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Will storing my CM installs and files on SSD improve load times?


Odin

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The storage on my pc is nearing its max capacity so I'm thinking of purchasing an external SSD hard drive (USB 3.0). If I transfer my CM installs and game files to the SSD will this result in faster load times than keeping them on my old non-SSD hard drive? 

 

I mainly play PBEM and find I usually spend 2 minutes upwards loading some of my larger PBEM turns, so I'm hoping an SSD could cut this down. What say you good folks with experience in this matter?

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I have a similar situation and storing the games on a peripheral hard drive has worked for me. At least it doesn't hurt. I don't know if its faster per se, but what it does do is free up space on my C drive for the exe to use as extra virtual memory when needed, which helps avoid problems.

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Hey Odin, 

I am currently running CMBN off of an HDD and running CMFB off of an internal SSD. I can report that CMFB loads in the neighbourhood of 10x faster, particularly for large battle. 

Now, I don't know how differences between the architecture of the two games (CMBN vs. CMFB) factors in, but I have found the difference between the drive performance to be significant (so much so I am currently looking into moving my old BN files to the SSD - just haven't quite figured out the re-installation process yet  :))

Hope that helps, 

MH

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running CM off an external HD will always be slower to an on board internal HD (a little to a lot, depending on more details of whether its USB 2.0 or 3.0, whether external HD is SSD or not) - at least this is from my experience. Others might add on to this.

 

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Thanks for the advice guys. By the sound of things it's worth me going for a larger SSD so I can put all my CM installs and mods on there.

A quick question - it sounds like I will have to reinstall all my CM games on the SSD, rather than just drag them over to the new location and change the shortcut exe path?

 

Edited by Odin
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hmmmm, i have copied pasted my CM folder from my laptop, onto an external HD, then plugged that into my iMac, and copy pasted onto that HD.. And everything worked without a hitch ! However, this is apple mac I'm talking about.. i don't about Windows System.

 

Goodluck !! and enjoy Rocking the hell out of those pixeltruppen >:) 

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33 minutes ago, Odin said:

Thanks for the advice guys. By the sound of things it's worth me going for a larger SSD so I can put all my CM installs and mods on there.

A quick question - it sounds like I will have to reinstall all my CM games on the SSD, rather than just drag them over to the new location and change the shortcut exe path?

 

I just purchased and installed a new SSD and moved over all my games. You can just drag and copy.  You will just need to fix your shortcuts.  If you have CMSF when you move it you will need to unlicense and relicense in the new location in my case it only took a second as the game remembered the license. 

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48 minutes ago, Odin said:

Thanks for the advice guys. By the sound of things it's worth me going for a larger SSD so I can put all my CM installs and mods on there.

A quick question - it sounds like I will have to reinstall all my CM games on the SSD, rather than just drag them over to the new location and change the shortcut exe path?

You can just drag the installs over there.  But there is one big wrinkle for PC users (no idea about Mac users) - your "My Documents" directory. With the newer games the mods go in the My Documents\Battlefront\Combat Mission\Final Blitzkrieg\User Data\Mods folder.  If you don't change where the system stores your "my documents" folder then you will be loading your mods from your original platter drive.  Before you make that change back up the games' folders and make sure all the files made the transition.

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2 hours ago, IanL said:

You can just drag the installs over there.  But there is one big wrinkle for PC users (no idea about Mac users) - your "My Documents" directory. With the newer games the mods go in the My Documents\Battlefront\Combat Mission\Final Blitzkrieg\User Data\Mods folder.  If you don't change where the system stores your "my documents" folder then you will be loading your mods from your original platter drive.  Before you make that change back up the games' folders and make sure all the files made the transition.

 

So just to confirm, I should also drag the 'my documents' folder to the SSD hard drive as well?

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1 hour ago, Odin said:

So just to confirm, I should also drag the 'my documents' folder to the SSD hard drive as well?

Are you reloading your OS onto the new drive?  If you are not you can leave as is. I did not move my OS I just freed up room on that drive by moving everything else off. In effect I have an OS drive with my documents folder etc and a separate install drive for the games.  The only area where that breaks down is all your save files and your mods (depending on how you organize them) are still on your OS drive.  There are other ways to organize your my documents folder to handle that if you need to. 

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No do not just drag and drop the contents of the My documents folder to any old place and expect the game to find its files. It is a special directory. There is a procedure to follow inside windows - I'll have to leave that to you to find since it varies by Windows version and you might want to watch a video (I hate that) or read a article on how to do it. If I recall correctly under some conditions the contents get ported to the new place and under other conditions they do not so you have to pay attention to the details. In the end if you can find the games files using the Documents sort cut in File Explorer on the same sub folder path after the move then the game will work.

If any of that makes you really nervous the worst thing that can happen is you mess up the games and you have to delete the games and reinstall them and to fix it. :D

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