Portioning is great also for backup purposes. If you use Acronis or something like it you can restore just a section of a drive, or the partition. An example is if you have an issue in your OS you can just restore the OS partition.

I'm not just talking theory. I've had to do that a number of times. Either something I installed came with some unwanted stuff that couldn't be easily removed (in which case a restore of the OS partition put everything right), or a Windows update came through that went awry. Whatever the scenario, it's a happy relief to be able to restore a partition from a backup.

Kev999

kmcintyre
I want to install Sonar X3 on a SSD...

I wouldn't particularly recommend installing Sonar on a separate drive from the operating system. But there are certainly benefits to using a second harddrive, SSD or otherwise, for storing either projects or multisamples.

Interesting, why do you not recommend this?
 
I recommend the opposite to people. OS on a drive by itself, apps on another drive, data on another. Maximum protection from different kind of cock-ups and makes it easier to configure backups to only do exactly what you need.
 
On my system:
 
C: Operating system, SSD
D: Apps, 7200rpm HDD
E: Data, separate physical 7200 HDD
F:,G: Backups, donwloads, misc. Again separate HDDs .

Kev999

kmcintyre
I want to install Sonar X3 on a SSD...

I wouldn't particularly recommend installing Sonar on a separate drive from the operating system. But there are certainly benefits to using a second harddrive, SSD or otherwise, for storing either projects or multisamples.

Interesting, why do you not recommend this?
 
I recommend the opposite to people. OS on a drive by itself, apps on another drive, data on another. Maximum protection from different kind of cock-ups and makes it easier to configure backups to only do exactly what you need.
 
On my system:
 
C: Operating system, SSD
D: Apps, 7200rpm HDD
E: Data, separate physical 7200 HDD
F:,G: Backups, donwloads, misc. Again separate HDDs .

With a pair of SATA III SSDs in RAID 0 I wouldn't worry too much where you put almost anything. The RAID array's speed is probably going to cope no matter what unless you place very heavy demands on the system.

I would operate a scrupulous and frequent backup system though. I operated HDDs in RAID 0 for years, until I had three Seagate Barracudas go wrong in a space of 18 months. Daily backups saved my data but I get fed up switching disks and reinstalling and started to feel more than a little paranoid, hence switching to non-RAID SSDs.

Though I do get tempted to get another bigger SSD and run my Intels in RAID 0 as project drives...

Roo Stercogburn

Kev999

kmcintyre
I want to install Sonar X3 on a SSD...

I wouldn't particularly recommend installing Sonar on a separate drive from the operating system. But there are certainly benefits to using a second harddrive, SSD or otherwise, for storing either projects or multisamples.

Interesting, why do you not recommend this?...

I meant this within the context of having only 2 drives. With 4 or more drives I might consider using one of them for software applications.

Raid 0 is not a robust solution, you are vulnerable if even one of the drives goes down. Arguably you're even more vulnerable than using a single drive as you are at the mercy of two drives potentially failing instead of just one.
You'd be better just having two separate logical drives than having RAID 0.
 
If you were going for a full raid solution I'd say RAID 10 on the Operating System drive, RAID 3 or 5 for everything else.
 
RAID 3 or 5 is not good for the OS drive because in certain situations it can cause your OS to actually run slower. in many IT solutions RAID 10 is generally used for that reason for the OS, and other RAID flavours for data.

Roo Stercogburn
Raid 0 is not a robust solution, you are vulnerable if even one of the drives goes down. Arguably you're even more vulnerable than using a single drive as you are at the mercy of two drives potentially failing instead of just one.
You'd be better just having two separate logical drives than having RAID 0.
 

Bingo!

you asked for it!  here is a list that I made when I installed an SSD and upgraded to 64 bit from my Win 7 32 disc.. don't know how current it is:
 
Upgrade info
1. Backup all documents, music, vsts from existing c:
Save list of all software license numbers in a file to cy/paste.
Check and save files of current 64 bit drivers on drive.
Review VSTs that you want to install.
refer here for questions: http://www.overclock.net/...on-guide-for-ssds-hdds
altho it is an older doc ad is contradicted by this: http://forums.anandtech.c..howthread.php?t=2072259
also at this site where u can download your version plus the SP1 versions:
http://www.sevenforums.co...stall-windows-7-a.html
-read and decide if you are using UEFI instead of BIOS
*** I loaded the Win64 on a USB boot drive (not annotated here, google it)  highly recommended!
check system - upgrade advisor:
http://www.microsoft.com/...oad/details.aspx?id=20
2. Shut down, disconnect all HDDs and install SSD in HDD0 slot.
3. Check Win 64 disk in drive.
4. Startup and ensure AHCI SATA mode enabled in BIOS and SSD is C:
Ensure Secure Boot is disabled
5. Install Win.
Adjust hibernate, adjust system protection (some say turn it off), drive indexing.
Shut down and connect HDDs and startup.
6. Install current mobo drivers.
http://www.gigabyte.us/we...9/download-center.html
Install newest SATA and chipset drivers (AMD/Intel).
Run windows updates and enable updates.
Change power options (never, never).
Run Win Experience Index to active SSD features.
Ensure defrag is not enabled for SSD.
9. Install video drivers.
Install virus protections.
Move to d:, Contacts, Downloads, Dropbox, Music, My Documents, My Pictures, My Videos, Recycle Bin.
Disable GUI on boot, UAC, unneeded features.
Disable unwanted visual effects
8. Install audio drivers. Saffire Mix Control
Install mouse & keyboard drivers if not done already.
Activate Windows.
Make a system image.
10. Setup dirs D:\Plugins64bit, D:\Plugins32bit, D:\PluginsVST3.
Install primary DAWs.
Sonar install: Install X2 - advanced install - minimum (for V-Vocal & R-Mix).
Install X3 Producer Pro parts 1-4, Melodyne, Dimension Pro and Addictive Drums.
Install X3d update. Do not run yet.
Install Reason.
Install Reaper.
11. Install VSTs
12. Instrument drivers
Device drivers
13. Programs
Links:
Windows 7 ISO
http://www.w7forums.com/t...image-downloads.12325/

SSDs excel at reading data. Putting them in a situation of writing often is what degrades their longevity. I simply use xcopy/robocopy batch files to backup to magnetic media, and that media of another external. It is rather surprising how few files actually change content on a daily basis (a few hundred at most). I typed up this post several months ago on how I do backups (not imaging, but data backups).