Possibly need a new Hard Drive

[Razgovory]

I've been having trouble with my PC on start up.  Normally it takes several minutes to start up and lately, it sort of freezes during start up with permanent spiny symbol instead of a cursor.  I can start the thing up in Safe Mode (which is how I'm typing right now), but haven't been able to get it normally booted up today.  I've been thinking of making the switch over to a SSD hardrive (at least then I would be able to play Warhammer).  Any thoughts?

[viper37]

I've been having trouble with my PC on start up.  Normally it takes several minutes to start up and lately, it sort of freezes during start up with permanent spiny symbol instead of a cursor.  I can start the thing up in Safe Mode (which is how I'm typing right now), but haven't been able to get it normally booted up today.  I've been thinking of making the switch over to a SSD hardrive (at least then I would be able to play Warhammer).  Any thoughts?

well, first, try checking your disk:
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/disk-error-checking-windows-8
unsure if it works in safe mode.

What version of Windows do you have?

As far as SSD goes, do you need a SATA drive or a M.2? Something else?  Probably better to give us your motherboard make and model.

Samsung EVO series are generally good, but the specific model will change according to your mb.

[Razgovory]

I don't know what a SATA or M.2 thing is.  All I know is that when I start of up my PC I get an infinite spinny thing if I try to click on anything.

EDIT:  also, I have windows 7.  It updated last night, I don't normally turn the PC off because It takes for ever to load.

[viper37]

I don't know what a SATA or M.2 thing is.  All I know is that when I start of up my PC I get an infinite spinny thing if I try to click on anything.

EDIT:  also, I have windows 7.  It updated last night, I don't normally turn the PC off because It takes for ever to load.

Try running the scandisk utility from Windows 7.

SATA and M.2 are ports.  SATA is just like your hard drive.  M.2 is closer to PCI-Express, it's a small port, sometimes horizontal, on your board.   M.2 will be faster, if your board has a slot and if it's accessible.

Something like this would offer good performances for the price.  It's a SATA drive, just like your hard drive.  If you're unsure and unable to verify your board, go for this one.

But I'm not entirely convinced you have a HDD problem.  You can still boot in Safe Mode, so that would indicates a problem with drivers, or a patch gone wrong.

Anyway, you should think about upgrading to Windows 10, it's free if you do it from a USB key.

[Razgovory]

I fixed the immediate problem by rolling back the update.  It now starts, but it still does take forever to reboot.  I'm also told that a solid state driver would help if I want to play Warhammer (where the load times were merciless).

My rig is getting old.  I've updated it with more RAM and a new video card but I bought the thing in 2012 and it wasn't exactly top of the line then.  If I do go back to school this fall (which is the plan), that won't be much of a problem.  I'll be busier and won't need to play video games.

[viper37]

I fixed the immediate problem by rolling back the update.  It now starts, but it still does take forever to reboot.  I'm also told that a solid state driver would help if I want to play Warhammer (where the load times were merciless).

My rig is getting old.  I've updated it with more RAM and a new video card but I bought the thing in 2012 and it wasn't exactly top of the line then.  If I do go back to school this fall (which is the plan), that won't be much of a problem.  I'll be busier and won't need to play video games.

the SSD will help with boot time for sure. If it's a 2012 computer, it's more than likely a SATA port you have.  In all likelyhood, you have four sata ports, but you should check to be sure.  Either with the board model, or by looking inside your case of cables like this:



It will also help with Warhammer if you move your game to your C: drive.

If it's Steam, take a look here:
https://lifehacker.com/how-to-move-a-pc-game-to-another-hard-drive-without-re-1714706774

[Razgovory]

Well the old computer died.  The Motherboard was damaged and the hard-drive was becoming corrupted.  So I bought a new PC, but didn't realize it had a SATA hard drive.   This is the PC I bought.   https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NBL8BER/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I'm still wondering if I can put a sold state hard drive in there.

[Arvoreen]

Depends on your solid state drive.  If it is a SATA drive, no problem.  If it is M2 or something, you may need an adapter card.

[DGuller]

I was shocked at the size of my 500 GB M2 SSD.  It's as big as half a credit card cut lengthwise.

But, yeah, any PC made in the last five years at the least should be able to accomodate a SATA SSD drive.

[viper37]

So I bought a new PC, but didn't realize it had a SATA hard drive.   This is the PC I bought.   https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NBL8BER/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I'm still wondering if I can put a sold state hard drive in there.

Yes you can put a solid state drive in there.
Minor nitpick: a hard drive is not the same as a solid state drive, so there are no "solid state hard drive".

I can't see the exact motherboard model, but it's a recent computer that supports DDR4, so it has SATA port and I'm 99% confident it also has a M.2 port.  Other computers from CyberpowerPC called "Gamer Extreme" have boards that support M.2.

Like DG said, a M.2 drive is very small, while a SATA drive will be a tad bigger.  M.2 is like a card port, it will connect (somewhere) directly to your computer's board.  a SATA drive will require a cable like I posed above.  M.2 is fast, but could be pricier (sometimes, the prices are very similar, so check for bargains).

Something like this would fit:
https://pcpartpicker.com/product/Ykbkcf/samsung-960-evo-500gb-m2-2280-solid-state-drive-mz-v6e500

Or the 250gb for half the price, if it's too much money. I think Win10 uses 60-80gb, so there's still a lot of rooms for games.

[DontSayBanana]

Yes you can put a solid state drive in there.
Minor nitpick: a hard drive is not the same as a solid state drive, so there are no "solid state hard drive".

That's like nitpicking that you shouldn't call "adhesive medical strips" band-aids.  Also, there are hybrid drives that are, in fact, solid state hard drives.

[Josquius]

Are there any advantages to a non-ssd drive?
I know for virtual memory SSD's aren't recommended due to the intense read/write this involves?

I've never come across an M2. So these things are replacing SSDs?

[Barrister]

Are there any advantages to a non-ssd drive?
I know for virtual memory SSD's aren't recommended due to the intense read/write this involves?

I've never come across an M2. So these things are replacing SSDs?

They *are* SSDs.  It's just a newer, faster connection that SATA.

[DGuller]

Are there any advantages to a non-ssd drive?

Capacity and price per GB.  HDDs continue to comprehensively dominate on these parameters.  If you're backing up locally all the porn on the Internet, SSDs are not the best choice.

I know for virtual memory SSD's aren't recommended due to the intense read/write this involves?

That worry is overblown.  SSDs do have a limited number of writes in them, but most SSDs don't even reach a tenth of their lifespan.  That limited number of writes is a bigger number in practice than it sounds.

[DontSayBanana]

Are there any advantages to a non-ssd drive?
I know for virtual memory SSD's aren't recommended due to the intense read/write this involves?

I've never come across an M2. So these things are replacing SSDs?

Write instructions slowly destroy SSDs. The more you write to them, the faster they die. That's why conventional wisdom is to keep your OS and frequently used programs on an SSD and everything else (including the swap file) on a traditional HDD.

https://techreport.com/review/27909/the-ssd-endurance-experiment-theyre-all-dead