Best Laptop HDDSSD set up 2015

[shizzlemayne]

So I know there are a hundred threads covering this topic, but most are from 2011 2009, and just seem outdated a lot has changed.

I have a laptop with an SSD internal drive, and currently use 2 usb3 ext drives for samples, and sessions. I would like to eliminate the use of these externals except to use them as back ups, but not sure if I can.

I would like to just be able to pack up laptop, and go where and be able to work.

If I were to run just a 2 internal drive set up what is best scenario?
1. SSD - OS/Programs & 2nd internal Samples/Sessions?
2 SSD - OS/programs/samples 2nd internal Sessions?

Or number 3 which I guess isn't that bad but
3. SSD - OS/Programs 2nd internal Samples, and external sessions?

For the 2nd internal I am thinking I may stick with an HDD WD Caviar Black to save money, but also may just go ssd.

A little bit more info on my workflow. I am running Pro Tools 11 ,and I mainly just produce instrumentals. All VI/Samples/Midi except for the occasional bounced VI. I do record artists from time to time, but not religiously.

Random ? I got a Fast Track Duo with a cross-grade for 11/12 is this interface better then my Mbox Mini 2?


Thanks for any, and all feedback.

[Darryl Ramm]

You really need to start by talking about what exact laptop you have with what exact make/model/spec SSD you have now (or are you looking at replacing all the drives).

Ideally start by posting a Sandra report... start at the "Help us Help You - READ THIS Before Posting!" link up the top of this and every DUC web page. Run that report with all your current drives attached.

[shizzlemayne]

The reason I did not post it is because it is point less. My question is only hard drive related. I know my set up runs Pro Tools perfectly fine as I have been running the set up I got now since Pro Tools 8.

I am running my sessions perfectly fine the way I am doing it now.
Internal SSD for OS/Programs, and external for Sessions.samples.

But I have recently moved the samples to a 2nd external just to see the difference. I didn't see much of a performance difference (or at least not enough to be wowed). I am just trying to consolidate to 2 internals if possible, and then use the 2 external 2 back up the 2 internals.

I just wanted insight as to how this is working for most users, and what the best practices would be for a 2 drive set up. I know I should be running 4. 1. os 2. samples 3. audio 4 back up, but I want to try to only use the 2 internals, and use the externals for back up.

Hope this helps!
.

[Darryl Ramm]

OK. So whether you have an M.2 drive (and whether that is PCIe or SATA and what options the motherboard supports) or possibility to install one in your laptop, or only SATA II or III or a motherboard with some known problem, or whether the SSD you have now and apparently want to keep using is a piece of crap or a nice drive, does somehow not matter? You clearly must know more than me here, so I can't add any value....

[Eric Lambert]

Your question is valid and relevant to this forum. You've provided plenty of info for the question to be answered. Someone will respond with assistance. Hang in there.

[maltastudio]

128G SDXC are here if you have a card slot.
Another option in 2015.

Peace

[Darryl Ramm]

And so are (4x PCIe 3.0) M.2 SSD cards. Up to 1 TB available today (more coming) with gobsmacking performance. The option with those is to try want many MacBook Pro Retina users are doing and stick everything, OS+Pro Tools, Plugins, VI sample and audio/session files on the same M/2 drive.

[albee1952]

The detail that matters most(to me) is, samples should NOT go on the audio/recording drive. Put them on the system drive in a 2-drive setup.

[VRW]

Originally Posted by shizzlemayne

The reason I did not post it is because it is point less.

Sorry, but this is not completely right.

Originally Posted by shizzlemayne

My question is only hard drive related.

And that is the point.

It has nothing to do with if there´s a problem to solve or just a theoretical question to answer.
It´s just because there several crucial things to mention.
1) the exact model of your Laptop will tell us the generation of MacBooks, this further will tell us which kind of SSD you are able to use/you are using probably
(SATA 2, SATA 3, Flash drive etc.) .
2) the exact model of SSD will tell us of which generation of SSDs your internal SSD is coming from, which further will tell us how fast and how reliable it would
be if you are going to put more stuff like samples etc. on it (in the context of using Pro Tools).
3) the exact specs of the SSD will tell us if the internal SSD will be fast enough for all that as well as, what´s even more important, if there´s enough storage
space on your internal SSD to have any additional data on it at all.

As you might know you must not fill up any SSD to the max with data, you need to leave at least 20% of the available space free otherwise the SSD definitely
will slow down soon (which definitely will cause issues with Pro Tools and your whole music production system...especially if you are using a lot VIs as you were saying)
and last but not least this SSD will die early.
Means, you even need to have a certain amount of storage space on your internal SSD to be able to put additional data like samples etc. on it and to retain the
needed performance of your system.
The question if you would have the required storage space on your internal SSD and of which generation of SSDs your SSD would be from would so influence our
answer to your simple hard drive related question crucially.
For example
1) no additional data on your internal SSD if there will not be 20% free space left after having put these data on it=no samples or whatever on your existing internal SSD.
Therefore
2) all data (incl. samples) on the future 2nd internal drive. Not the best option, like Albee mentioned before, but still better than a filled up SSD OS drive.
And so, important,
3) no HDD for the 2nd internal drive as even a 7200rpm Western Digital Black will not be fast enough to handle all those tasks successfully=a 2nd SSD required.

However if you have enough space left on your OS drive for your samples you theoretically could use an HDD only for your Pro Tools sessions+audio files but,
you know, this is another point to mention. If you are going to use 2 internal drives in a mobile device/laptop the power consumption will increase dramatically.
Means, your battery will get empty by at least half of the time, particularly if you are working with your whole music production system (2 drives on full spin,
Pro Tools DAW, VIs etc.).
So a HDD will not be the right option for a 2nd internal drive as a HDD sucks dramatically more power than a SSD (no problem in a desktop but definitely an issue on the go).

What I have been trying to show you is that we need all available info about your system to give you serious and thoughtful help because finally
it will be you who will experience issues when not having got the exactly fitting advice.

Long story short,
1) if you have a quite recent high quality SATA 3 SSD for your OS drive with the previously described needed amount of storage space:
OS, programs and samples on that one. Pro Tools sessions+audio files on the 2nd one.
2) If there will not be enough storage space (20% over provision) left after having put all your samples on it:
OS, programs on the OS drive. Pro Tools sessions+audio files and your samples on the 2nd one (only SSD will be fast enough for sessions, audio+samples).

But...in both cases you should not use a HDD for the 2nd internal drive because of the high power consumption but a 2nd SSD instead (if using a SATA SSD you better
should not go for a 1TB...if possible as to your amount of data... as they are using much more energy=battery than 512GBs again).
Let me highly recommend a 512GB Samsung 850 Pro for such a kind of application.

There´s another 3rd option available theoretically which more and more people are using successfully which is to run everything from 1 single large SSD OS drive.
With the latest high quality SATA SSDs (like the Samsung 850 Pro for example) as well as even better with the latest Flash drives this is possible.
I use myself a 850 Pro with my 2012 non-retina MBP this way and many other people using the latest MacBooks with those super fast Flash drives are doing it that
way as well successfully.
But for this again we would have to know exactly what´s your laptop, if it´s SATA 3 ready etc.
Same for your question about the Fast Track and the MBox 2 Mini...what OS are you using?
If you are on Yosemite there will be no official driver for either anymore unfortunately. The good thing with PT11 on the other hand (compared to Pro Tools LE8) is that
for programming Midi, editing, even light mixing sessions you can use the internal audio engine of the MacBook only on the go. Don´t need no external audio interface
for that anymore.


Anyway.

Wishing you the best of success,


cheers, VRW





Mac Mini i7Quad, 16GB Ram, MBP Mid 2012 2,5GHz i5, 16GB Ram, Mac OSX 10.10.2 Yosemite, Apogee Quartet+Duet 2
Genelec Active, Yamaha NS10, Pro Tools 11.3.1, Logic 10.1.1, Waves, MCDSP, Duende Native, HOFA, IK Multimedia, NI etc.

[junkerde]

not a big fan of thehddsdd thingy. what i do is take out my dvd drive fro mthe laptop, place a mechanical 2.5 drive into that 1tb in size, and then have my 512gb ssd in the actual hdd slot