Intel
Intel Gen1 - PC29AS21AA0
Intel X25-M G1 50nm Flash
Kingston SSDNow E Series
Intel Gen2 - PC29AS21BA0
Drives based on this controller:-
Intel X25-M G2 34nm Flash
Kingston SSDNow M Series

Sandforce (Client Processor)
Sandforce SF-1200 Series
Drives based on this controller:-
Corsair F Series
OWC Mercury Extreme Pro
G.Skill Phoenix Pro
OCZ Vertex 2
OCZ Agility 2 (with 10k random-write cap)
OCZ Vertex LE
OCZ Vertex 2 Pro
OCZ Vertex 2 EX
OCZ Vertex 2E
OCZ Agility 2E
Mushkin Callisto Deluxe

Sandforce SF-1500 Series (Enterprise Processor)
Drives based on this controller:-
OCZ Vertex 2 Pro

Sandforce SF-2000 Series
SF-2300
SF-2500
SF-2600
http://www.sandforce.com/userfiles/file/do..._2010-10-07.pdf

JMicron
JMicron JMF602
Drives based on this controller:-
OCZ Core Series

JMicron JMF612
Drives based on this controller:-
Corsair R Series
ADATA S596

Indilinx
Indilinx "barefoot" controller
Drives based on this controller:-
Corsair N Series
Corsair E Series
OCZ Vertex
OCZ Agility
OCZ Onyx
OCZ Solid 2
OCZ Vertex EX
OCZ Agility Ex

Toshiba
Toshiba T6UG1XBG
Drives based on this controller:-
Kingston SSDNow V+ Second Generation

Samsung
Samsung S3C29RBB01-YK40
Drives based on this controller:-
Corsair P Series
OCZ Summit
Marvel
Drives based on this controller:-
Crucial RealSSD C300
Crucial M4

Step 1: Prepare Installation

Please ensure your SSD remains in the anti-static carrier until installation to prevent damage caused by static electricity.
Handle the SSD with care and avoid touching the SATA connectors.
Ensure your motherboard has the latest BIOS revision installed (confirm with the motherboard manufacture for the latest updates).
Ensure your SATA controller is operating in AHCI mode.

Step 2: Install SSD
Desktop System

Power off the system and disconnect all power cables.
Remove the system’s outer panel (refer to your system’s user manual).
If your system provides 2.5-inch drive bays, there is no need for a 3.5-inch adapter bracket.
If your system does not provide 2.5-inch drive bays, you will need to mount the SSD onto the 2.5-inch to 3.5-inch adapter bracket with the mounting screws provided.
Note: An adapter bracket is provided with select SSD models.
Install the SSD into an available drive bay.
Connect one end of the SATA data cable and power connector to the SATA connectors on your motherboard and the remaining end to your SSD.
Note: SATA connectors are keyed to prevent improper installation.
Re-install the outer panel and power on your system. The SSD should now be recognized by the system.

Laptop System

Power off the system, disconnect all power cables and remove the battery.
Locate the hard drive access panel, unscrew and remove the access panel.
Disconnect and remove the HDD from the drive bay (refer to your system’s user manual)
Remove all brackets and connectors form your HDD and install it on the SSD (if necessary).
Note: If a proprietary connector and/or bracket are present on the HDD, carefully remove it and connect it to the SSD. Systems will vary and these items may or may not be present.
Insert the SSD into the drive bay, carefully aligning the SSD with the SATA connectors.
Secure the SSD in the drive bay, re-install the access panel and insert the battery back into the system.
Power on your system and the SSD should now be recognized by the system.

Step 3: Install Software
Windows

Boot from the Windows installation media (DVD/Bootable USB Drive).
Note: Refer to your system’s user manual on how to access the BIOS and boot from the selected media. Pressing keys such as Del, Esc, F1, F2, F10 or F12 will allow you to access the BIOS setup (BIOS access keys will vary by system).
Follow the on-screen instructions > Click “Install Now”.
Select the “Custom (advanced)” installation option.
Select your SSD with the unallocated space > Click “Next”
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete OS installation.
Restart your system > Access the BIOS > Set the SSD to the top of the boot priority list > Save changes and exit the BIOS.
Your system should now boot from your SSD when you power on your system.

Cloning your HDD to SSD with Acronis® True Image HD Software

Note: Current Acronis® software version only compatible with Windows 7, Vista and XP.

Download and install the Acronis® True Image HD Software
Launch the Acronis® software > enter the activation key when prompted
Note: Acronis® True Image HD software activation key is only bundled with select OCZ SSDs and products.
Select the “Tools and utilities” tab > click “Clone disk” > choose “Automatic (recommended)” for the clone mode
Select the source disk (HDD) > click “Next” > select destination disk (SSD) > click “Next”
Note: If your destination disk is not free of data, you will be prompted with a pop-up window stating “The destination hard disk drive you have chosen contains some partitions that could contain useful data”.
To confirm deletion of data, click “OK”.
Click “Proceed” in the cloning summary window to start the disk cloning process.
Note: Cloning a disk that contains an active operating system will require a system reboot after cloning is completed.

Mac OS X

Note: While there are various Mac OS X installation methods, this particular method involves creating a bootable USB drive to perform a clean installation of Mac OS X Mountain Lion.

Install Mountain Lion OS X
Right-click “Install Mac OS X Mountain Lion.app” > select “Show Package Contents” > open the “SharedSupport” folder within “Contents” > double-click the “InstallESD.dmg” file to mount it to the desktop
Note: The “InstallESD.dmg” file is what you will need to create the bootable USB drive
Creating a bootable USB drive using Disk Utility
Launch “Disk Utility” > connect your USB drive (larger than 4GB)
Select the USB drive > select the “Erase” tab > set the format tab as “Mac OS Extended (Journaled)” > Click “Erase”
Note: This will completely erase all contents on the USB drive.
Select the USB drive from the left hand side > select the “Restore” tab
Right-click the “InstallESD.dmg” file > select “Set as Source”
Right-click the destination USB drive > select “Set as Destination” > click “Restore”
Installing Mac OS X onto the SSD
Reboot your system > hold down the “Option” key > you will be presented with the boot menu
Select the “Mac OS X” icon > you will then be booted into the Mac OS X installer
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete installation

HDD has spinning magnetic platters to store the data, and that data is read or written by a series of read/write heads. Each platter has its own head, and the head is moved from the outside of the platter to inside of the platter by the slide actuator assembly. The head can only be in one place at any one time, and it takes time to move that head from one location to another. Even if it's only a 1mm away, it will still take a few milliseconds to move the head before reading or writing can recommence.

An SSD reads and writes its data from NAND flash, and it's not uncommon for the SSD controller to have eight channels to transfer data to and from the NAND. Also the time taken to access the data can be 100 times faster than it is on an HDD. So as well as being capable of 8 times the throughput, it can also access the data much faster than an HDD.

No, it isn't true at all.
MLC consumer grade NAND will generally have 3000 to 5000 write cycles endurance. On the surface this doesn't sound like a lot. Let's say you have a 128GB SSD with 5000 write cycle MLC NAND. That means you would have to write 128GB of data per day for 5000 days to exhaust the NAND. That would take 13.7 years, but in actual fact, Intel for one, has studied typical desktop usage, and estimates that on the high end of the scale, a desktop user will write about 10GB of data per day when the SSD is used as a system drive.
When you factor in write amplification, wear levelling, and deferred writes, then the NAND could last for close on 38 years. Larger SSDs given the same usage scenario will last much longer than this. However, this could potentially be reduced in the future as the manufacturing process moves to an ever smaller node size.

Yes, they will slow down slightly.
When an SSD is first used, all the NAND is in a clean state, and the SSD controller will always pick the fresh NAND to write to, as this is the fastest method of writing to the NAND. At some point all the NAND will be used, and there will be no fresh NAND to write to. This is called a "steady state". What it means is, before the NAND can be written to again, any data in those cells must be read, modified, and then written to. This will have the effect of slowing down the SSD slightly, as each write process takes that little while longer to complete.

If you are running Windows 7 or 8, then you will have TRIM support. TRIM sends commands down the storage stack which tells the SSD that data has been discarded. The SSD controller can now set about cleaning those discarded blocks, and return those NAND blocks back to a clean state. Most SSDs also employ a cleaning technology known as "Idle Garbage Collection". When the SSD is not busy, the SSD controller has some time to do housekeeping chores. One of these chores is cleaning and recycling NAND blocks, and returning the blocks back to a clean state.

You can also manually clean the NAND yourself, but be aware, this will involve destroying all data on the SSD.
All new SSDS support "internal secure erase".

Internal Secure Erase is done by applying 21V across the NAND substrate. This is done by a "Charge Pump Device" (CPD) which is already present in the drive and it's already used to write/erase individual blocks on the drive.
Applying 21V across the substrate of all NAND chips in the drive will return all cells in the drive back to the factory default (erased state), and only takes around 5 seconds or less to secure erase the complete drive, without writing any data to the drive at all.

If you wish to secure erase the SSD, then you can either use the specific SSD toolbox application supplied with the SSD, or you can use a generic method which should work with all SSDs that support Internal Secure Erase.

All modern SSDs have a certain amount of NAND set aside for exclusive use of the SSD controller. This NAND is not available to the user for storage. There are however many ways this NAND can be used. In all cases a certain amount of that NAND is there to replace retired NAND blocks. A single cell failure will result in the complete NAND block being rendered unusable. If a block is retired then a block from the over-provisioned area is mapped into the user area to maintain the SSDs stated usable capacity.

Over-provisioning can however be taken a stage further. You may have noticed that there are some SSDs with stated capacities that don't quite match the expected figure. Let's take as an example an 120GB stated capacity. An 120GB capacity SSD will in actual fact have 128GB of NAND. 8GB is set aside as an over-provisioned area. Some of this will of course be held in reserve for retired NAND blocks, but the bulk of it will be used for another purpose.

An SSD will quite happily just write to whichever NAND block happens to be free. If we go back to MLC NAND basics, then before a write can take place on a used NAND block, then that block must be read, modified, and then the block write can take place. That's a three stage process which obviously requires time to complete. Of course, normally those writes can only take place in the user storage area. However, if the SSD controller is smart enough, and you have a hidden area of NAND to work with then things can change.

The over-provisioned area can be maintained much more effectively than the user area, as it can't be touched by the user or the operating system, so this NAND can be cleaned and returned to a fresh state, which of course means instead of a three stage process to write a block, this can be cut to a two stage process, that being reading then writing, as the NAND is clean and does not required to be modified before the write can take place. So if the controller is smart enough, this fresh NAND, once written to, can then be mapped into the user area, and another 8GB of NAND can be snatched from the user area and then mapped into the over-provisioned area for cleaning, then the whole process is repeated over and over.

In our example we used a 120GB capacity SSD with 128GB of NAND. If we go up a stage then we arrive at an SSD with a capacity of 240GB, as you may have already guessed, a 240GB SSD has 256GB of NAND, and from this it is easy to calculate that in this case the SSD has 16GB of NAND set aside for over-provisioning.

This is one reason that SandForce based SSDs tend to perform extremely well. By giving away a little in the way of user storage area, they can gain a lot in sustainable performance.

Basically this is down to the number of NAND chip packages on the SSD, and the density of these packages. Almost all modern SSDs have a controller that can use multiple channels to read and write to the NAND. NAND is rather slow on its own. SSDs get their speed from reading and writing to several NAND packages at the same time. The sweet spot will generally be SSDs with 8 channels addressing 16 NAND chip packages.

Again we must go back to MLC NAND basics, and the read, modify, NAND block write method. But if the SSD controller is smart and fast enough, why just do one of these processes at a time? In actual fact they don't. While the SSD is busy doing the write process on one block, it can also use another channel to do the read and modify. This is called interleaving, but unfortunately 16 NAND chip packages are required to get the best out of this method with an SSD controller which supports 8 channels to the NAND array.

This makes perfect sense on the larger capacity SSDs. For example for an SSD with 256GB of NAND, you can use 16GB NAND chip packages, and for a 512GB SSD you can use 32GB packages in order to get the magic 16 NAND chip packages. Unfortunately trying to maintain this 16 NAND chip packages on small capacity SSDs would be prohibitively expensive, and would result in small capacity SSDs being non competitive.

Things may change in the not too distant future. ONFI 3 NAND will soon be available, supporting speeds of up to 400MB/s per NAND die. So it is certainly possible that only 4 or 8 NAND chip packages are required to fully saturate the SATA 6Gbps system bus. If this should happen then smaller capacity SSDs, at least for sequential reading and writing could be every bit as fast as their larger counterparts.

SSDs mostly require no maintenance programs or operating system tweaks.

The TRIM command is a feature of Windows 7 which allows an SSD to maintain its high level of performance over the lifetime of the drive. Here is a link which describes TRIM in more detail:

http://forum.corsair.com/v3/showthread.php?t=84677

Enabling AHCI storage mode in your BIOS is the only setting we recommend adjusting for optimal SSD performance.

All SSD drives are compatible with both SATA I and SATA II. However, you will only be able to achieve the rated transfer speeds limited by using the SATA I & II interface.

Most SSDs on the market utilize NAND flash memory which can be sub-divided into two categories, SLC and MLC.

SLC (Single Level Cell) SSDs store only one data bit per NAND flash cell which leads to faster transfer speeds, higher cell endurance and a lower power consumption. The only downside to SLC chips used in SSDs is the manufacturing cost per Megabyte and the total capacity, which is less per NAND cell than MLC. SLCs are intended for the high-end consumer and server market and they have approximately 10 times more endurance compared to MLCs.

MLC (Multi Level Cell) SSDs store two or more bits per NAND flash cell. Storing more bits per cell achieves a higher capacity and lower manufacturing cost per Megabyte. MLC SSDs are designed for the mainstream consumer market and are much faster compared to standard hard disk drives. MLC SSDs are improving with faster and more efficient technologies and are being adopted into the high-end consumer and server markets.

While you will get the overall benefits of an SSD vs. a HDD in both XP and Vista, SSDs will perform best with Windows 7 due to features available such as TRIM. Though Windows Vista and XP were released before SSDs were a mainstream product, both can be used without issue. OCZ has an extensive user forum for additional info and guides on how to optimize your SSD within any operating system.

Aside from the estimated projections of flash memory lifecycles, how the drive is used will have a great effect on the life expectancy of your SSD. Generally, you should get many years of solid use out of your SSD. Excessive benchmarking of the drive that forces many writes/reads will shorten the lifespan. Also, do not defragment your drive, as it is not necessary.

Acronis® True Image HD Software is a great tool that allows you adjust partition sizes before the clone starts. Cloning copies the contents of your drive to another drive in the event you wish to migrate your existing data/OS rather than do a fresh OS install. Many times, the contents of the first disk are written to an image file as an intermediate step. This image file can be saved for future restoration of your data.

Lifespan will vary from user to user due to a number of unpredictable variables. SSD lifespan is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. It’s dependent a wide variety of factors ranging from the SSD itself to the user’s computing habits, data workloads and SSD usage profile.

Yes, all writes to the drive will decrease the number of program/erase cycles each NAND flash cell has remaining. However, it would take tens and maybe hundreds of thousands of benchmarks to noticeably impact the lifespan of your drive.

“Hot” is a relative term; however, your SSD should not exceed 5-7 degrees above the ambient temperature inside the system it is installed in.

If you’re doing a fresh Windows operating system installation, formatting is done automatically with the OS installation. If you’re installing a new SSD as a secondary storage device, the drive must be initialized and formatted before use.

Windows:
• Launch “Disk Management”
• A pop-up window should recognize the SSD and ask to “Initialize Disk” > Click “OK”
• Right-click the “Unallocated” SSD > Select “New Simple Volume”
• Follow the on screen instructions (default settings) to finish formatting the SSD

Mac OSX:
• Launch “Disk Utility”
• Select your SSD from the list on the left hand side > Click the “Partition” tab
• Choose “1 Partition” from the Volume Scheme > Select “Mac OS Extended (Journaled)” under the format option
• Click “Options” and select “GUID Partition Table” > Click “Apply” to finish formatting the SSD

Windows:
a) Device Manager:
• Click the Windows Start icon > Right-click “Computer” > Select “Manage”
• Under “System Tools” on the left hand menu, select “Device Manager” in the sub-menu
• Select “Disk drives” on the right hand menu and double click on your SSD
• Click “Details” tab > Under “Property” menu, select “Hardware Ids”
• Your firmware revision should be displayed on the right hand side next to your SSD model number

Mac OS X:
• Click the Apple icon in the top left corner > Select “About this Mac” > Click “More Info…”
• Under the hardware menu, click “Serial-ATA” in the sub-menu
• Select the SSD in the right hand menu > The current firmware version should be displayed under “Revision”