Question SSD Partition Numbers

Dec 11, 2020
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I recently built my first PC with a 1TB SSD and everything seems to be running fine. Upon looking at my disk management, I noticed the partition numbers that Windows made were a little odd. EFI system was partition 1, while recovery partition 4. I’m not sure this even matters. Just wondering if anyone knows why it skipped 2 and 3. Thanks!
 
Fine?!?!?! You're absolutely alright! That's exactly what my SSD's structure looks like, albeit, it's a mere 256GB SSD bought back in 2016.

For all intents and purposes, that's the exact number of partitions found on an SSD once you've asked your version of Microsoft's OS to install on(without modifying how many partitions are made). You should also not create multiple partitions on an SSD unless you want it to degrade/run sluggishly or...fail over time. Be sure to keep your C drive at least 50% empty to get the best of the SSD. Don't run defragmentation either.
 
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Awesome! Thanks man. I appreciate the information. So the fact that the partition order is sequential (numbers 1 and 4) doesn’t really matter? I know it can make a difference on HDD’s because of the distance from the centre or whatever. Like I said, everything runs fine - I was just curious because in some videos of new PC setups, others were exactly the same except they had partitions 1 and 2.

If I ever get a library of games or whatever else I’ll definitely get a separate drive instead of partitioning. I’ve been reading it’s not useful these days.

Oh okay, I’ll make sure I disable the scheduled defrag. Any particular reason why? How about a disk cleanup? Any other software you recommend for this type of thing?

Sorry for all the questions - I’m one of those guys who tends to ask “why” until I’ve broken it down to the basic laws of physics.

Again, thank you so much!
 
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Asking why isn't a problem, just don't break things before asking. Let's try and keep things simple, the flash memory on the SSD and it's controller don't like being taxed too much(down the road). As for third party software, if you're on Windows 10, you're fine with Disk Cleanup.

Make sure the SSD is on the latest firmware as well, though only when you're comfortable with updating it.
 
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Gotcha. That’s why I like forums like these because I can ask before I attempt anything. I’d rather wait and get advice from someone like yourself than try to mess with things myself.

Thank you!
 
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You're welcome! Might I ask what the make and model of your SSD is? An 1TB SSD is a large drive, large enough to be a game library drive itself. I'd advise on installing some games in the interim period and when funds will allow, pick up a good quality, low capacity SSD for the OS and your daily driver apps(and launchers). The 1TB can be wiped clean and then be used as a game library drive.
 
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That's exactly the plan. I still want to upgrade a few other things but funds and PC hardware availability aren't great at the moment, so I just had one of my tech-savvy friends help me choose something for the time being. This is my build:

- Intel Core i5-10600K CPU @ 4.10 GHz w/6 Cores / 12 Threads
- EVGA GeForce GTX 1650 XC ULTRA GAMING 4GB PCI-E w/ HDMI, Dual DP
- Z490 AORUS Elite AC w/ DDR4-2933, 7.1 Audio, Dual M.2, 2.5Gb LAN, 802.11ac, Bluetooth v5, 2-Way CrossFire X
- Samsung 970 EVO Plus NVMe M.2 PCI-E x4 SSD, 1TB
- HyperX Impact DDR4-2666 SO-DIMM RAM (64 GB)
- Corsair Hydro Series H60 (2018) Liquid CPU Cooler
- Corsair RMx Series RM750x Silent 80+ Gold ATX Fully Modular Power Supply, 750W
- InWin 303 Mid Tower Case w/ Tempered Glass Side Panel (w/ 2 extra fans for better airflow)

I actually have a few extra questions...
1) I read a lot of debates on whether to get certain drivers from your motherboard website or straight from Intel/AMD. Some people said Intel/AMD will be more up-to-date while others said the motherboard site might have tweaks to make the drivers run better on their stuff. Do you have any advice?
2) How exactly do I update my SSD firmware?
3) Aside from a new, smaller SSD for OS/drivers/launchers, what would you upgrade next? Like I said, this is mainly a gaming PC. I'm just connected to my cheap, 32" Samsung TV at the moment but I'm waiting for a Valve Index VR kit. That's where I'd like to do most of my gaming. I'll get a better monitor down the road as well.
4) Any other general tips for someone who is just getting into PC building/gaming?

If you have any suggestions they'd be much appreciated! Thanks!
 
1| BIOS, audio(if you're using a discrete sound card, then the audio will come from the audio card's maker) and utilities from your motherboard manufacturer. GPU from Nvidia(considering you have an Nvidia GPU. If you had an AMD GPU, AMD drivers from AMD) MEI and chipset from Intel's support site(but it's good to cross-reference the aforementioned driver versions with Intel's support site).

2| Well, now that I know you're on Samsung's SSD, you download and install Samsung's Magician App. Towards the bottom of the installed app, you'll see firmware(or was it update).

3| The GPU but we all know what the story is behind that. Following that, a dual channel DDR4-3600MHz ram kit to get the best out of your platform.

4| The cooling on that build is lackluster, I'd get a 360mm radiatored AIO at the most or a 240/280mm AIO at the least, provided you're going to overclock.
 
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Yeah, I left the BIOS alone because my version was very recent and the new one didn't fix any issues I was experiencing. GPU from Nvidia. I used Intel Driver and Support Assistant to get everything else up to date. I just got Samsung Magician, updated and ran a full diagnostic scan and a "SMART Self-Test". All seems good. Noticed a tab for "Over Provisioning" and "Performance Optimization". Tried doing a bit of reading on those but I'm not quite savvy enough to understand what they do. If you think I should use them, let me know.

I added your suggestions to the list! Thanks, man. I used to tell myself "I'm never going to overclock, how can it be good for your computer?!" But after lots of reading it seems like if you do it right all you get is better performance and maybe a tiny bit off the lifespan of your hardware - at which point it's going to be way outdated.
 

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