SSDs - State of the Product?

[Mercutio]

How so?

There's something wrong there. I can fit fully updated XP + Office 03 + Nero 7 + TrueImage + Foxit Reader + Firefox + my old-ass copy of ACDSee (2.something) + Picasa + 150MB of graphics card drives in about 4GB. 2.25GB as a sysprepped image. Even if I throw in a bunch of printer drivers I don't need I'm still under 5GB.

 

[mubs]

Here is a listing of the sizes of folders in C: on my laptop drive:

(14,853.07 Mb + ?) Sys (C:)
 |- (4,511.87 Mb) WINDOWS
 |   |- (1,603.49 Mb) Installer
 |   |- (868.97 Mb) system32
 |   |- (544.08 Mb) $hf_mig$
 |   |- (168.00 Mb) assembly
 |   |- (160.80 Mb) ie7updates
 |   |- (150.05 Mb) Help
 |   |- (115.90 Mb) Microsoft.NET
 |   |- (89.47 Mb) SoftwareDistribution
 |   |- (88.51 Mb) Driver Cache
 |   |- (80.04 Mb) Temp
 |   |- (67.36 Mb) pchealth
 |   |- (64.80 Mb) Downloaded Installations
 |   |- (60.55 Mb) Fonts
 |   |- (58.99 Mb) inf
 |   |- (32.97 Mb) WinSxS
 |   |- (26.02 Mb) ie7
 |   |- (22.75 Mb) repair
 |   |- (13.27 Mb) $NtUninstallWMFDist11$
 |   |- (12.57 Mb) $NtUninstallKB956841$
 |   |- (12.53 Mb) $NtUninstallKB931784$
 |   |- (12.04 Mb) srchasst
 |   |- (11.13 Mb) $NtUninstallKB937143_0$
 |   |- (11.13 Mb) $NtUninstallKB933566$
 |   |- (10.93 Mb) security
 |   |- (10.91 Mb) $NtUninstallKB936782_WMP11$
 |   |- (10.91 Mb) $NtUninstallKB937143$
 |   |- (10.36 Mb) $NtUninstallwmp11$
 |- (3,992.05 Mb) Program Files
 |   |- (927.43 Mb) Microsoft Streets and Trips
 |   |- (649.95 Mb) Microsoft Office
 |   |- (547.62 Mb) Adobe
 |   |- (455.81 Mb) Common Files
 |   |- (235.70 Mb) Corel
 |   |- (214.37 Mb) Dell
 |   |- (191.20 Mb) ATI Technologies
 |   |- (82.92 Mb) Wave Systems Corp
 |   |- (75.23 Mb) Palm
 |   |- (70.74 Mb) Java
 |   |- (65.01 Mb) InstallShield Installation Information
 |   |- (57.59 Mb) Nokia
 |   |- (43.28 Mb) CyberLink
 |   |- (43.07 Mb) QuickTime Alternative
 |   |- (28.27 Mb) MSECache
 |   |- (26.37 Mb) K-Lite Codec Pack
 |   |- (25.97 Mb) Toshiba
 |   |- (25.26 Mb) HP
 |   |- (21.90 Mb) McAfee
 |   |- (20.56 Mb) Mozilla Firefox
 |   |- (16.62 Mb) SigmaTel
 |   |- (15.86 Mb) Microsoft Office Communicator
 |   |- (11.98 Mb) Dell Support
 |   |- (10.65 Mb) PC Connectivity Solution
 |   |- (10.45 Mb) Broadcom
 |- (1,117.32 Mb) i386
 |- (650.05 Mb) Documents and Settings
 |- (546.39 Mb) MSOCache
 |- (34.99 Mb) drivers
 |- (32.46 Mb) dell
 |- (3.25 Mb) Utils
 |- (0.01 Mb) CPQSYSTEM

It's a Dell. I've removed line items that are smaller than 10 MB in size. There's a 2GB hibernate file and a 2 gb pagefile.

 

[ddrueding]

I noticed your windows folder alone is over 4GB, so is mine. I assume Merc knows some things that we don't?

 

[Mercutio]

I've got a SLIGHTLY customized Windows install, but I don't think I prune off that much!

 

[ddrueding]

In case anyone doesn't have it, here is spacemonger. I can never seem to find it online. IMHO, it is very useful for identifying missing GBs.

 

[Mercutio]

As a warning, yes, Spacemonger crashes a lot.

I'll build a system tonight and check my size on disk again. I swear that it's less than 5GB, though.

 

[ddrueding]

I've only had spacemonger crash when I delete stuff from inside it. For just displaying the relative size and navigating, I haven't had it crash yet.

 

[mubs]

I use Folder Size Shell Extension v3.2 in XP.

 

[Mercutio]

Ahem.

This is a fresh Windows install from my basic prepared image. Fully updated XP SP3, Full install of Office 2003, Avast, TrueImage Home, Burnaware (rather than Nero, which would have used more space), Firefox etc.

My lightly customized Windows XP SP3 install includes slipstreamed drivers for the Intel 945GCPE, 946GZis and DG31PR motherboards and a couple Gigabyte AMD boards with names that are too long for me to remember, and turns off the animated search and system restore by default. And there's a registry change to make menus open faster.

 

[Mercutio]

As a note, I don't typically install all of Nero or all of Office 2003, since Outlook is against my religion and most people don't use Publisher, but this guy wanted the whole thing.

 

[udaman]

As a note, I don't typically install all of Nero or all of Office 2003, since Outlook is against my religion and most people don't use Publisher, but this guy wanted the whole thing.

This has what to do with the state of the art of SSDs?

Snow Leopard is going to kick arse next year (spring?)...glad I don't have to deal with all that Winblows crap Merc is deeply rooted in spending a good portion of his waking life to. And Dell is charging an extra $150 to put XP on their new laptops, lol.

With all the time left over not having to deal with hours of Winblows...if I had a desktop computer, I'd probably spend some big $$$ on a Micron PCI-e SSD.

http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/40359/135/

Nah, on 2nd thought, I'd just wait a few more years for something faster, 3-6x capacity, and a lot less expensive; preferring to take a quick one week trip to HK, Seoul, or Tokyo for the money saved.

 

[Fushigi]

This has what to do with the state of the art of SSDs?

Snow Leopard is going to kick arse next year (spring?)...glad I don't have to deal with all that Winblows crap Merc is deeply rooted in spending a good portion of his waking life to. And Dell is charging an extra $150 to put XP on their new laptops, lol.

With all the time left over not having to deal with hours of Winblows...if I had a desktop computer, I'd probably spend some big $$$ on a Micron PCI-e SSD.

http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/40359/135/

Nah, on 2nd thought, I'd just wait a few more years for something faster, 3-6x capacity, and a lot less expensive; preferring to take a quick one week trip to HK, Seoul, or Tokyo for the money saved.

This has what to do with the state of the art of SSDs?

 

[Mercutio]

I have udaman on ignore and I don't read his posts, but since Fushigi quoted him, I shall respond:

I made a statement that various SF members have absurd space requirements on their system drives. Other members suggested that the minimum size of a windows installation is much larger than I believed to be the case. I built a system, installed windows and applications and posted images to back up my claim.

To me it looks like Windows XP can fit comfortably on a 16GB drive, and an 8GB drive as long as some accommodation is made to store personal files elsewhere.

A full SuSE or Ubuntu install should actually fit in about the same 4 - 5GB.

 

[ddrueding]

My windows folder is 5.8GB, and games these days seem to be in the 5GB (latest NFS) -10GB (GRID) range. 32GB would be tight, but 64GB doable I think.

Merc, did you slipstream all the updates and drivers onto that install? I wonder if there are less temp\setup files on there...

 

[Mercutio]

Merc, did you slipstream all the updates and drivers onto that install? I wonder if there are less temp\setup files on there...

Yes. I make an updated disc pretty regularly; maybe every six weeks or so. My most recent one is a couple weeks old now. If anything, my windows install should be bigger as a result of that.

 

[ddrueding]

Well, here is my windows folder...any clues?

 

[Handruin]

This has what to do with the state of the art of SSDs?

Uda-burn :grin:

 

[ddrueding]

Wow, it scrambled that big-time. A decent sized PNG got shrunk and JPGed...ouch.

I'll try again:

 

[timwhit]

I ran my boot drive off of an old 18GB SCSI drive until about a month ago. I never ran out of space on it. I only stored Windows and program files on this drive. I don't play games other than Minesweeper. My new boot drive is 32GB and it is less than a quarter full if I remember correctly.

My Documents and all my other files are stored on three 500GB drives and one 400GB drive.

 

[Mercutio]

That PatchCache folder is really big. I suspect a lot of that space in your Windows folder is coming from the fact that you can uninstall patches whereas a slipstreamed install won't have that ability.

Printer drivers, especially inkjet printers, are also criminally huge.

 

[ddrueding]

There also seem to be a number of large folders that are 64-bit specific.

 

[sechs]

My windows folder is 5.8GB

Mine is about 5.5GB, but that's with half a gig of fonts. And I'm running XP x64.

I bet that a clean install would be smaller. Of course, that won't fix your problem with too many fat apps installed....

 

[LunarMist]

I can fit OS and apps easily into an 8GB partition on the X25-E.

 

[Bozo]

I just installed XP+SP2 and Office 2000 on a computer. Total size of the install on the "C" partition is 3.3GB.


Bozo :joker:

 

[mubs]

How many are running SP3? Maybe it's time to slipstream SP3 and reinstall (sigh) Wincrap XP.

 

[Bozo]

I have SP3 running on a few computers. No problems.

Why reinstall? Just run the SP3 package and update your system as is.

Bozo :joker:

 

[mubs]

You'll have to go back a page for that, Bozo. It's about the size of the C: partition and my system having become slow.

 

[Mercutio]

All my systems - every single one that I am responsible for - is on XP SP3 these days. I have not had any issues with it.

 

[ddrueding]

Same here. SP3 all around, no issues.

 

[timwhit]

I think XP SP3 actually fixed the IE6 peek-a-boo bug.

 

[Mercutio]

I'm not made of money like so many IT people.

I would just like to point out once again that I make a lot less money than a lot of the other IT folks here; probably less than half what ddrueding or Fushigi make. We're not all made out of money.

But I did just order an Intel SSD. Happy Birthday to me.

 

[mubs]

Yes, Happy birthday to you, Merc! Enjoy your new SSD. Tell us fascinating tales about it. I can at least enjoy it vicariously!

 

[timwhit]

I would just like to point out once again that I make a lot less money than a lot of the other IT folks here; probably less than half what ddrueding or Fushigi make. We're not all made out of money.

But I did just order an Intel SSD. Happy Birthday to me.

Which one?

 

[Mercutio]

Which one?

The 80GB one. I'm not sure if I'm going to put it in a notebook or my game system. One or the other, though.

 

[timwhit]

The 80GB one. I'm not sure if I'm going to put it in a notebook or my game system. One or the other, though.

I'd like to get the SLC one, but there's no way I can rationalize buying a $700 hard disk. Plus, my girlfriend would kill me.

 

[ddrueding]

I actually have a complaint about it for games. Many of the games I've played recently have useful hints and storyline items on the loading screen, and I never see them.

I think that is a nice problem to have, but still annoying on some level.

 

[Mercutio]

timwhit, I will very gladly swap you as many Intel SSDs as you have SATA ports for a girlfriend.

 

[Stereodude]

timwhit, I will very gladly swap you as many Intel SSDs as you have SATA ports for a girlfriend.

And that attitude could very well account for why you don't have one.

 

[Mercutio]

And that attitude could very well account for why you don't have one.

If I wanted to buy a woman's company, I certainly could. My brother makes regular trips out of the country with the express purpose of visiting prostitutes. I have money. I could do the same thing. I have a certain disdain for that idea, myself. I'd rather go without - and in my case that has meant entirely without, than do what he does.

I have no idea how to attract a woman in any kind of normal fashion. I've spent years on various personals sites and I could happily the many ways in which they don't work for men in general, let alone in my specific case. As a rule, college educated, professional people do not live where I do, and even putting aside my social phobias and depression, if I went out someplace, the statistical likelihood of meeting a person who might be interested as anything other than a wallet with legs is essentially zero.

Now, maybe you're just being a condescending dick, but it's not like I haven't been making efforts to have some kind of companionship in my life. I just haven't been successful by any rational metric.

 

[Handruin]

With what I've read from you in terms of your own unhappiness in general, having a woman in your life isn't going to make that all go away. I know this isn't anything new being mentioned, but you've got to resolve what isn't making you happy before you could entertain the idea of having a solid chance at any relationship. Working on or dealing with social phobias would make a big start in that direction. If you don't feel like there are enough educated women in your area, try moving.