I posted a similar post whilst putting my PC together (over a year ago), currently running 250gb SSD with OS (W10) with Cubase 9.5 PRO, Absolute 3 Collection (recently upgraded) fair few Waves plug-ins, it is SO UNCOMFORTABLY FULL!! I have a D hard drive, 1tb, with Native Komplete 11, projects, itunes music, photos…, not so full.
Was thinking of putting a second SSD in (Samsung 850 PRO 512 GB 2.5 inch SATA III Solid State Drive) and putting ALL my sample based stuff (so Absolute 3 and Komplete stuff)…thus freeing up a lot of original SSD space, also leaving space to create project back-ups etc…
Is that the best way to run a system of this size? Would it work better to put Cubase on this drive and save original SSD for OS…?? Or leave on the C and put samples on new SSL. Does it make any difference??? Do you guys have multiple drives??
Looked around and I can get the 512gb SSD for around £180… Pricey, but if it helps my system run better…
Any advise…just to get the best system running I can?? Excuse the naivity!!
Yes, kick out rotating drives, rhey are ancient. No need to keep hanging on to them, just look at the total storage you need, without OS and installed applications (so basically all “content” ) and buy a SSD 2x that size and you should be good for a while.
I’ve got a 256gb nvme rd400 as system and a 500gb samsung Pro as content, on my NAS I’ve got another 20TB with 2 256gb samsung pro’s as cache.
Personally, if you’re getting a 500GB SSD I’s clone your current System drive on to that.
I have 500Ggig System drives on both my systems (using Raphie’s suggested “double-it” rule) and that should last me for a while.
I’d not move the Programmes themselves from their default position on the system drive either, Yes, it can be done but can be the source of problems. Just let them be installed in the default place. Yes, use other drives for samples content. Old spinning drives can always be used for backup drives, you can never have too many back-ups.
Well, if you’ve got the money then get the new SSD. But the one question is, are you sure you need SSD? Do you have disk bottleneck problems using sample playing instruments? I’ve got my EastWest and other instruments on a 2TB Western Digital Red spinning disk (taking up 300GB) and I’ve not had any disk throughput problems. I keep my projects on a 3TB WD Red spinning disk and that’s fine too. I have my OS on a 500G SSD Samsung Pro for general system speed. Each to their own of course, but if you’re buying SSD when you don’t need it then you’re limiting your disk space and spending extra money… Worth thinking about I think.
I have to say I agree…if you’re getting the SSD then I’d still advise as I did previously BUT though I do have two SSDs in my main system I also have four traditional HDs on which my Cubase projects reside. Other than space are you having disk acccess issues? My SSDs were originally purchased for software other than Cubase…
Thanks, excuse my lack of understanding of this…so if I clone my OS (C drive) onto my new drive (which will be an SSD twice the size of the original) does that make the new SSD become my C (main) drive, and when that is up and running, free up my original drive (that I could delete everything on it and use for projects/back-ups etc)??
Sorry just a bit unsure how it works and how complicated it may be.
i don’t follow your logic, for €50,00 more you can have that lib on a 500GB SSD being 40x as fast. AND still have 200GB to spare. spinning disks really don’t make any sense anymore buying them new.
If you’ve very short on money, yes you can put them over from your old system and save €150,00 not buying a new SSD.
But for a new purchase it should not even be a consideration.
“Efficient use” and content “benefitting” from SSD usage were considerations 8 years ago, that’s no longer the case.
It’s like LCD has taken over CRT.
Yes, your new cloned copy drive would become the C: drive and you’d have the old one free for other use once you were sure everything was working fine.
BUT if you’re not sure how to go about this then don’t take this route, either find someone who knows what they’re doing or stick with your current drive. Don’t risk losing your system over this if you’re not totally sure what you’re doing. Instead just get the new 500GB SSD for using for your samples, and indeed Cubase files if tyou wish. As I said before, though, I still wouldn’t move the program itself off the C drive.
The workaround would be having your Windows C: drive as SSD, and all others can stay HDD. If you have a lot of memory like 16 or 32 GB Ram, them you could compensate for that by using memory. Like Groove Agent and Halion can run on more RAM and wont affect hard disk read. Though i believe SSD drives are really the best thing a computer can have and is about the best upgrade to boost your PC. Just changing all drives would be costly and to store large VST files or VSTi sounds etc, the normal harddrive is ok. Just changing your C: drive to SSD is the speedup to start with.
As I said, my C drive is already an SSD, but is a very full 250gb one, of which I was considering cloning to a 500gb. With this in mind, is it still worth cloning the main system to this (500gb) drive?
I have cloned a few of my OS SSD drives over the years, as I’ve needed more space and as drives have become bigger/cheaper. I use EaseUS Todo Backup, it’s got a Clone tool. I put the new disk in the chassis and clone to it. Then power off again, unplug the old, power on, boot and it’s always been that simple. You need to know your way around the inside of your PC a bit I guess, and don’t clone the wrong way
As for the discussion on spinning platters vs ssd, it’s just how you weigh up the pros and cons that determines the logic. IMO if you don’t need the speed then platters are well worth considering because they’re cheaper and they store way more. But they do create a bit more noise and heat - which in turn may create more fan noise!
For backing up the C: SSD i use a windows backups to the harddrive and Norton Ghost.
So if it fails C: then i at least i have a good backup. The main reason the C: can be SSD is of speed. But the more you write and rewrite on SSD the SSD can fail in the long run. And the HDD offcourse are cheaper and have way more space for the bucks.
Basically there is no need to have a SSD 250gb full of software. Many of VSTi or data Plugins etc, allow to move the data to another drive and only the plugins or so on the C: SSD drive. So it is a matter where you install the software and the data. I have a 250GB drive SSD C: and it is not so full at all. For instance a plugin VSTi Trilogy allows 3 GB of data to be installed on another drive, that helps keeping the C: drive clear.
I would say that if your system SSD is full, cloning to a larger capacity SSD is a good idea.
I have 5 drives in my audio PC
500g SSD system
1tb HD non-streaming sample drive
2tb HD work drive (for Cubase Projects, renders etc). I have also moved my documents folder to this drive, from the SSD system drive
2 x 2tb SSD streaming sample drives
The SSD’s have made ALL the difference with Kontakt libraries, this is an upgrade I would recommend everyone doing when they possibly can.
