W7 64-bit Memory Requirement

how much hard drive memory does a W7 64-bit pro take up?

thanks.

At the risk of sounding pedantic (which I don't want to do!) you need to take care between referring to disk storage (typically a hard disk drive) and the term memory which is generally used to refer to solid state memory, most commonly in the form of random access memory (RAM). I guess you are referring to the disk space used by an installation. The minimum free space required at install time is 20GB. You are likely to need at least twice as much as this to accommodate other system files and applications. My 64 bit system drive, with a fair number of installed apps is currently using 32GB.

thanks.

do u know if it is problematic to have an SSD, say, 90% full, like it is a problem for regular hard drives to be 90% full?

Not sure what you mean by a "problem". If you are referring to the warnings which pop up you can turn that off. You can minimise the growth in the system drive size be ensuring that all non essential files (especially user data files) are stored elsewhere. It will further help if you turn off hibernation. You amy also consider having no pagefile or storing it elsewhere. I have 4GB RAM and have no pagefile.

i was referring to how the system can slow down when the hard drive gets fuller. i was told anything above 2/3 full would probably yield a slowdown on a SATA HD.

i was considering getting a 60gb SSD and want to make sure that's large enough if i don't have too many programs on that drive.

60GB would be more than enough. If you keep the drive junk free with something like ccleaner and keep it defragged you should have no problems with slowing down. A traditional hard drive does have areas which are somewhat slower to access but this is related to the physical position of the data on the tracks and this is not an issue of course with SSD's.

Rule of thumb, no matter SSD or HDD, is minimum 15% free space. & Pat is correct (of course) 60-80GB SSD is fine... especially, when one adds in the fact that there should always be (another) drive for Data. Hard to slow down an SSD, lol As, Pat say, just give it the same regular maintenance as any other.

Cheers,
Drew

So a SSD is to be defragged just as a HDD is? I seen the option inside of Perfect Disk's settings, but there's the common belief out there that SSD's aren't to be defragged.

Again, this is hearsay to me, the "common belief" that I spoke of. Members of other forums, articles & so on. I'm soon going to buy a M4 128GB, which will be plenty enough for my 10GB recovery partition, 60GB for the Windows 7 Pro x64 install, 30GB for a VM that I run, the rest for data. It's doubtful that I'll store that much data on it anyway. I use USB Flash drives for this.

Cat

I've heard this, Cat... doesn't mean it's not true. Far as I knew, they were/could be treated, in this context, like any (hard) drive; certainly, that could incorrect... including defrag... just the 1st time (here & now) I'd heard of the 'common belief', I mighta missed the memo, too ...maybe, I've just learned something (new).

Drew

Cat,

I just did a wee bit of research...

Found, yes one should & no, one should not. Nothing that one could not or should not, but, some suggesting it was pointless & unnecessary. others saying, it should be done.

Cheers,
Drew