Advice Request SSD Fresh, anyone heard of this?

[Tutman]

Came across this in an advent calendar giveaway here: Download-Adventskalender 2020 - COMPUTER BILD and this is the official home page from Abelssoft SSD Fresh - Abelssoft.net

This is the link (in german) where you can get this free giveaway btw: SSD Fresh Plus 2021 – Kostenlose Vollversion 2021 - Download - COMPUTER BILD

(This supposedly helps with having windows installed on SSD and does settings that help "expand the lifetime" of the SSD. Anyone heard of this or tried it? ) Thanks much!

Here is the info of the page translated from Edge to English:

SSD Fresh Plus 2021 - Free Full Version​

3,8
(8 ratings) |
Rate now:


Version: 2021Main Category:

• Tuning & System

Subcategories:

• Hard Drive Tools

Download

• Free
• Virus-tested

Description
With the "SSD Fresh Plus 2021" hard drive tool, you can optimize the performance of SSDs and extend the life of a Solid State Disc (SSD). This is necessary because in Windows, access to drives is based on "classic" HDDs. For example, an SDD does not require defragmentation or indexing for Windows Search. Sleep mode also eliminates the need for write and read access, but doesn't bring any real speed benefits on a solid-state drive. With a click on "Start Auto-Optimization" you can correct all relevant Windows settings for an optimal lifespan of your SSD with the free full version "SSD Fresh Plus 2021", which you can download exclusively from COMPUTER BILD. For example, the TRIM function ensures that SSDs can directly overwrite deleted blocks without verification. This improves the working speed by avoiding unnecessary read and write access. In addition to 1-click maintenance, you can also turn all parameters on and off manually and activate a background monitor that checks the settings once a week. In addition to general information about your SSD but also HDD hard drives in your PC such as data capacity or drive size, you will find the button "S.M.A.R.T. data" on the "Overview" tab. This SMART analysis system (short for self-monitoring, analysis and reporting technology) provides information on key figures such as operating hours or read error rate. This way you can detect early on-the-spot drive failures. The SSD-Optimizer "SSD Fresh Plus 2021" is completed with the "Live Analysis". This feature measures SSD writes and lists the ten processes or programs with the most accesses.



1.
SSD Fresh 2021


137.170
Hard Drive Tools
The free software "SSD Fresh 2021" optimizes Windows for the use of fast SSD hard drives (Solid State ...

Screenshot: SSD Fresh Plus 2021 - Free Full Version​

Specifications
SSD Fresh Plus 2021 Free Full Release 2021 | Report update

Updated
13.12.2020
Compatible operating systems
Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7
Type of program
Special version
Language
German, English
Number of downloads
124 (since 23.11.2020)
Filesize
3.16 MB
Manufacturer

• Abelssoft (43 other programs)
• To the homepage of the manufacturer

Category
Tuning & System | Hard Drive Tools
Uninstall
Here you will find instructions on how to remove the program SSD Fresh Plus 2021 - Free Full Version

About SSD Fresh Plus 2021 - Free Full Version​

The service life and working speed of SSD hard drives can be significantly improved with "SSD Fresh Plus 2021". After 1-click optimization, the disk tool reduces the number of reads and writes by various measures, thus increasing the life of the drives and, in the meantime, increasing performance. The free full version can also query SMART data to show the health of HDD and SSD hard drives. For example, SSD Fresh Plus activates the "TRIM" command, which tells Windows that deleted or otherwise released blocks are no longer used. Time is also saved by not saving access times to files, as this also prevents unnecessary memory access. The Auto function disables other Windows presets that only make sense for classic harddisks: hibernation mode, offloading the Windows kernel, preloading programs, or defragmenting boot files. Alternatively, the individual switches can also be switched on or off manually.

SSD Fresh Plus: Use SMART Data to view the health of HDD and SSD hard drives​

In addition to an optimized interaction of Windows and SSDs, the free tool "SSD Fresh Plus" allows the query of drive information, for example about the space used and the file system used of all SSD and HDD drives. Modern hard drives also have a self-monitoring method: S.M.A.R.T. (abbreviation for "Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology"). For example, the data in this monitoring reveals the Raw Read Error Rate, the number of Real SectorLocated Counts, and the Uncorrectable Sectors (Scan Error Rate) or Measured Temperature (Drive Temperature). These facts can be used to determine impending hard drive crashes. Tip: If you hover over an i icon, you can learn more about the English

 

[MacDefender]

I spent many years working on SSD firmware and this seems like it's misguided at best. Windows 10 already understands the differences between a SSD and HDD and that automatically turns off most forms of defragmentation. Windows also redefines Disk Optimization's weekly pass to do TRIM instead of defragmentation.

For the other things they say are "unnecessary" don't make sense:

• SSDs do still need indexing. It's still much faster to find files and content in files with an indexing database than without, no matter how fast your SSD is.
• Hibernation has nothing to do with SSDs. It's for both when your laptop runs out of power during sleep, as well as for reducing the amount of standby power draw. Whether or not you want hibernation has little to do with whether or not you have an SSD.
• Disabling/enabling sleep mode on SSDs is basically useless. On a SATA SSD, when you tell it to sleep, it either does nothing or it is used by the SSD firmware as a hint that it can more aggressively do background cleanup tasks without affecting performance. This was important for first generation SSDs but these days it's totally useless and it doesn't make a difference.
• Windows 10 already disables prefetch and SuperFetch if your Windows drive is a SSD.

A lot of these options shouldn't be randomly touched. This isn't Windows 98 which requires a bunch of mystery tuning options to behave well.

The only thing remotely useful is SMART checking, which can be done using a variety of free apps that don't try to upsell you to a $10 premium version....

 

[Tutman]

Thanks much for detailed info! I will ignore this "snake oil". BTW in the past I tried their other software "Startup star" which is supposed to be like Hibit Startup Monitor and Winpatrol with live alerts and real time monitoring of startup add ons but it was buggy at best. Hibit for the win!

 

[ForgottenSeer 89360]

I spent many years working on SSD firmware and this seems like it's misguided at best. Windows 10 already understands the differences between a SSD and HDD and that automatically turns off most forms of defragmentation. Windows also redefines Disk Optimization's weekly pass to do TRIM instead of defragmentation.

For the other things they say are "unnecessary" don't make sense:

• SSDs do still need indexing. It's still much faster to find files and content in files with an indexing database than without, no matter how fast your SSD is.
• Hibernation has nothing to do with SSDs. It's for both when your laptop runs out of power during sleep, as well as for reducing the amount of standby power draw. Whether or not you want hibernation has little to do with whether or not you have an SSD.
• Disabling/enabling sleep mode on SSDs is basically useless. On a SATA SSD, when you tell it to sleep, it either does nothing or it is used by the SSD firmware as a hint that it can more aggressively do background cleanup tasks without affecting performance. This was important for first generation SSDs but these days it's totally useless and it doesn't make a difference.
• Windows 10 already disables prefetch and SuperFetch if your Windows drive is a SSD.

A lot of these options shouldn't be randomly touched. This isn't Windows 98 which requires a bunch of mystery tuning options to behave well.

The only thing remotely useful is SMART checking, which can be done using a variety of free apps that don't try to upsell you to a $10 premium version....

I’ve seen other tools promoting the same settings and claims, but don’t remember the name.
Turning indexing off doesn’t make sense one bit, as when you perform a search, metadata as well as data will be read and compared. This is same like the indexing process, but will be repeated again and again, as opposed to indexing, where it will be done once.
It only makes sense if you will never use the search function.

I see their logic on hibernation, they assume your PC will boot up fast and you can do just a normal shutdown. But when you turn your PC back on, whether it will read from the Hyberfil.sys file or the Windows directory, it makes very little difference. You can still turn off your PC, even without this tool.

Other points you have already mentioned.

 

[roger_m]

As mentioned, you don't need to use software to extend the life of SSDs. The only thing I would recommend, is to check for firmware updates periodically.

Windows will take care of the drive by running a TRIM command from time to time. In the case of Windows 10, it will also defrag SSDs occasionally, and there's absolutely no reason to stop it from doing so.

 

[ForgottenSeer 85179]

Thanks much for detailed info! I will ignore this "snake oil". BTW in the past I tried their other software "Startup star" which is supposed to be like Hibit Startup Monitor and Winpatrol with live alerts and real time monitoring of startup add ons but it was buggy at best. Hibit for the win!

No need for even both.
Use instead Autoruns from Windows for checking and configuring autostart.

Also no need to monitor it with a software. Windows itself can that.

These tools you wrote about are called "Tuning" tools and only damage your system and even want money for that. Stay away and stay secure.

 

[roger_m]

No need for even both.
Use instead Autoruns from Windows for checking and configuring autostart.

HiBit Startup Manager is free, with no ads and it does a VirusTotal scan of new startup items. I find it to be useful.

 

[ForgottenSeer 89360]

HiBit Startup Manager is free, with no ads and it does a VirusTotal scan of new startup items. I find it to be useful.

There is a startup manager both in the Task Manager, as well as in the settings app. You just need to type “startup” in the search field.

 

[roger_m]

There is a startup manager both in the Task Manager, as well as in the settings app. You just need to type “startup” in the search field.

I'm well aware of that. However, I like HiBit, as it shows an alert when a new program is added to startup, with the option to allow or deny it. It has the option to remember your choice, so that you are not prompted again for the same program.

 

[Tutman]

I'm well aware of that. However, I like HiBit, as it shows an alert when a new program is added to startup, with the option to allow or deny it. It has the option to remember your choice, so that you are not prompted again for the same program.

View attachment 251052

Yes windows does not give you a real time alert and will allow anything to get set up to run at startup like the sneaky Iobit drive booster. ( I have a love hate relationship with Iobit for that program!) LOL I use it when needed to check for drivers but hate how it does drive by startup.

 

[ForgottenSeer 89360]

Yes windows does not give you a real time alert

This will change in few months.

Windows 10 now triggers startup apps alert to avoid system slowdown

Windows 10 has always allowed apps to start up automatically when you turn on your computer. Microsoft gives you complete control over your startup apps, but popular Windows programs such as Microsoft Teams, Spotify, OneDrive, Cortana, etc set themselves to start running in the background when...

www.windowslatest.com

 

[Tutman]

No need for even both.
Use instead Autoruns from Windows for checking and configuring autostart.

Also no need to monitor it with a software. Windows itself can that.

These tools you wrote about are called "Tuning" tools and only damage your system and even want money for that. Stay away and stay secure.

I also use Autoruns but you have to know what you are doing and looking at and it is not safe for average user. Hibit is free and safe for simply having a Realtime startup monitoring tool.

 

[Tutman]

This will change in few months.

Windows 10 now triggers startup apps alert to avoid system slowdown

Windows 10 has always allowed apps to start up automatically when you turn on your computer. Microsoft gives you complete control over your startup apps, but popular Windows programs such as Microsoft Teams, Spotify, OneDrive, Cortana, etc set themselves to start running in the background when...

www.windowslatest.com

Unless you turn off notifications. Step in the right direction at least!

 

[ForgottenSeer 89360]

Unless you turn off notifications. Step in the right direction at least!

It will still remain in action centre, you might see it there if you don't get overwhelmed by too many notifications
They had it ages ago in Windows Defender Antispyware for Windows Vista, I don't know why they killed it later.

 

[ForgottenSeer 85179]

HiBit Startup Manager is free, with no ads and it does a VirusTotal scan of new startup items. I find it to be useful.

Same for Autoruns but more trustworthy

Anyway just my 50cents

 

[TairikuOkami]

Windows 10 already understands the differences between a SSD and HDD

Not always and just a month ago there was an issue, that the latest Windows performed a trim each time it booted, wearing down SSD unnecessarily.

SSDs do still need indexing. It's still much faster to find files and content in files with an indexing database than without, no matter how fast your SSD is.

Windows needs indexing, not SSD. Using third party tools, search result without indexing are instantaneous (less than a second).

Hibernation has nothing to do with SSDs.

Several GBs of space wasted (SSDs are still expensive) and several GBs of data written each time the PC reboots. Anyway, it is optional.

Windows 10 already disables prefetch and SuperFetch if your Windows drive is a SSD.

What makes you think that?

 

[roger_m]

Same for Autoruns but more trustworthy

Autoruns does not notify about new startup entries.

 

[Cortex]

I always disable indexing with a SSD, I feel that a task running in the background churning away isn't necessary and out ways any benefits esp with newish hardware/fast SSD - Windows doesn't always disable Prefetch and SuperFetch (Sysmain now) as I read often & IMO can wear SSD's though I have a SSD yet to die, they usually get replaced long before that, have a drawer full of slower SSD.

 

[bayasdev]

My WD SN550 NVMe has an endurance of 600TBW but I've heard on many forums that quality drives can easily write several petabytes before starting to fail, the same can't be said for cheap SATA SSDs.

 

[ForgottenSeer 89360]

My WD SN550 NVMe has an endurance of 600TBW but I've heard on many forums that quality drives can easily write several petabytes before starting to fail, the same can't be said for cheap SATA SSDs.

I used to have a cheap HGST NVME drive that came pre-installed in my laptop. It failed relatively quick, maybe due to the fact that I was a Windows Insider and this causes a frequent write of large amounts of data. Setup is first downloaded (about 4GB), then it is extracted and ran, old Windows directory is renamed to Windows.old and everything is copied/replaced to the current directory. New builds were available quite frequently.
It took only 3 years to die. I am no longer a Windows Insider.