Windows 7 Programs are installing on both the SSD and the HDD

[trog69]

After thinking that I'd fixed an error in the PrecisionX program for my new GPU, I find that it is not fixed. While looking to see that it was installed properly, I now find that all of my programs, including every game from Steam, is installed on both the SSD and the HDD. How did I mess up like this, and what do I need to do to get things sorted properly?

Thanks for any help.

EDIT: According to the Samsung Magician program, I did not have the Super Fetch, Indexing or the Defrag turned off. They are now, but is that what caused the double installations, and if so, how do I determine which drives should have which programs? I'm trying to find out now if I have Win7 installed on both drives as well.

EDIT2: All the programs seem to be installed on both drives. Windows included.

 

[Digerati]

If me, I would start over.

Which drive is the boot drive? You could pull the other and see if the computer works.

Note it is odd Superfetch and Defrag were still enabled. That should have happened automatically when the system detected it was an SSD and not a conventional disk drive. The SSD is supposed to provide that information to the BIOS, and, in turn, to Windows. And it is important to note Superfetch should be disabled ONLY on SSDs, not standard drives. I don't see why Indexing should be turned off. Indexing is a good thing. If someone tells you it is to save wear and tear on the SSD, they are living in the Dark Ages.

 

[trog69]

All I know is that the software for the SSD, called Magician, had those 3 items as needing stopping, and the only one turned off was the Sleep function, which I turned off when it caused a blue-screen upon waking. But it also shows the SSD is functioning properly, and I have noticed a dramatic decrease in load-times for open-world games such as Skyrim since stopping those other functions.

Are you saying that the Indexing is not the reason for every program installing on both drives? What would cause that? I mean, I really don't have the time to go through the entire Windows/SSD re-installation, much less every game file, etc. if I don't really need to.

 

[Saltgrass]

Since the SSD is 40 GB, it is probably being used as an acceleration drive for the HDD. Do you have the Intel Rapid Storage utility you could check?

 

[Jimbo22]

Is the SSD full, are you getting any error messages about status of drive being full or almost full?

 

[trog69]

Oops. I forgot to change that. No, I have installed a new SSD, the Samsung 830 256gb Sata3 SSD, and I replaced my cheapo 2tb HDD and replaced that with a WD Black 1tb HDD, also in SATA3 mode.

The 40gb SSD is no longer installed.

EDIT: I also changed the GPU in my About section; I upgraded to the EVGA GTX 680 4gb ftw OCed card. It's dreeeeamy!

 

[trog69]

As for the drive being full, no, I have heeded a suggestion by Samsung to keep 10 to 15% free; I have a bit more than 28% still free.

 

[Digerati]

Are you saying that the Indexing is not the reason for every program installing on both drives?

Right! Indexing goes through your entire drive (or drives) and "indexes" what it finds so when you search your computer for something, it (hopefully) finds it right away.

In the olden days (XP), Indexing was a real pain because it hogged system resources and often bogged our systems down. So Indexing was often disabled to improve performance. But Microsoft totally revamped Indexing and in W7/W8, Indexing is smart enough to step out of the way when the user is doing something, and only index when you and the computer are otherwise idle.

What would cause that? I mean, I really don't have the time to go through the entire Windows/SSD re-installation, much less every game file, etc. if I don't really need to.

Other than a RAID, or malware, I don't know. As for taking the time, it is better to take the time on a planned basis now instead of being forced to when (if) the problem forces you to do it anyway when you have not planned for it.

 

[trog69]

I just received an 800 number from Samsung to call about this issue. If they recommend a re-install, I'll have to consider it, of course.

Meanwhile, if something did happen, I am not a patient person, and to that end, after buying the grandchildren their own Chromebooks, grampa used his rainy day fund to purchase a GTX 680M-powered laptop from IBuyPower PC, so I won't freak out! hehehe

Thanks for the help, Digerati. I'm pretty sure I'll end up following your suggestion, never mind my reluctance. When I installed the SSD, I used a 12/11/12 article for reference, and it seems that things have changed since then, though the Magician program provided with the SSD still recommends the old tweaks. I am really starting to think that my installation was incorrect in more than one area, as I do not see any of my actions as the recommended means of installation. Sheesh. I really should have just avoided the SSD altogether, but everyone told me that they were a breeze to install, which should have been a big red warning klaxon for me that I'd find some way to install it upside down and backwards, thus the purchase of the laptop.

 

[Digerati]

If they recommend a re-install, I'll have to consider it, of course.

Unfortunately, you won't really know if they recommend that because that is the best solution, or if because that is the easy way out of a trouble call. Samsung is a reputable company with enough resources to fund a decent tech support call center so hope you get someone who's seen this problem before, and likes his job.

Be sure to keep us posted. We may all learn something new.