What are the benefits of using multiple SSDs?
Using multiple SSDs in a computer can provide some key advantages over having just a single drive. The most obvious benefit is increased storage capacity. With SSD prices continuing to drop, adding a second or third SSD is an affordable way to expand your storage. This allows you to install more games, applications, media files, etc. without running out of space.
Beyond more storage, using multiple SSDs also enables performance improvements through RAID configurations. RAID 0 stripes data across multiple drives, allowing for faster read/write speeds. RAID 1 mirrors drives for redundancy. And RAID 5 stripes data with distributed parity for both speed and redundancy. With two or more SSDs, RAID can boost bandwidth for improved load times in games, faster project/video editing, and snappier system responsiveness.
Additionally, splitting components across drives reduces congestion. You can dedicate one SSD for your operating system and apps, while using the other for games, media, downloads, etc. This avoids bottlenecks from demanding tasks competing for bandwidth on a single drive. With everything localized to its own SSD, performance stays smooth and consistent.
How to Physically Install a Second SSD
Installing a second solid state drive (SSD) into your desktop computer is a straightforward process that involves mounting the SSD in an open drive bay and connecting the necessary cables.
First, make sure your computer is unplugged and open up the case to access the internal components. Locate an open 3.5″ or 2.5” drive bay, depending on the size of your SSD. Most modern computer cases have sleds or caddies to securely mount an SSD in a drive bay. If needed, remove any existing caddy in the bay.
Slide the SSD into the drive bay, either directly or using a caddy/adapter if one is required. Screw the SSD into place following the case manufacturer’s instructions.
Next, connect the SSD using the appropriate cables. Most SATA SSDs require both a SATA data cable and a SATA power cable from your power supply. Make sure the cables are securely attached to the SSD and have a clear path without being bent or pinched.
With the SSD physically installed and connected, you can close up the computer case and boot into the BIOS or operating system to complete the software setup.
Enabling AHCI mode in BIOS
One of the key steps to setting up multiple SSDs is enabling AHCI (Advanced Host Controller Interface) mode in the BIOS. AHCI allows the operating system to see multiple drives connected to the SATA controller and offers improved performance features compared to IDE mode.
To enable AHCI mode:
- Restart your computer and press the correct key during bootup to enter the system BIOS, usually Delete, F1, F2, F10 or F12.
- Navigate to the “Advanced” tab in the BIOS.
- Locate the option for SATA mode configuration. This may be called “SATA Mode”, “SATA Configuration” or something similar.
- Change the SATA mode setting from IDE to AHCI. In some cases, there may also be an “RAID” option that can be used.
- Save changes and exit the BIOS.
The system will briefly boot into safe mode to load AHCI drivers. You may get a notification about new hardware being detected. After booting back into Windows, AHCI mode will be enabled and your drives will be accessible.[1]
Enabling AHCI unlocks features like hot swapping, native command queuing, and higher transfer speeds. This allows your SSDs to operate at peak performance and enables your operating system to fully utilize multiple drives.
Initializing the new SSD in Disk Management
After physically installing the second SSD, you’ll need to initialize it in Windows Disk Management before it can be used. This involves allocating a drive letter, formatting the drive, and creating partitions if desired.
To initialize the drive in Windows 10 or 11, right click the Start menu and select “Disk Management”. Any new disks will show up as “Unallocated”. Right click the unallocated space on your new SSD and select “New Simple Volume” 1. Follow the prompts to assign a drive letter and format the volume using NTFS. For optimal performance, you can leave the entire capacity unpartitioned as a single large volume.
Partitioning the SSD into multiple volumes is not necessary, but can help organize your data if desired. Just be aware that each partition will need to be formatted separately. Some older operating systems may require initializing the disk as MBR instead of GPT when setting up partitions.
Once initialized with a drive letter, your new SSD will show up in File Explorer ready to use. You can now begin migrating data over to the new drive.
Setting up a RAID array
One of the main benefits of using multiple SSDs is the ability to set up a RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) array. This allows you to combine multiple drives together for increased performance, capacity, or redundancy.
There are several RAID levels to choose from when setting up an array with SSDs:
- RAID 0 stripes data across multiple drives. This improves read/write speeds but offers no redundancy. According to Enterprise Storage Forum, RAID 0 can double the read/write performance of a single SSD.
- RAID 1 mirrors data between two drives. If one fails, data is not lost. RAID 1 provides good read performance but slower writes.
- RAID 5 stripes data across multiple drives with parity information distributed among the drives. It provides good performance and redundancy but write speeds will suffer.
- RAID 10 combines mirroring and striping for increased performance and fault tolerance. However, it requires a minimum of 4 drives.
To set up a RAID array in Windows 10 with multiple SSDs:
- Enable RAID mode in BIOS settings.
- After booting to Windows, access Disk Management.
- Initialize each additional SSD drive.
- Right click and select “New Mirrored Volume” or “New Striped Volume” depending on your RAID level.
- Select the additional SSDs to include in the array.
Installing the manufacturer’s RAID drivers can allow more advanced RAID options like RAID 5 or 10. Research the RAID capabilities of your specific SSD model before deciding on the best RAID configuration.
Installing RAID drivers
Some RAID modes like RAID 0, 1, 5, or 10 require proprietary drivers from the manufacturer to function properly. Without the correct RAID drivers, Windows won’t be able to see or configure the RAID array. RAID drivers need to be installed during the OS installation process.
For AMD chipsets, the required drivers can be downloaded from AMD’s website (https://www.amd.com/en/support). For Intel chipsets, the drivers are available on Intel’s site (https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/19186/intel-rapid-storage-technology-driver-installation-software-with-intel-optane-memory-10th-and-11th-gen-platforms.html). The drivers need to be integrated into the Windows installation media.
During Windows setup, press F6 to load the RAID drivers when prompted. Point the installer to the folder location where the drivers are stored. Once the drivers are loaded, Windows will detect the RAID array and allow it to be configured.
Without the proper drivers, the individual disks may show up but the RAID array will not be visible. RAID drivers are crucial for RAID arrays to function as expected.
Migrating Data to the New SSD
There are a few main options for moving your data over to a new SSD:
Cloning the Existing Drive
Cloning copies everything on your current hard drive or SSD to the new drive. This allows you to migrate your operating system, applications, and files seamlessly to the new SSD without having to reinstall and reconfigure everything. Popular cloning software like Acronis True Image and Macrium Reflect can clone drives in just a few clicks.
Fresh OS Install
Doing a fresh OS install on the new SSD allows you to start completely from scratch. You’ll have to reinstall programs and transfer your personal files and data over manually. This is more work, but results in a clean slate without transferring over any clutter or bloat from your old drive.
Copy Files Manually
You can use file copying tools built into Windows or macOS to selectively copy over certain folders and files from your old drive to your new SSD. This works best if you just need to migrate documents, media, downloads, and other personal files.
No matter which migration method you choose, be sure to back up your data beforehand in case anything goes wrong during the transition to your new SSD.
Optimizing SSDs for Performance
There are several ways to optimize your SSDs in Windows to improve performance and longevity. The two most important methods are enabling TRIM and overprovisioning.
TRIM is a command the operating system sends to the SSD to notify it which blocks of data are no longer in use and can be wiped internally. This helps free up space for new writes and maintains speed. Enabling TRIM prevents performance degradation over time.1
To enable TRIM in Windows, open the Command Prompt as Administrator and enter the command: fsutil behavior set DisableDeleteNotify 0. Restart your computer for TRIM to take effect.
Overprovisioning reserves a portion of your SSD’s storage capacity solely for background operations like garbage collection. Typically 5-20% extra space is ideal. This helps maintain performance as the drive fills up over time.
When setting up a new SSD, reduce the maximum capacity in Disk Management to overprovision automatically. Third-party tools like SSD Tweaker also offer fine-grained control.
Other optimization tips include updating your SSD’s firmware, enabling the AHCI storage mode in BIOS, and using the high performance power plan in Windows.2
Troubleshooting SSD Issues
SSDs can sometimes encounter issues like the drive not being detected, slow performance, or RAID failure. Here are some tips for troubleshooting common SSD problems:
Drive Not Detected
If your SSD is not being detected by the system, first check that the cables are properly connected between the SSD and motherboard. Try connecting the SSD to another SATA port on the motherboard if possible. Make sure the power supply connections are secure as well.
You may need to enable AHCI mode in the BIOS for the system to detect the SSD. Legacy IDE mode will not work properly with an SSD.[1]
In Windows, open Disk Management and see if the SSD shows up there uninitialized. If so, you can right-click and initialize the disk to make it detectable to the operating system.
Slow Performance
If your SSD seems to be running slow, first check that it has at least 10-15% free space available. SSDs need free space to work efficiently and can slow down significantly if filled close to capacity.[2]
Make sure the firmware on the SSD is up to date from the manufacturer. Outdated firmware versions can hamper performance.
Scan for and repair any file system errors on the SSD using the chkdsk command in Windows. SSDs can develop corrupted data over time that affects speed.
RAID Failure
If you have an SSD RAID array that is degraded or failed, the issue may be that one of the physical drives has malfunctioned. Try reseating the SSD connections and cables first. You may need to replace the failed drive and then rebuild the array.
Make sure you have the proper RAID drivers installed for your RAID card or motherboard chipset. Mismatched drivers can cause RAID issues.
If the RAID metadata itself is corrupted, you may need data recovery to restore your array. Contact a data recovery specialist in severe cases.
Maintaining and monitoring SSD health
It’s important to monitor the health and lifespan of your SSDs in order to avoid unexpected failures or data loss. There are a few ways to check on the usage statistics and overall health of your SSDs:
First, you can use the built-in SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology) monitoring that is included with most SSDs. Tools like CrystalDiskInfo and CrystalDiskMark can read SMART data from your SSD and provide information on total bytes written, lifespan remaining, temperature, error counts and more. Monitoring SMART data will give you advance warning if your SSD is encountering issues.
You’ll also want to keep an eye on the overall usage and available free space on your SSDs. Filling an SSD to capacity can degrade performance and lifespan. Try to keep at least 10-20% of an SSD free for optimal performance. Tools like HardDiskSentinel can monitor SSD health and provide alerts when disks are close to full capacity.
Lastly, periodically running manual optimizations like TRIM, garbage collection, and defragmentation will help maintain your SSDs. These processes will reclaim unused space and keep data neatly organized on the SSD to prevent slowdowns. Most SSDs support automatic optimizations, but it doesn’t hurt to run manual maintenance every month or two.
Staying on top of your SSD health will allow you to identify and resolve any issues before they cause disruptions. Monitoring tools provide invaluable insight into usage trends and upcoming maintenance needs.