Originally Posted by
BigLar
OK
So this really applies only if you want to encrypt your data. The HDD is capable of it, but unless you specifically set it up that way, it's just another hard drive. Correct?
Absolutely correct -- if you don't specify the HDD pwd in BIOS it walks, talks, and quacks like a normal HDD.
Originally Posted by
unmesh
Lots of good info about the hardware. There is an oblique reference to performance degradation over time with XP that you may have missed. Consider upgrading to Windows 7 or 8, both of which use the TRIM command to mitigate this effect which can be dramatic. Also, these OSes do the right thing with alignment of partitions etc that you will otherwise spend a lot of time getting right.
Finally, if you buy an Intel or Samsung SSD, you will get excellent software to do initial data migration and subsequent management of the SSD.
Unmesh is right about performance degradation over time in XP since it doesn't natively support TRIM (unlike Win 7/8, Linux, etc.) Basically it starts running slower as you fill the SSD. You can mitigate this effect in XP by running the manufacturer's utility (Intel SSD toolbox, Samsung Magician, etc.) once a week or so to optimize the drive which effectively performs a single TRIM on demand. My only disagreement would be that some Samsung drives come with Norton Ghost for migration (forgot the version #) and it's a bit of a pain to use compared to the EASUS software.