PC Hardware

[Matt]

Hi all,

Im currently running my PC from and 1tb HDD, and I'm looking to make the push to getting a SSD but I'm curious as to whether it's better to have the OS on a SSD or to have DCS running on it instead?

I mainly ask because they are quite expensive and I don't want to fork out to get a huge SSD to run everything if I wouldn't see a massive difference overall.

Your thoughts would be much appreciated.

[Neil Willis]

The operating system would be priority, but with a reasonably sized SSD you shouldn't have a problem running both from the same SSD.

I run the release version on the SSD, with the Beta on a different drive. At the moment, with a full install of DCS World including all the modules available, and all the campaigns, my install is 106 Gb, and Windows comes in at around 60Gb, so there's lots of space. I find a 250Gb SSD is adequate, though I have 2 in my system, so I have plenty of options and headroom.

[Flyco]

No doubt about it - SSD is very much the better bet, even considering its cost.

You need to put the OS and the main DCS programs on the SSD, anything that is genuine storage can go on a HDD.
So, even such things as documents, missions etc can go on a HDD. Two or 3 seconds at the start of a mision when you load it is not a probelm -it's only when the sim has to apuse while it loads additional data during the sortie that it is a pain.

I run my Windows 10, the 3 DCS versions, and all my other programs from my 500 Gb SSD, and store all my documents and data on a HDD. My SSD currently has around 35-40% spare. However, I could cut that back by cleaning the computer up more frequently.

1Tb would be very nice, but 500 Gb will do all you need (unless you have other games or simulators on it as well as DCS). At present you can get a very sound 500 Gb for about £120 from E-Buyer or any similar mail order place.

[Matt]

Thanks for the info guys, very helpful!

I better start looking at SSD's then.

[Matt]

I went ahead a bought a 500gb SSD last month, and finally have a couple of days where I can actually get around to installing it, and I'm wondering if there is an easy way to get the OS transferred over, DCS is easy to re-download as along as I save all my saved games folder.

Is it easier to reinstall win10 or try to clone it across?

[Flyco]

I have used True Image for some time. It is basically a back-up program, but also has the ability to clone a disk. You can find it easy enough on the web by typing in 'True Image'. It is not a free program, and there may be similar cloning programs that you can get for free, but as I say I have used it for a few years and have come to trust it.

I used it on my brand new laptop, which came with a 1 Tb HDD that I wished to replace with a 500 Gb. I simply temporarily put the new SSD into a USB external drive housing, connected it to my new laptop and cloned the original disc on to the new one (a USB 3 will do it in a few minutes, a USB 2 can take a few hours!) - however, as my laptop was brand new with nothing but the OS on it there wasn't a lot to transfer. Much to my surprise it automatically took account of the smaller capacity and transferred everything to my new SSD. I confirmed this by booting my laptop from the new external drive via the USB link - The only tricky bit was identifying to the computer which disk was which, since it saw them as identical.

But by far the most difficult part was opening the laptop and physically replacing the disc (not a problem with a desktop with multiple internal SATA ports).

I then made the new SSD bootable and it worked first off. I can't remember having such a trouble free transfer.

I also use True Image as a routine back up tool.

[Matt]

Great thanks Alan, do you need to do any editing in the bios after cloning to the new ssd to ensure it boots from the ssd instead?

[Flyco]

No, as I recall you do that in True Image, by making one of the discs bootable. That was where I got a bit confused over which was which, although in reality it was fairly obvious.

I will see if I can e-mail you the True Image manual. What is your e-mail?

[Matt]

That would be brilliant if you would be so kind Alan, I will PM you my email so its not on public display.