moving prgram files, to an SD card to speed up machine....

[joko]

I have a mini laptop, with only an 8GB hard drive.... but i have a 32GB SD card inserted....

would it help speed up the machine and make it run better if i moved all program files and set up files (all personal docs are on it already) and run the programs from that?

would that be of any benefit?

if so, other than program files what else should i move over to make it work?

thanks

[ChuckFickens]

It would probably make it slower as the SD cards transfer rates are likely to be slower than the internal SSD.

[joko]

thanks chuck... is there anyway to find out?
or is it pretty certain that its the case?

is it worth me testing a few programs out this way?
maybe a few of the smaller, simpler programs?

you see, i have some larger software like photoshop, word 2010 and webplus x5 that etc, are way too big for the 8GB, but i could fit them on the SD card - or perhaps if i could clear the machine of the smaller stuff - even like adobe reader etc, perhaps i could install them on the main one...?

thanks

[MarkRae]

Unless the machine's hard disk is particularly slow and the SD card is one of the newer fast ones, the hard disk is almost certainly going to outperform it.

Definitely uninstall Adobe Reader, though, and replace it with this: http://foxitsoftware.com/downloads/

[joko]

cheers mark - but how do i tell though?

the machine was bought refurbished several years and it runs xp, and the card i bought new about a year ago....

the programs are not majorly slow, more sluggish, and its also the net etc... i just know that the less stuff thats on it the faster it goes...but of course its useless without my stuff on it.

i thought i could perhaps try installing word 2010 to the SD and see how i go... and that i can always uninstall.... but i dont think you can install directly to an SD can you?
I thought you had to install normally then move the files...is that right?

[MarkRae]

So long as the SD card is "seen" by the machine as a storage device with a drive letter, you should be able to specify it during the installation process.

What you certainly can't do, though, is install onto one device and then copy the files onto another one without making many registry setting changes.

[barney15c]

Progs like Word 2010 would have heavily embedded system files that would be in the OS that would have to be on the HDD, unless you were able to aquire a portable version which would almost certainly be illegal, that would be a non starter.

[barney15c]

I was thinking maybe the OP may have a Solid State Drive as he states he has a mini laptop (netbook???) and SSD's come as small as 8gb so replacing the HDD might not be possible.