Alienware Computer SSD and SATA Hard Drive Use

Overclocked91 on 16/12/2024 - 08:02
Last edited 17/12/2024 - 08:15

Hi Oz,

I'm getting notifications that my SSD is reaching 500 GB. I also have a 1 TB secondary hard drive. I have some games, like Fortnight and Diablo, on the SSD. Can I transfer them to the 1TB hard drive, and will that affect the loading capability of the game? I'm not too sure how it works exactly. Can I transfer Steam onto the larger hard drive and it will operate without any issues?

Unit is a Samsung 512gb NVMe PM9A1

HDD-Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5in SATA Hard Drive ST1000DM010

Im unsure if this is good but its a Samsung so I suppose its a decent unit?

Computing Alienware Computer Component Hard Drive SSD

Comments

  • MS Paint on 16/12/2024 - 08:13
    +1

    The HDD will be slower to load games.

    Best to redownload steam and the games on to the HDD instead of transferring them.

    • freefall101 on 16/12/2024 - 09:45
      +1

      Why is it best to redownload? Steam has a pretty good file manager. The base Steam app can remain where it is, the games can be easily shuffled over to the other drive.

      • FireRunner on 16/12/2024 - 10:10
        +1

        I agree, that makes no sense. You can add the HDD as a game storage location and transfer the game all in the Steam settings.
        Even if you couldn't, it would be so much faster copying the files over and having Steam re-discover them.

      • MS Paint on 16/12/2024 - 10:55

        Maybe it's not the best solution but that's what I would do because the Internet is like lightning these days and I'm old school (and old). YMMV.

        • freefall101 on 16/12/2024 - 11:10
          +2

          Fair enough, I remember there was a time of slow internet and using a mix of SSDs and HDDs and moving games between drives depending on what I was playing that week. It was awful.

          I still leave games installed that I haven't played in years because this weekend will definitely be the weekend I get around to playing it. Then I see I haven't played FO4 or Grim Dawn since 2018 and wonder who I'm kidding.

  • geekcohen on 16/12/2024 - 08:16

    Wait for Boxing Day Sales and upgrade your primary SSD. Ideally to an M2 Drive.

  • scrimshaw on 16/12/2024 - 10:18
    +3

    Steam has a built in function to move games to a different location
    https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/4BD4-4528-6B2E-83…

    Your steam library can exist on multiple different drives.

  • FireRunner on 16/12/2024 - 10:19
    +1

    You can move them without issues but you will notice the longer load times with the games installed on the HDD.
    A couple of options will be to get a cheap SSD just for game storage. Without knowing specs of your Alienware, we won't know if there's a spare m.2. or SATA bay for what can be installed.
    Alternatively, you could move less regularly used games to the HDD. Keep the games you play regularly on the SSD for the faster load times and just swap games between drives as required

  • ihfree on 16/12/2024 - 11:27

    As mentioned, use the built-in Steam transfer function. There are absolutely no issues doing this.

    You will notice a difference depending on the game. I would consider a secondary M.2 or SATA SSD just for games.

  • Overclocked91 on 17/12/2024 - 08:35

    I like the idea of just upgrading the SSD. Can I put something like this in? or should I just head down to PLE and ask?

    https://www.ple.com.au/Categories/828/M2-SSD?ic828AFCapacity…

    • scrimshaw on 17/12/2024 - 09:49

      Those are M.2 2230 SSD's. Your Alienware laptop OR desktop usually takes M.2 2280 SSD's, they are significantly longer in length than those ones you're looking at.

      while you can put M.2 2230 SSD's into any NVME M.2 slot (meant for storage), you are paying a price premium for that storage capacity and the smaller SSD's will run hotter than larger SSD's due to having less surface area for heat dissipation. So I would narrow your search to M.2 2280 NVME drives.

      You can consult this SSD Buying Guide to work out which ones to buy.

      • Overclocked91 on 18/12/2024 - 07:00

        Thanks for the info.

        I copied the exact SSD specs off my original invoice-512GB NVMe M.2 PCIe SSD

        Would something like this fit? Is there a website I can check with?

        https://www.pccasegear.com/products/65312/corsair-mp700-pro-…

        • scrimshaw on 18/12/2024 - 08:51

          The Dell website usually has service manuals or user manuals. Somewhere in those pages it will list what kind of SSD's will fit on the motherboard

          For e.g for Alienware R15 there's instructions on how to remove and install a M.2 SSD
          https://www.dell.com/support/manuals/en-au/alienware-aurora-…

          It appears that the motherboard will support either M.2 2280 or 2230 (note the slot for both 2280 / 2230 is the same, just that you need to reposition the screws from the 2230 to the 2280 position if you are changing to a different size of the SSD).

          As for that SSD you are looking at — it's very expensive for 2TB of storage, and as a gamer, you aren't constantly writing huge amounts of data to your SSD, so you don't really benefit from such a high end drive. I suggest getting something more reasonably priced, maybe there might be a deal on SSD's for Boxing day.

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join