How to prepare SSD for Window XP?

D

Deluded

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Dec 31, 2009
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Yeah. From what I understand, it seems that SSDs need to be aligned prior to installation (whatever that means), because XP is not SSD aware and thus does not adjust SSD properly.

I tried to follow this guide: http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/wi...ws_on_a_VERTEX

but when I get to diskpart.exe and creating a partition with align=1024, it spits an error back at me, and I can't go further than this.

What do I do?

SSD: OCZ Vertex 30Gb

EDIT: Before the "hurr hurr u stil wit xp? lolz go 7 hurr hurr" crowd come by, no it's not a option for me. XP only.
 
if win7 is no option then why the heck did you get a ssd :confused:
if you can afford ssd get win7 :p
 
Tell them they must get win7 :p and xp is not made for ssd. ;) ;)

This will turn into one of those clients that half-asses it and you have to customize the solution, and deal with their mess and in the end not worth it for you.
 
can you format it with a win7 machine and just install xp on top of that? i mean, that'd be the easiest.
 
Simple solution:

- boot with Vista/Win7 setup dvd
- create partition with the setup utility
- create the partition to leave 25% space unused since we don't have TRIM
- reboot and insert XP CD
- install XP to the partition that already exists (created by Vista/Win7)
- done.

Check with AS SSD if it says "1024K - OK" then alignment is good. If it says "31.5K - BAD" then you're unaligned. Note that Intel SSDs work relatively well when not aligned; others have 10-20 times lower random performance.
 
Well, mine says 31K--BAD.

I put the alignment at 4096 as that's what the OCZ forums said.
 
Well then you did not do it properly - 31.5K - BAD is the way XP creates partitions. And only XP does it that way; Vista and up use 1024K offset.

The real problem is of course trying to run a 10 year old OS on a brand new storage medium that the OS was not designed for.
 
Yes, well, I don't have much choice in the matter.

So should I put the alignment at 1024 and then re-image the OS?
 
Your clients can't use Win7 and then run their XP-dependent apps in a VM? (VMware Player and Standalone Converter are free btw).
 
First I installed fresh, but just now I realized that I have aligned incorrectly, so I am imaging the SSD first, then realign and restore the image back.

EDIT: No, my client cannot. Think 40-50 year old guy.
 
Keep in mind that if you're using something like Acronis/Seagate Discwizard, it can ruin your alignment went you restore the image, so make sure you check aftwards.

My co-worker's FIL is an old guy and he was able to win him over, but then again he had no choice. His hardware failed and imaging his hard drive and converting that image to VM was the only way we could get him back up and running.
 
Use a Win7 disc to format.

What I did was. Let Win7 create its 2 partitions... (system 100Mb & normal remaining partition)

Then went advanced, and deleted the 2nd big partition, and extended the system (100Mb - recovery) partition to like 90% of the drive, and left about 10% unpartitioned.

Then restart & put your WinXP disc in... quick format, and install. You should be set.

Now your cloning software needs to do a restore by file to an existing partition and not screw up your alignment!
'
Don't forget to install Intel SSD Toolbox and schedule it to run weekly to keep the drive TRIM'd.
 
Using windows vista or 7 dvd, load diskpart and create the partition manually, for XP align to 64kb, and Clonezilla will respect the partition alignment.
 
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