mac and ssd drives

[Cej]

- im reading a bit about the way ssd's write over files and how if not managed properly can lead to degradation of the ssd unless a TRIM function is enabled - can anyone expand on this ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRIM <<< read the first 3 paragraphs
basically the OS manages the TRIM (unless its a 1st gen SSD = 3yrs ago)

SSD's are basically a pure memory module = like RAM only with long term memory < if that makes sense

I recommend/do not store important data on a SSD, only OS, programs, and tempory files (I also have all my libraries on separate drive)

- would a 128gb ssd be big enough ? im planning on storing projects and files on an external drive - so im guessing this might be big enough

128gb 'should' be enough.....but 256gb will make life cushy for you (if you - 1. aren't a gamer and 2. store large sample libraries on a separate drive)


Maybe have a read here too >>> viewtopic.php?f=1&t=181838

[fishmonkey]

I recommend/do not store important data on a SSD, only OS, programs, and tempory files (I also have all my libraries on separate drive)

sure you can put everything on there, just make sure you have a good backup plan, which you should anyway if your data is important to you.

[ekwipt]

Oh MBP Retina, forget what I wrote then, buy the biggest you can afford, i think you can only get 256Gb or 512Gb on the rMBP, if you can afford get 16Gb of RAM and 512Gb SSD because you can't swap them out at all after the rMBP has been made, they're all soldered to the motherboard.

Symbolic Links:

The only way to move Logic's sample libraries to an external hard drive or non boot partition is to create a symbolic link to the files, aliases won't work.

http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/ ... ink.7.html

https://github.com/jossgray/SymLinker

http://seiryu.home.comcast.net/~seiryu/ ... inker.html

[fishmonkey]

Oh MBP Retina, forget what I wrote then, buy the biggest you can afford, i think you can only get 256Gb or 512Gb on the rMBP, if you can afford get 16Gb of RAM and 512Gb SSD because you can't swap them out at all after the rMBP has been made, they're all soldered to the motherboard.

only the RAM is soldered to the motherboard.

the SSD is not, but it's an uncommon blade-type connector, similar to the MacBook Air one. there will be some third-party options eventually, just at there is for the Air.

[glitchrock-buddha]

I just bought a 512 gb crucial SSD for my 2011 Macbook Pro. I also bought a optibay enclosure to put my existing 1TB hard drive into the superdrive space. So I'll have 1.5 TB of space in my lappy, 512gb of which will be SSD.

I figure I'll install my system plus my sample libraries on the SSD (Omnisphere/Trilian, Komplete 8 libraries and some extra Kontakt stuff), and then keep song files, samples and all user account stuff on the old drive.

It's time for a fresh install i think so I'll go clean. Mountain Lion OSX update seems like a good time to go clean, so I'm waiting on the release before I do so. Likely within a couple weeks.

[buzby]

thanks

if i get a retina then i ll have to wait until the thunderbolt to firewire and vga converters are on sale !!

[Piplodocus]

I just bought a 512 gb crucial SSD for my 2011 Macbook Pro. I also bought a optibay enclosure to put my existing 1TB hard drive into the superdrive space. So I'll have 1.5 TB of space in my lappy, 512gb of which will be SSD.

I figure I'll install my system plus my sample libraries on the SSD (Omnisphere/Trilian, Komplete 8 libraries and some extra Kontakt stuff), and then keep song files, samples and all user account stuff on the old drive.

Almost the same here, but I've got a 256GB Crucial SSD and 1TB 5400rpm in mine. Have OS/Apps/Ableton/Samples and music projects on the SSD, and all my iTunes libraries/photos/movies/download junk and seldom used other music stuff on the 1TB. It's only 5400rpm (can't get a 7200rpm 1TB yet) but everything else runs great all off the SSD. Just made scrolling my iTunes library artwork quickly a bit less smooth than when the iTunes library was on a 500GB 7200rpm drive and I wasn't so space-greedy!

I believe the standard factory supplied Apple SSDs have trim enabled. Aftermarket fitted ones like mine don't though. Unless you try TRIM enabler... http://www.groths.org/?page_id=322 Some people have mentioned bugs and bad experiences with it, but it's seemed to work fine for me when I've tried it!

[glitchrock-buddha]

I just bought a 512 gb crucial SSD for my 2011 Macbook Pro. I also bought a optibay enclosure to put my existing 1TB hard drive into the superdrive space. So I'll have 1.5 TB of space in my lappy, 512gb of which will be SSD.

I figure I'll install my system plus my sample libraries on the SSD (Omnisphere/Trilian, Komplete 8 libraries and some extra Kontakt stuff), and then keep song files, samples and all user account stuff on the old drive.

Almost the same here, but I've got a 256GB Crucial SSD and 1TB 5400rpm in mine. Have OS/Apps/Ableton/Samples and music projects on the SSD, and all my iTunes libraries/photos/movies/download junk and seldom used other music stuff on the 1TB. It's only 5400rpm (can't get a 7200rpm 1TB yet) but everything else runs great all off the SSD. Just made scrolling my iTunes library artwork quickly a bit less smooth than when the iTunes library was on a 500GB 7200rpm drive and I wasn't so space-greedy!

I believe the standard factory supplied Apple SSDs have trim enabled. Aftermarket fitted ones like mine don't though. Unless you try TRIM enabler... http://www.groths.org/?page_id=322 Some people have mentioned bugs and bad experiences with it, but it's seemed to work fine for me when I've tried it!

What's this TRIM thing? Do I have to worry about it with a new SSD?

Ok I just read up a bit on TRIM. Apparently it's enabled for Mac factory SSDs but not all thrid party SSDs. Anyone know if crucial SSD supports TRIM natively without needing that extra application?

[aeon_flux]

Ok I just read up a bit on TRIM. Apparently it's enabled for Mac factory SSDs but not all thrid party SSDs. Anyone know if crucial SSD supports TRIM natively without needing that extra application?

you can use trim on third party drives as well.
http://www.groths.org/?page_id=322

[glitchrock-buddha]

Ok I just read up a bit on TRIM. Apparently it's enabled for Mac factory SSDs but not all thrid party SSDs. Anyone know if crucial SSD supports TRIM natively without needing that extra application?

you can use trim on third party drives as well.
http://www.groths.org/?page_id=322

Yes but this is a third party app which is often NOT recommended. I was wondering about native TRIM support without third party hack app.

[fishmonkey]

Ok I just read up a bit on TRIM. Apparently it's enabled for Mac factory SSDs but not all thrid party SSDs. Anyone know if crucial SSD supports TRIM natively without needing that extra application?

you can use trim on third party drives as well.
http://www.groths.org/?page_id=322

Yes but this is a third party app which is often NOT recommended. I was wondering about native TRIM support without third party hack app.

at this stage the only native TRIM support is for the SSDs that Apple chooses to install at the factory. to enable TRIM for any other drives involves using the hack.

there is no straightforward answer as to whether TRIM is really necessary, it depends on the SSD controller type and capacity.

[buzby]

chatting to a guy yesterday about ssd's in mac book pro's

he said that he had heard that ssd's dont cope well with sets with a large number of tracks in them

anyone had this experience ?

thanks

[glitchrock-buddha]

I have put two different crucial SSDs (a 512gb and a newer 1TB M400) in two different macbook pros, both in the superdrive slot with optibay. Both have performed terribly. The first I tried to use as system drive, freezes all the time. The second I was only using as user drive, mainly samples, sampled instrument, music etc. It performed terribly with freezes and beachballs when accessing the drive. Took it out and put back a 1TB 7200 rpm drive in the superdrive slot.

However the SSD that came with my current macbook pro performs great as a system drive. So I've got 512 gb SSD as system drive and 1TB HD in superdrive slot.

Not sure if track count matters, but i wouldn't recommend putting a crucial drive in a macbook, that's for sure.

[buzby]

thanks for the reply bro

[fishmonkey]

chatting to a guy yesterday about ssd's in mac book pro's

he said that he had heard that ssd's dont cope well with sets with a large number of tracks in them

anyone had this experience ?

thanks

on the contrary, SSDs excel at this stuff because they have very fast random seek times compared to spinners.