Intel 310 SSD Solid-State Drive Toolbox User Guide - Page 16

Intel® Solid-State Drive Toolbox User Guide Optimizing your Intel SSD About the Intel® SSD Optimizer The Intel SSD Optimizer helps an Intel SSD retain its out-of-box performance by removing deleted data files from NAND flash management blocks on the SSD using Trim functionality (a command that allows an operating system to inform an SSD which blocks of data are no longer considered in use and can be deleted) . For example, when you delete a file on your system, the operating system marks the file for deletion but does not physically erase the file. Because an SSD does not know which files are deleted, the SSD continues to think all files contain valid data. This situation causes the SSD to continue managing deleted files in addition to valid data in the SSD. By running the Intel SSD Optimizer, the tool identifies which files you have deleted and communicates that information to the SSD. This notification allows the SSD to clean up internal management space, thus eliminating the need to manage the deleted files. You can schedule the Intel SSD Optimizer to run automatically on a weekly, daily, or monthly basis or you can manually run it at any time. Intel® SSD Optimizer Requirements The Intel SSD Optimizer runs on Intel SSDs only. All Intel SSDs are supported except first-generation (G1 50nm) Intel SSDs. To identify your Intel SSD, see Identifying NAND Lithography of an Intel SSD. Before running the Intel SSD Optimizer, make sure the Intel SSD has the latest firmware installed. See Checking for Firmware Updates. Note the following before running or scheduling the Intel SSD Optimizer: • Do not run the Intel SSD Optimizer when a backup is in session. • Do not run the Intel SSD Optimizer if the Intel SSDs are in a RAID configuration. • Make sure Intel SSD Optimizer sessions are scheduled to run when the computer is on. The Intel SSD Optimizer does not wake up or turn on the computer to run a scheduled session. Notes: If your computer uses Microsoft Windows* 7 and the standard Microsoft AHCI driver If your computer uses this configuration (the default setup for normal configurations without RAID), you do not need to run the Intel SSD Optimizer because Windows 7 natively implements Trim functionality. If your computer uses Windows 7 and Intel® Matrix Storage Manager version 8.x or Intel® Rapid Storage Technology (Intel® RST) driver version 9.5 or earlier If your computer uses this configuration (which can be used in place of the Microsoft AHCI driver), Trim functionality is not implemented. You must use Intel SSD Optimizer to run Trim. If your computer uses Windows 7 and Intel® Rapid Storage Technology (Intel® RST) 9.6 or later If your computer uses Intel® Rapid Storage Technology (Intel® RST) driver version 9.6 or later, Intel SSD Optimizer is not required to run Trim. Intel® RST supports the Windows 7 Trim command, but for non-RAID configurations only. Intel® Solid-State Drive Toolbox User Guide 16 September 2011 Order Number: 325912-001US