What Is SSD and How Do I Set Up and Make Use of SSD [Beginners' Guide]

SSDs have become a popular disk storage device for Windows and Mac users. But do you really know what an SSD is, and what it's best for? Follow this guide to learn how to choose the right SSD for different uses and set it up successfully.

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What is an SSD, and what are its types and prices?

According to Wikipedia, an SSD (Solid-State Drive) is a storage device that employs flash memory and integrated circuit assemblies to enable users to persistently store files and data on the drive. Initially designed as an auxiliary storage device for computers, SSDs have now become even more popular than HDDs in many cases.

According to a report compiled by Tomshardware.com, in Q1 2022, HDD shipments amounted to 64,170,000 units, while SSD shipments reached 99,438,000 units. Here's an image illustrating the market share of SSD shipments among different manufacturers: (Note: The actual image cannot be provided here as it's a text-based AI response, but you can find the chart on the linked website.)

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(Chart source: Trendfocus/StorageNewsletter)

So, what is an SSD? Let's dive into the details and learn more.

SSD History: Introduced by SanDisk in 1991

Popular types of SSDs:

• 1TB or 2TB SSD: For most average users, 1TB is sufficient for the operating system and gaming. 2TB is typically used for storing large media files.
• Most common SSD: SATA SSD
• Latest SSD: M.2 NVMe SSD
• Best SSD brand: Samsung
• Best portable SSD: Samsung, WD My Passport, and SanDisk Extreme

What is the best SSD in 2022? You can find it at this link: [Best SSDs in 2022](https://www.techradar.com/news/best-solid-state-drives-ssds), where you'll get the SSD that suits your needs.

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What's the difference between an HDD and an SSD? Check out the differences between SSD and HDD to find out which is better for gaming.

What is the best SSD for?

When should I use an SSD on my computer, and how much storage do I need? Check out these tips:

When Do You Need an SSD (Solid State Drive)?

• Speed up computer boot time.
• Increase computer read and write speed.
• Optimize gaming experience for smoother performance.
• Handle large applications and games, as well as video editing and adding video effects.

Which one should I choose: a 256GB, 500GB, 1TB, or 2TB SSD?

The most popular SSDs on the market come in four storage sizes: 256GB, 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB.

So, when and how to choose the right storage capacity for an SSD? Consider this checklist:

• 250GB - For installing or migrating the operating system to an SSD only.
• 500GB - For installing the OS or moving some large applications and games to an SSD.
• 1TB - For replacing the OS drive and moving applications to the SSD.
• 2TB - For running large games and ultra-demanding applications like Adobe Premiere and After Effects on an SSD.

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How to Install, Initialize, and Partition an SSD in Windows [Set Up Your SSD]

Note that when you're picking out an SSD, make sure your computer has a compatible interface for installing the SSD. Once you've picked out the SSD you like, you can follow this guide to install the SSD and set it up to hold your Windows installation or games. Let's get started:

#Guide 1: Installing a Solid State Drive (SSD)

Shut down your computer or laptop, then follow the instructions here to install your new SSD.

Step 1: Remove all the screws from the back of the desktop or laptop and open the case.

Step 2. Locate the SSD bay or SATA SSD cable.

Step 3: Insert the SSD into its slot, or connect it to your computer via its cable.

Insert the SSD into the SSD slot:

Install the SSD using a cable:

Install SSD with Cables

Step 4: Restart your computer.

Guide 2: Setting up an SSD - Initializing and Partitioning the SSD

To utilize an SSD in your computer for a specific purpose, you need to set it up by initializing and partitioning it, following the steps outlined here.

Initialize SSD:

If an SSD or HDD is uninitiated, you'll encounter the "disk unknown, not initialized" or "SSD not showing up in Windows 10" error. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Right-click the Windows icon and select “Disk Management.”

Step 2. Right-click the SSD in Disk Management and select “Initialize Disk.”

Step 3. Set the SSD disk type to "GPT" or "MBR".

• GPT - For installing a new Windows operating system or game.
• MBR - When using the SSD as a data drive.

How to Partition an SSD:

To set up the SSD for specific use, you need to partition the SSD using Disk Management, as shown below:

Launch Disk Management, right-click the unallocated space on your SSD, and select "New Simple Volume." Follow the wizard to assign a drive letter, choose a file system format, and set the volume size, then click "Finish."

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SSD vs HDD: What's the Difference?

While older than SSDs, HDDs are still more widely used globally. So, what's the difference between HDD and SSD? Which one is better for Windows?

Here's a comparison table outlining key aspects of SSDs and HDDs. You can refer to it to decide which one suits you better, an SSD or an HDD. Let's delve into the details:

As is shown in the table, SSD performs better in reading and writing data. Therefore, SSD is an ideal choice to install the latest Windows or optimize game experience.

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Tutorial: How to Migrate Your Operating System from HDD to SSD

If you decide to replace an HDD with an SSD in your computer, you may have two needs:

• #1. Clone HDD to SSD
• #2. Migrate OS to SSD

Then, how can you do it? The “System Migration” and “Clone” feature in the professional disk partition manager – Eassos Partition Master can help you to accomplish these two tasks.

#1. Clone HDD to SSD

To completely replace the OS HDD with the new SSD and迁移 all its content, you can use the Clone feature in the Partition Master tool.

Step 1: Select the source disk.

Click "Clone" from the left menu. Choose "Clone System Disk" or "Clone Data Disk," then click "Next." Select the source disk and click "Next."

Select the target disk.

• Select the desired HDD/SSD as the target disk, and then click "Next" to proceed.
• Read the warning message and confirm by clicking the "Yes" button.

Step 3: Review the disk layout and edit the target disk partition sizes, if necessary.

When prompted that the utility will erase all data from the target disk, click “Continue” (make sure to back up any important data on your target disk ahead of time).

Here you can choose to “Automatically adjust disk size”, “Clone to the same size as source disk”, or “Edit disk layout”. (If you want to reserve more space for C drive, choose the last option.)

Step 4: Click Start to begin the disk cloning process.

#2. Migrating Your Operating System to an SSD [Video Guide]

If you want to move the operating system to SSD and keep data on the old hard drive, you can use the “Migrate OS” feature in the Partition Master tool.

• Launch Partition Master and select "Clone" from the left-hand menu.
• Check "Migrate OS," then click "Next."
• Select your SSD or HDD as the target disk, then click "Next."
• Read the warning that data and partitions on the target disk will be deleted. Make sure you've backed up all important data beforehand. If not, do so now.
• Then click "Yes."
• Preview the layout of the target disk, then click "Start" to begin migrating the OS to the new drive.

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Then click “Restart Now” or “Finish,” depending on whether you want to restart the computer from the new disk right away.

“Reboot Now” means to save the changes immediately, while “Done” means you will need to restart your computer manually later.

Note: If there is not enough free space on the target disk, the OS migration operation will delete and remove existing partitions and data on the target disk. Back up any important data to an external hard drive beforehand if necessary.

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Note: After migrating your OS to the SSD or cloning your HDD to the SSD, it is crucial to configure the new SSD as the boot drive in BIOS to ensure that Windows starts up properly.

Bonus Tip: SSD Maintenance and Optimization

Aside from SSD partitioning tasks, some SSD users may also have the need to clean up or optimize the SSD disk. Skilled Windows users can format SSD or erase SSD by themselves with File Explorer, Disk Management, or CMD commands.

#1. Format SSD (Solid State Drive)

• Open Disk Management, right-click the SSD volume you want to format. • Select "Format..." • Choose the file system, check "Quick Format," then click "OK."

Repeat the process for all target partitions on the SSD drive.

#2. Cleaning and Erasing an SSD

To fully reset an SSD drive, you can use the wipe feature in Windows DiskPart in conjunction with the `clean all` command:

1. Right-click the Windows icon, then choose "Search." 2. Type **cmd**, then right-click "Command Prompt" from the search results. 3. Enter **diskpart** and press Enter. 4. Type **list disk** and press Enter. 5. Input **select disk * ** (replace * with the number of your SSD drive). 6. Type **clean all** and press Enter.

Tips for beginners:

If you're not familiar with Windows or find the Diskpart commands difficult to remember, you can turn to a third-party SSD eraser tool like Partition Master, which helps you securely erase HDD or SSD with just a few simple clicks.

#3. Optimize Solid State Drives

To optimize SSD performance, you can't do without reliable SSD optimization software. Partition Master is an all-in-one SSD cleaner and SSD optimizer for SSD users of all levels.

Here's what you can do with this SSD Optimizer:

• Check and fix file system errors on the SSD.
• Extend and speed up System C drive on SSD.
• Align 4K sectors on SSD.
• Change cluster size, etc. on the SSD.

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SSD Troubleshooting: Fix All Types of Physical and Logical Errors on SSD

Aside from everyday SSD management, some of you might encounter multiple physical or logical errors on an SSD disk.

Among these issues, SSD failure or becoming inaccessible is one of the most common errors that any SSD owner may encounter.

Reliable partition manager software – Partition Master can easily help you check and fix file system errors on SSD and HDD.

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Here, we also gather a series of common SSD issues and their solutions for your reference:

Error 1: Solid State Drive Not Showing Up

Symptom: The SSD is not showing up in File Explorer in Windows, or it's not being detected in BIOS/Disk Management.

Solution: How to Fix M.2 SSD Not Detected (in BIOS/Disk Management)

Error 2: SSD Maintenance

Symptoms: SSD fragmentation, data loss, and short SSD lifespan.

Solution: How to Maintain SSD Performance and Prolong Its Life Span

Error 3: SSD Trim Revert

Symptom: Data on the SSD cannot be recovered after enabling Trim.

Solution: Enable/Disable SSD TRIM and Perform SSD TRIM Recovery