What is TRIM and How Do I Activate it on an SSD?
TRIM is a command showing the SSD which cells or blocks of data (such as deleted files) can be erased during sleep times. This feature helps to optimize the compatibility, endurance and overall performance of your SSD hard drive. Lets discuss more about What is TRIM and how do I activate it on an SSD?
What operating systems is the feature supported on?
The TRIM feature is enabled by default on the operating systems : Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2012, and Windows Server 2016.
The main characteristics of the Trim
In computer science, the term trim is an English word meaning to reduce or trim . The command changes according to the interfaces, and has different names according to the operating systems. Most of the time, it is named “Trim”. The Trim shows the hard drive which data blocks can be deleted. Trim is a convenient feature but it is not mandatory. Therefore, there are operating systems which do not support this function. So, SSD designers build and test their drives on the assumption that the command will not be used.
What does the Trim really do?
The Trim function shows the SSD areas where data is no longer in use . On the user side, this is deleted data. SSDs read and write data in such a way that the information is not erased when the user is not using the Trim function. Instead, the area of the hard drive with the affected data is simply no longer used. This function shows the disc that this information can be erased. Then, when the PC is in standby (after using the Trim command), the data is deleted.
Without Trim (as was the case before Windows 7), SSDs do not know that areas of the hard drive have invalid data before the PC requests to write new information.
This command also affects the life of the hard disk. If data is written and deleted on the same NAND cells simultaneously, then those cells will lose integrity. For best longevity, all cells should be used at the same frequency. This is called uniformization of wear. The Trim function shows the hard drive which cells can be erased during standby times, which gives the ssd controller the ability to organize the remaining cells, full as well as empty, so as not to erase and write unnecessarily .
What are the advantages of this function?
The major point of the function is the time saving offered to the hard disk. With this command, the SSD can delete the information while the PC is in standby . Otherwise, the disk would take longer during the writing process to remove unnecessary information before writing new ones.
The Trim also optimizes the life of the hard drive by performing a more efficient dynamic wear uniformity .
How to use it ?
The Trim command is supported by operating systems starting with Microsoft Windows 7. It works automatically in the background , unless the trim command is disabled. It is possible to start the Trim manually or to check that the function is active. To do this, go to “Disk Properties”, then choose “Tools” and “Optimize”.
Apple MacOS computers with Apple SSD have a built-in Trim . Also note that some versions of MacOS support third-party SSDs with additional software. In order to see if your iMac or MacBook supports the command, just open the Apple menu while pressing the option key. Under “System Information”, scroll to the name of your storage interface located under “Hardware”. The TRIM Support heading will then display “Yes” or “No”. Currently, many RAID systems do not support Trim. However, we see over time that more and more RAID support the function . So, remember to check your software!
Conclusion
The trim is a relevant function offering the possibility to optimize the speed and the longevity of an SSD . On the other hand, if the operating system you are using does not support the command, do not worry since all SSDs are designed and manufactured to be used without the function.