# Tips for Extending the Life of SSDs



## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

Tips for Extending the Life of SSDs
Posted By : Ken Colburn of Data Doctors on April 29, 2015



> Question
> I purchased a Windows computer with SSD storage for the performance, but I understand that maintaining them is different than a regular hard drive. What do I need to know?
> 
> Answer
> This question was answered on April 29, 2015. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.


Read Here
http://www.datadoctors.com/help/columns/22037-Tips-for-Extending-the-Life-of-SSDs/


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

A good article but I am not certain that it explains all
http://www.hanselman.com/blog/TheRealAndCompleteStoryDoesWindowsDefragmentYourSSD.aspx



> No, Windows is not foolishly or blindly running a defrag on your SSD every night, and no, Windows defrag isn't shortening the life of your SSD unnecessarily. Modern SSDs don't work the same way that we are used to with traditional hard drives.
> 
> Yes, your SSD's file system sometimes needs a kind of defragmentation and that's handled by Windows, monthly by default, when appropriate. The intent is to maximize performance and a long life. If you disable defragmentation completely, you are taking a risk that your filesystem metadata could reach maximum fragmentation and get you potentially in trouble.


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## DaveBurnett (Nov 11, 2002)

It also does not mention that the minimum IO is a block of 4k and if your files are fragmented you may be reading and writing far more blocks than you need to therefore using up available write cycles, although a good SSD will handle that anyway during quiet periods.


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