Experience with 128GB 1.8" ZIF in HP 2710p

[turpindm]

The performance of the 100GB 4,200 RPM HDD in my HP 2710p tablet using Vista and Bitlocker has been unbearable for some time. I've been watching forum/blog posts for several months looking for a workable SSD solution. I talked to a few people who had tried first generation SSDs, and they said that SSD performance was WORSE than the 4,200 RPM HDD that I already was using. Based on the forum/blog posts that I've seen, this is probably due to the controllers used.....

After several good reports in the same sources regarding the throughput of the Runcore IV products, I decided to give it a try. I've had the Runcore SSD installed for almost a week, and performance FAR EXCEEDS MY EXPECTATIONS. Read/write performance for 4K random files has improved over 500% (even under Bitlocker). So far I've had zero problems. MS Word and Excel start instantly (previously this took 30-60 seconds). Previously, network-based backup would bring my system to its knees. Now, I don't even notice.

Note: The fact that some Runcore installations noted in this forum have started out great and developed problems later has not been lost on me. I'm keeping my system backed up, and my old HDD is close at hand in case it's needed; however, so far, so good.

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After some initial confusion regarding installing the SSD in the USB enclosure, given below are the steps for my installation.

1. Turn Bitlocker off and decrypt the laptop’s HDD.
2. Connect SSD via USB and copy Migrate Easy to HDD.
3. Install Migrate Easy on the HDD & reboot.
4. Execute Migrate Easy to clone the HDD to the SSD.
5. Physically replace the HDD with the SSD.
6. Re-enable Bitlocker and encrypt the SSD.

Note: this installation required that the ZIF cable for the HDD be reused on the SSD.

[thalweg]

I am considering a Runcore 128GB SSD for my 2710p but I am confused by the different models. Which one is compatible with the 2710p? Many thanks for the help!

[turpindm]

Originally Posted by thalweg

I am considering a Runcore 128GB SSD for my 2710p but I am confused by the different models. Which one is compatible with the 2710p? Many thanks for the help!

I am using RunCore 128GB Pro IV 1.8" 5mm PATA Zif in my HP2710P. It's part# RCP-IV-Z1828-C. Mine came from My Digital Discount. Even though two ZIF cables are included with the new SSD, installation of the SSD into the computer required that the ZIF cable for the HDD be reused on the SSD.

Still no HD errors and disk benchmarks are as good as the day the SSD was installed. System: HP 2710P, Vista + Bitlocker.

[Runcore Marketing]

turpindm thanks for the post. That computer is the perfect candidate for our zif upgrade. We have had many people ask us about that computer and say the same thing as you are saying about the dog slow HDD in a Ferrari of a computer.

You have unleashed the true power of your PC.

Matt

[turpindm]

Read/write performance for 4K random files has improved over 500% (even under Bitlocker). So far I've had zero problems. MS Word and Excel start instantly (previously this took 30-60 seconds). Previously, network-based backup would bring my system to its knees. Now, I don't even notice.

FYI. For the original HDD, Vista's Windows Experience Index for the disk data transfer rate was 3.9. With the Runcore SSD, the index is 5.7.

Note: this installation required that the ZIF cable for the HDD be reused on the SSD.

Note: There were rubber shock absorbers on the corners of the HDD along with other foam pieces to cushion the HDD. I could not get all of this material back in the drive bay with the Runcore. I put enough of it to prevent the SSD drive from moving, and left out the rest. Since the SSD has no moving parts, shock absorption shouldn't be as big a deal anyway.

[Magic20100]

Hi

I 'm running the 64GB version on 2510p , great results !
os is Vista 32 with 4GB

it just becames the fastest computer I ever used

but looking at my benchmarks, I wonder if what's wrong with my write performances ...
would you please post your scores please ?
thanks

Vincent

--------------------------------------------------
CrystalDiskMark 2.2 (C) 2007-2008 hiyohiyo
Crystal Dew World : Crystal Dew World
--------------------------------------------------
Sequential Read : 78.710 MB/s
Sequential Write : 30.101 MB/s
Random Read 512KB : 75.060 MB/s
Random Write 512KB : 26.084 MB/s
Random Read 4KB : 16.612 MB/s
Random Write 4KB : 2.610 MB/s
Test Size : 50 MB
Date : 2009/10/07 0:06:01

[Runcore Marketing]

Are you using the Pro IV or the 1st 1.8" we came out with?

That performance defiantly looks way off for a pro IV.

Matt

[Magic20100]

Hi

yes it is RCP-IV-Z1864-C
below the output of sandra 2009.9.15.124
Why it shows 32MB of cache ?
Why my writes performances are not as expected ?

Vincent

General Capabilities
Channel : Master
Type : ATA
Interface : SATA
Removable : No
Model : RunCore 64G-C SSD
Revision : 1571
Serial Number : RC0900013650
ATA/ATAPI Approved Version : 7.00
Cache Size : 32MB
Drive Geometry
CHS Geometry : 16383 x 16 x 63
CHS Total Sectors : 16514064
LBA Total Sectors : 125045424
Number of ECC Bytes : 12288
Capacity : 59.63GB
Translation Mode Disk Geometry
CHS Geometry : 7783 x 255 x 63
Bytes Per Sector : 512bytes
Capacity : 59.62GB
Partitions Information
Partition 1 : MBR Boot IFS-NTFS 6.5GB
Partition 2 : MBR IFS-NTFS 53.12GB
Logical Drives
Logical Drive : C:
Logical Drive : S:
Cache Information
Read Cache : Yes
Write Cache : Yes
Prefetch Buffer : No

[Tony Almeida]

As for WINDOW OS cache problem you mentioned this morning, As far as I know when the buffer more than 32MB, HD Tune&everest ultimate or others software could only display it as 32MB. It is the problem between OS and disk physical layer protocol .So may be we should found a way to slove it...

[turpindm]

Originally Posted by Magic20100

but looking at my benchmarks, I wonder if what's wrong with my write performances ...
would you please post your scores please ?
thanks

Date : 2009/10/07 0:06:01

So here are the benchmarks for the original sloooooow 4,200 RPM HDD that came with my tablet-laptop:

Sequential Read : 17.48 MB/s
Sequential Write : 12.78 MB/s
Random Read 512KB : 8.447 MB/s
Random Write 512KB : 10.64 MB/s
Random Read 4KB : 0.205 MB/s
Random Write 4KB : 0.681 MB/s

Here are benchmarks for the same computer/OS/config with the Runcore 128 GB PATA Zif:

Sequential Read : 81.13 MB/s
Sequential Write : 66.53 MB/s
Random Read 512KB : 72.35 MB/s
Random Write 512KB : 66.31 MB/s
Random Read 4KB : 16.12 MB/s
Random Write 4KB : 8.336 MB/s

Here's the same computer/OS with Bitlocker turned on (my normal operating mode):

Sequential Read : 65.41MB/s
Sequential Write : 50.77 MB/s
Random Read 512KB : 53.31 MB/s
Random Write 512KB : 36.10 MB/s
Random Read 4KB : 11.30 MB/s
Random Write 4KB : 5.844 MB/s

Word and Excel launch in one or two seconds (compared to 30-60 before); moreover, my network-enabled backup runs WITHOUT ANY IMPACT ON MY SYSTEM. Before, I could do no work while it was running.

This has been the most productive PC upgrade that I've ever done!