W500 SSD Recommendations?

[rambo47]

I'm trying to breath more life into an aging W500 and like the idea of an SSD. 256GB would almost double my current capacity. Tips/tricks are appreciated, as well as recommendations for a particular drive. Even a warning about what to avoid would be awesome.

Processor: T9400 (Core2Duo 2.53GHz)
RAM: 8GB
Windows 7 Ultimate (64-bit)

This is a workhorse computer but has been relegated to specialized tasks like work for our lake association. My main computer is now (gasp!) an iMac.

[brchan]

Samsung 840 PRO is excellent, with a 5 year warranty. Offerings from Crucial are great as well and have nice value.

[ajkula66]

Presuming you're in the U.S. this is an absolute steal:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... gnorebbr=1

$90 for one of the best drives IMO in this format is just...wow.

[westsailor]

Excuse my ignorance. I am really intrigued by the performance increase of an SSD. Even more so now that pricing seems to be dropping.

My question is, does the SSD completely replace the (mechanical) hard drive or can it be installed 'in addition to'? e.g. use the SSD for the O/S and any commonly used applications and files while the HD stores files that would not benefit from the performance of an SSD (movies, music, etc.)

If I'm currently using a 500Gb (7200 rpm) HD what would be the recommended capacity of a SSD I'd need?

[ajkula66]

My question is, does the SSD completely replace the (mechanical) hard drive or can it be installed 'in addition to'? e.g. use the SSD for the O/S and any commonly used applications and files while the HD stores files that would not benefit from the performance of an SSD (movies, music, etc.)

It depends on the configuration of the machine. If it has only one bay (X200 for example) you'd have to replace the existing HDD with a matching-size-SSD that would fit everything that you need. On a T-series unit, you can have a smaller (64-128-256GB) SSD as a boot drive and store documents/pictures/whatever else on a conventional HDD in the UltraBay.

If I'm currently using a 500Gb (7200 rpm) HD what would be the recommended capacity of a SSD I'd need?

Well, if it's used up to its full capacity, then you should...

Given the prices of the 480/500/512GB SSDs nowadays, I'd just go in for the kill...but that's me.

[westsailor]

It depends on the configuration of the machine. If it has only one bay (X200 for example) you'd have to replace the existing HDD with a matching-size-SSD that would fit everything that you need. On a T-series unit, you can have a smaller (64-128-256GB) SSD as a boot drive and store documents/pictures/whatever else on a conventional HDD in the UltraBay.

I have a W500 with an ultrabay. I never use the CD/DVD drive anyway so I could install my current HD in the bay and replace the primary boot with an SSD. Sounds like a plan.

I presume I would install everything (SSD & Ultrabay adapted HD) and upon powerup choose the ultrabay HD as the boot device to get started? Then do a restore to the SSD?

Again, sorry for being such a SSD neophyte but it's really a cool concept to 'update' my ol much loved W500.

[ajkula66]

I presume I would install everything (SSD & Ultrabay adapted HD) and upon powerup choose the ultrabay HD as the boot device to get started? Then do a restore to the SSD?

No. Perform a fresh install of the OS on the SSD, you'll be glad you did.

Again, sorry for being such a SSD neophyte but it's really a cool concept to 'update' my ol much loved W500.

We were all new to SSDs at one point, so there's absolutely nothing for you to be sorry for.

[westsailor]

No. Perform a fresh install of the OS on the SSD, you'll be glad you did.

I hear you but wouldn't that require reinstalling all my applications, device drivers, etc. as well?

[ajkula66]

Yes and no.

What OS are we discussing? W 7?

If so, the media will include most of the drivers required.

[westsailor]

sorry... I should have noted the W500 I'm upgrading is Win XP.

[ajkula66]

sorry... I should have noted the W500 I'm upgrading is Win XP.

I would advise against XP - especially on a SSD - at this day and age.

XP has no native TRIM support - amongst other deficiencies - and I honestly wouldn't bother installing it on a SSD.

What COA is on that W500? XP as well?

[westsailor]

Yes, the COA is for XP. I have not seen a need to upgrade and my philosophy is if it ain't broke don't fix it

Again, I display my ignorance of SSD. Is native TRIM support essential?

[ajkula66]

Again, I display my ignorance of SSD. Is native TRIM support essential?

Unless one is dealing with a SLC drive (rare and expensive nowadays), I'd say "yes".

Both Intel and Samsung drives have accompanying software (Toolbox vs. Magician) that can take care of lot of garbage collection that TRIM does on its own, though...

[westsailor]

So with XP not having native TRIM support means I would need to perform periodic 'garbage collection/cleanup' on my own using accompanying s/w? Kinda like what I do now with optimizing, defragging?

[ajkula66]

So with XP not having native TRIM support means I would need to perform periodic 'garbage collection/cleanup' on my own using accompanying s/w? Kinda like what I do now with optimizing, defragging?

Pretty much...unfortunately, hanging onto XP severely limits your choice of SSDs, since quite a few good ones do not come with such software...

I would still encourage you to test W7, but to each their own...

[westsailor]

I would still encourage you to test W7, but to each their own...

It's not that I am completely unfamiliar with Win7. I have helped a few friends solve problems on their systems running Win7. I even in fact have a 'new' W500 with Win 7 COA. It's just that Win 7 seems to bury things I want to get to under more 'levels' than what I can easily/readily access in XP. Compared to XP what often should be 'right here' isn't.

I know moving to Win 7 is inevitable (if not Win 10 :) I've just been using XP since it came out and pretty much know it inside out by now. So my 'comfortableness' with XP is really what keeps me from migrating. That and I'm concerned about compatibility with my PCMCIA hardware and some mid 2000's vintage XP applications that I rely on for creating/mastering music (although I understand staying with the 32bit version of Win 7 might avoid those issues).

[ajkula66]

How I see it...

First of all, you're not doing that W500 justice by running a 32-bit OS on it. With 8GB RAM and an SSD that old machine will feel very young again.

There's absolutely nothing stopping you from double-booting W7 64 and XP Pro 32 on that machine once you've acquired an SSD. You might just have to go one size bigger when shopping for the drive which isn't the end of the world, and might prove to be a good decision in the long run.

Trust me, I understand how important in one's life and productivity "old" software can be. I've got a couple of programs that I couldn't possibly live without which are very, very old and won't run in a VM.

Whether we like it or not, the days of XP's usability are behind us. Presuming that most of your music production work is done offline there's no reason why you can't run them within your favourite OS, although I'd venture a guess that a vast majority of your PCMCIA stuff will run under the W7 as well.

My $0.02 only...

[westsailor]

First of all, you're not doing that W500 justice by running a 32-bit OS on it. With 8GB RAM and an SSD that old machine will feel very young again.

Amazing how spoiled we've become, eh? To think of W500 performance as being that an 'old machine'

There's absolutely nothing stopping you from double-booting W7 64 and XP Pro 32 on that machine once you've acquired an SSD.

(Slaps forehead) Now there's an option I hadn't considered. Very good suggestion.

[ajkula66]

Amazing how spoiled we've become, eh? To think of W500 performance as being that an 'old machine'

Well, I used a pre-production W500 as a daily driver - with Vista pre-installed no less - for several months when they were Lenovo's newest offering...so yeah, time flies...

Loved that machine apart from its absolutely horrendous Samsung WUXGA LCD...had the laptop been mine in the first place I would've definitely swapped the screen along the way.

[westsailor]

Not sure if it's Samsung but my W500 has a WXUGA display. It's no Flexview ala my T60 but I like the resolution.

What is your favorite 15" display.... the one you consider ideal/best?

[ajkula66]

Not sure if it's Samsung but my W500 has a WXUGA display. It's no Flexview ala my T60 but I like the resolution.

W500 was shipped with two different WUXGA panels: LG Philips (very nice for a TN) and Samsung...nauseating. If you can actually stand to look at the screen of your W500 after using a FlexView, I'd venture a guess that your LCD is an LG one.

What is your favorite 15" display.... the one you consider ideal/best?

Two different panels here:

Favourite: A31p's UXGA FlexView, produced by DBU/ID Tech. The easiest-on-my-sickly-eyes laptop screen I've ever used.

The best (IMO): HP's DreamColor found on high-end EliteBooks, in particular the 17" WUXGA variety seen on top-shelf 8740W models.

[tudoranadi]

I use a Samsung 840 Evo 250 GB and with RAPID Mode enabled is blazing fast!

[rambo47]

I use a Samsung 840 Evo 250 GB and with RAPID Mode enabled is blazing fast!

That's the setup I'm leaning toward. The COA on my W500 is for Vista Business, but I bought a retail copy of Windows7 and I must say, even as a lifelong Mac user, Win7 is pretty good. As this is a secondary/special purpose computer for me I really don't want to break the bank on upgrades. Especially if I end up donating it to the next Recording Secretary of our lake association board (my current role).

The Crucial drive recommended in this discussion is $95 and looks like a steal. I also have dealt with Crucial before and they're top notch. But for a few buck more I might go with the Samsung. An extra 2 years warranty is nice and the Sammy is higher rated.

[ajkula66]

I use a Samsung 840 Evo 250 GB and with RAPID Mode enabled is blazing fast!

RAPID mode uses and eats up one's RAM...so yeah, the machine will feel fast.

If I were shopping for a 256GB drive nowadays...this one takes the cake IMO: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... gnorebbr=1

[pernalonga]

Hi,

let me tell you my experience with my W500 T9600 with 2x2GB Samsung RAM, W7 Ultimate 32bit OS.

In late 2011 i've installed a Samsung 830 256GB. It's been working on the clock eversince.
Haven't had any problems with it!

And that's it!
I mostly praise reliability over performance. And that's what i've achieved in these almost 4 years using an SSD. This is the only update i've done to it, in 6 years, when i bought it new.

Lately i've picked a 160GB regular hard disk i had in a shelf and tested Win7 Ultimate 64bit. It's clearly faster than the 32bit OS. I'm still assessing it, but my plan is to install 8GB of RAM, a new 840 EVO Samsung SSD and the 64bit W7 Ultimate i have.
I haven't moved to 64bit back in 2011 when i updated to the 830 SSD because i was affraid of any software issues that could come up.

Now that i've purged the machine for software i don't really use no more, all i see is reason to move 64bits on a new SSD. It could be the previous 830 256GB one, but i'd like the transition to be as safe and soft as possible, so it's easier to get a new disk.
Yesterday i bought 2 4GB Samsung of the recomended type chips, the same brand as my 2 x 2GB ones i have, that performed very well throughout this time. The SSD is next to order.

In my view it's very worth the investment. I use it with the advanced docking station to connect it to 2 22" monitors and a backup drive. It's very reliable, with zero issues and a great legacy to take advantage of.

Cheers,

[kollya]

Hi

recommendations for a particular drive

Here they are:

1. Since W500 is an oldboy with SATA2 (not SATA3), i.e. controller limits SSD speed to 300MBps, no need for a decent top-level SSD like Samsung Pros. And don't go with an outdated SSD models (their "seek time" is 1.5-2 times worse). I'd go with Crucial MX100, very good performer and reasonably priced.

2. Get a fat 2.5" 9.5mm HDD, e.g. 1TB WD Blue, and replace your DVDRW in ultrabay with it. For the DVDRW you could get a USB box for ~$10, good for occasional use.

3. Forget Windows XP. Don't think about Vista. Windows 8.1 is the way to go (buy Windows 8, upgrade to 8.1 for free). License costs $100 or less (there were $70 offers). Also you'll get Windows 10 upgrade for free later this year. Windows 10 looks very good and promising (I'm using it on a virtual machine), it should run fine on your hardware.