drive to wear out quickly.[37]

And I can bet that Win 95 or why not DOS will run even faster than that

Phazer wrote:Here's an interesting little tidbit, copied from Wikipedia....I'm sure this has been mentioned on this forum but I didn't want to search.


Tests by an SSD maker show that Windows 2000 is markedly faster than Windows XP, Windows Vista, Mac OS X or Linux, when it is run from an SSD using NAND flash memory.[37] Windows 98 is even faster, but does not support wear leveling, so would cause the drive to wear out quickly.[37]

Very interesting... I am still looking for software that helps modify XP to use full capability of the SSD. Currently, I am just using Diskeeper 2009 with Hyperfast for SSD

I abandoned XP long time ago, so just out of curiosity may I ask why you guys say that XP doesn´t use the full potential of SSDs? (I assume you have applied the common tweaks for MLC drives for usage with XP OS.)

Thanks,

Marin

Quick update: The SSD is working great, no problems with reliability and datalogging is no problem even with increased data capture speed.

Phazer wrote:Here's an interesting little tidbit, copied from Wikipedia....I'm sure this has been mentioned on this forum but I didn't want to search.


Tests by an SSD maker show that Windows 2000 is markedly faster than Windows XP, Windows Vista, Mac OS X or Linux, when it is run from an SSD using NAND flash memory.[37] Windows 98 is even faster, but does not support wear leveling, so would cause the drive to wear out quickly.[37]

Isn't wear leveling implemented by the controller on the drive itself? As far as I know, the software installed on the SSD has no effect on the use of a wear leveling algorithm.