Y400/Y500 - Anyone running an SSD? Opinions, experiences, boot times?

[zaki]

I didn't even bother using the 1TB hard drive...Installed a Plextor PX-256M5 Pro SSD. Couldn't be happier with this the boot time and windows performance.

[Kwaz]

Install StartIsBack and its windows 7 on steroids

I had no flipping idea that this existed. Looks great. Maybe I'll install windows 8 on a separate partition and give it a whirl some time.

What I'd be worried about here is long term support though. I wish Microsoft would just make two options. So many people want the start bar and the old functionality back.

[valued17]

I had no flipping idea that this existed. Looks great. Maybe I'll install windows 8 on a separate partition and give it a whirl some time.

What I'd be worried about here is long term support though. I wish Microsoft would just make two options. So many people want the start bar and the old functionality back.

I have never used windows 8 without this software, lol and its been 6-7 months now. They are quick to update and I have had no issues at all. Smooth as a butter.

[Vitamin]

My Y500 - windows 8 - Samsung 840 SSD 120GB takes 4-5 seconds to start and shutdown in 2 seconds.

[kaster]

I've replaced the 1tb HDD with Samsung EVO SSD , boots almost instant

[KYRUSS55]

SSD's in this machine run super fast. I'm using a mushkin 240gb getting read speeds of 550mbps and write of around 500

[zoalord]

Y410P here and the ssd makes by boot time about 4 seconds.

[daanyaaln]

Is it possible to install your own SSD into the laptop? I have the non SSD y500 650M SLI model.

[Vitamin]

Is it possible to install your own SSD into the laptop? I have the non SSD y500 650M SLI model.

Yes of course! Follow the instructions: Methodology to create Recovery Media and reload a Lenovo Think system with Microsoft Windows 8 preload

[tomo402]

Y500 650M SLI, WIN7, mSATA Kingston 120GB, boot time 15second

[mariusart78]

Every Y500 has mSATA port that is free in the models that do not feature a 16gb SSD. So you can easily place a SSD drive in that port and leave the 1tb standard drive intact for storage. That is what i have done and now i run a 120gb SSD OS drive and 1tb of storage About 5 seconds boot time windows 8 with legacy boot not uefi, definitely worth the investment as the oem hdd is very slow (5400 rpm).

[slurpee03]

So would any mSATA SSD you install be used like a cache (like how Lenovo describes it)? Or would it be normal storage space?

Also, what seems to be the best brand for SSDs you can get?

[seamon]

I got the Plextor M5M 128GB.

using it as the windows drive.

Windows rating for disk speed =8.1

WIndows boots in 28 secs. 540MBps sequential read and 320 write.

[seamon]

28 secs boot speed

540 seq read and 320 write.

Awesome performance.

[jaxst]

Windows 8.1 boots w/o extras plugged in around 8 seconds.

C=120GB Atlas mSATA

D=256GB Samsung 830

Drive C

Read max 435770 kB/sec

Read average 409050 kB/sec

Read min 367963 kB/sec

Write max 441589 kB/sec

Write average 371669 kB/sec

Write min 233460 kB/sec

CPU usage 0 percent

Drive D

Read max 333170 kB/sec

Read average 277074 kB/sec

Read min 152698 kB/sec

Write max 414341 kB/sec

Write average 397778 kB/sec

Write min 332061 kB/sec

CPU usage 4294967294 percent

[drivn]

I have 128 Gb ADATA SX300 SSD in the mSATA connection. Best upgrade ever... although I'm not going to lie, it was quite difficult to get a fresh install of Windows up and running. I had to find a OEM version of Windows 8 and burn it to a cd; then it worked.

Results from AS SSD Benchmark are 455 read and 126 write... not the best on the write, but I didn't get the best drive either.

[Hornbill]

I set up the Plextor M5M 256GB (mSata), moved win8 on it by Acronis. Windows rating for disk speed is 8.1. WIndows 8 boots in few seconds now.

[jonc1028]

I installed a Samsung 840 EVO 256GB in my Y500 the day that I got it and was so impressed that I bought the 1TB version for my desktop!

[siguamtri]

i myself am using a msata ssd an i am quite content with it

m4-CT256m4ssd3 256gb in lenovo y500

[faiz7957]

my y500 came without the ssd cache so i purchased a samsung 840 evo msata 500gb and now use it as the boot drive and the hdd as storage my system was booting in about 8 seconds if i remember correctly after a fresh install of win 8.1 since then i have many programmes running on startup such as object dock star8 and some automation software for downloads which i believe are hurting startup times but anything under 50 seconds is bearable for me oh and also i am using they cyberlink face login software which i believe also hogs speed.