SSD clarification (newbie on tweaks, swap file, dual boot)
Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 5:05 pm
I am going to install/dual boot LMDE and Windows 7 using one (1) SSD. No other storage/drives. I have read through existing threads here and elsewhere, but feel I need to get things verified as this is new territory (I'm upgrading from a 9-10 year old system). I really appreciate any comments you can give me. So far I know for certain that I will go for EXT4 and either noop or deadline.
New system
SSD: 240 GB (Sandisk Extreme)
Ram: 8 (2x4) GB
Mobo: Z77 (Asrock Z77E-ITX)
Q1
I read a lot about "noatime" and will try to implement it. However, what does this exactly deactivate? Just the information when a file has been read, e.g. the info I see when I right click on a file and see when it has last been "accessed"? Or will implementing "noatime" have other small impacts on other features, e.g. not getting a list of most recently listened songs in audio players (assuming listening does not equal that data is actually written - I might be wrong here?)? I am not sure if want those kind of features to be disabled (the same reason why I won't put Firefox cache in tmp).
Q2
I have read many recommendations about ditching the swap partition when dealing with a SSD. While using my new system with 8 gb ram, I believe I will barely or not at all need swap. (I'm currently running on 2 gb ram and using the "top" command it seems that I'm not touching my swap partition). Most of the time I would be happy to just suspend to ram (and shut down, obviously). I do, however, want to have the ability to hibernate (suspend to disk=ssd). If not creating a swap partition, is a swap file a good solution (as reliable as a partition) for the occasions when I, crazy as I am, want to hibernate? I read contradicting information on the behaviour of swap files (and their sizes). Will the size of the swap file be consistent (maximum, given a certain size) or vary depending on how much swap is actually needed? If the swap file actually always is as large as some given size value is there any point using it over a swap partition? But if the size of the swap file is dynamic in relation to the actual need, it would perhaps be the way to go?
Q3
What is the best solution to share space between two OSs, i.e. LMDE and Windows 7? In my current setup (LMDE and Windows XP on 1 HDD in total) I use a windows formatted (ntfs) partition which is accessible from both OSs. Is there any other/better solutions? Should one also assign discards/noatime in LMDE to the windows formatted partition?
Q4
What about journaling? No big reason to turn it off?
I apologise if this all too much to begin with...
New system
SSD: 240 GB (Sandisk Extreme)
Ram: 8 (2x4) GB
Mobo: Z77 (Asrock Z77E-ITX)
Q1
I read a lot about "noatime" and will try to implement it. However, what does this exactly deactivate? Just the information when a file has been read, e.g. the info I see when I right click on a file and see when it has last been "accessed"? Or will implementing "noatime" have other small impacts on other features, e.g. not getting a list of most recently listened songs in audio players (assuming listening does not equal that data is actually written - I might be wrong here?)? I am not sure if want those kind of features to be disabled (the same reason why I won't put Firefox cache in tmp).
Q2
I have read many recommendations about ditching the swap partition when dealing with a SSD. While using my new system with 8 gb ram, I believe I will barely or not at all need swap. (I'm currently running on 2 gb ram and using the "top" command it seems that I'm not touching my swap partition). Most of the time I would be happy to just suspend to ram (and shut down, obviously). I do, however, want to have the ability to hibernate (suspend to disk=ssd). If not creating a swap partition, is a swap file a good solution (as reliable as a partition) for the occasions when I, crazy as I am, want to hibernate? I read contradicting information on the behaviour of swap files (and their sizes). Will the size of the swap file be consistent (maximum, given a certain size) or vary depending on how much swap is actually needed? If the swap file actually always is as large as some given size value is there any point using it over a swap partition? But if the size of the swap file is dynamic in relation to the actual need, it would perhaps be the way to go?
Q3
What is the best solution to share space between two OSs, i.e. LMDE and Windows 7? In my current setup (LMDE and Windows XP on 1 HDD in total) I use a windows formatted (ntfs) partition which is accessible from both OSs. Is there any other/better solutions? Should one also assign discards/noatime in LMDE to the windows formatted partition?
Q4
What about journaling? No big reason to turn it off?
I apologise if this all too much to begin with...