Windows 7vs8 SSD Optimization

Here is a list of items to help you optimize your Windows 7/8 operating system to get the most out of your machine!

Disable indexing

Description: Indexing creates and maintains a database of file attributes. This can lead to multiple small writes when creating/deleting/modifying files. Searching for files will still work.

Instructions: Start Menu -> Right-Click Computer -> Manage -> Services and Applications -> Services – > Right-Click Windows Search -> Startup type: Disabled -> OK

Description: We also need to stop Windows 7 indexing the SSD. SSD drives seek so fast that Indexing is not needed. In fact, while Windows 7 is indexing the SSD it is slowing down your system.

Instructions: Go to Computer -> Right click on SSD Drive -> Properties -> Uncheck Allow files on this drive to have contents indexed in addition to file properties -> Click OK
Once you unchecked indexing follow the onscreen instructions, you may have to skip some files you do not have access to.

Disable defragmentation (no need disable with W8)

Description: Defragmenting a hard disk’s used space is only useful on mechanical disks with multi-millisecond latencies. Free-space defragmentation may be useful to SSDs, but this feature is not available in the default Windows Defragmenter.

Instructions: Start Menu -> Right-Click Computer -> Manage -> Services and Applications -> Services – > Right-Click Disk Defragmenter -> Startup type: Disabled -> OK

Turn Off the Disk Defragmenter Schedule (no need disable with W8)

Description: Disk Defragmenter schedule allows to run defragmentation automatically in Windows 7. Disk Defragmenter is set to run on a automatic schedule by default in Windows 7.

Instructions: Start Menu -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Disk Defragmenter -> Click on the Configure schedule button -> Uncheck the Run on a Schedule box -> Click on OK -> Close the window.

Disable Superfetch (no need disable with W8)

Instructions: Open regedit.exe and browse down to the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetContro lSession ManagerMemory ManagementPrefetchParameters

Find the “EnableSuperfetch” key on the right-hand pane, rightclick it, hit modify and change 3 to 0 and hit OK.

Disable Prefetch (no need disable with W8)

Description: Frees up RAM by not preloading program files.

Instructions: Open regedit.exe and browse down to the following key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetContro lSession ManagerMemory ManagementPrefetchParameters

Find the “EnablePrefetcher” key on the right-hand pane, right click it, hit modify and change 3 to 0 and hit OK.

Firefox – Use memory cache instead of disk cache

Description: If you use Firefox, there’s a way to write cached files to RAM instead of the hard disk. This is not only faster, but will significantly reduce writes to the SSD while using the browser.

Instructions: Open Firefox -> Type about:config into the address bar -> Enter -> double-click browser.cache.disk.enable to set the value to False -> Right-Click anywhere -> New -> Integer -> Preference Name “browser.cache.memory.capacity” -> value memory size in KB. Enter 32768 for 32MB, 65536 for 64MB, 131072 for 128MB, etc. -> restart Firefox

Note: If you’re going to install RAM Disk on your computer you can change the Firefox cache location to the RAM Drive.

Disable Hibernate

Description: You may free up 1GB of space on the SSD if you have 1GB of memory, 2GB of space if you have 2GB memory. You will lose the hibernation feature which allows the equivalent of quick boots and shutdowns.

Instructions: Start Menu -> Type cmd -> Right-Click the cmd Icon -> Run as Administrator -> Type powercfg -h off -> Hit ENTER -> Type exit -> Hit ENTER

To enable type: powercfg -h on

source: My Digital Life Forums

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