Langmeier Backup FAQ

SSDs (Solid State Drives) represent the next generation of data storage, rapidly transforming the landscape of digital storage solutions. Each year, SSDs are gaining popularity and are steadily replacing traditional HDDs (Hard Disk Drives). This shift is especially noticeable in laptops, where SSDs are now the preferred choice due to their superior performance and reliability.

Advantages and Disadvantages of SSDs

• Significantly Faster Performance: SSDs utilize fixed microchips, making them technically similar to RAM or USB flash drives. In contrast, classic HDDs rely on moving mechanical parts. This mechanical design requires the read/write head to physically move to the location where data is stored, much like a CD or DVD drive. As a result, SSDs offer much faster data access and transfer speeds.
• Enhanced System Responsiveness: Installing your operating system on an SSD can dramatically improve performance. For example, Windows boots up considerably faster, and applications can open up to four times faster compared to an HDD.
• Limited Lifespan and Data Risks: Despite their advantages, SSDs have some drawbacks. The number of times data can be rewritten on an SSD is limited, which means their lifespan is finite. Unlike traditional hard drives, SSDs cannot be overwritten indefinitely without experiencing performance degradation. Additionally, current SSDs have a slightly higher risk of total failure compared to HDDs. In rare cases, a sudden power loss can result in complete data loss. Therefore, regular data backups are essential when using SSDs.

How to Extend the Lifespan of Your SSD

Frequent read and write operations, such as those involving temporary files, can significantly wear out an SSD over time. To mitigate this, it is advisable to move the Windows temporary folder, as well as the temporary folder used by Langmeier Backup, to a traditional HDD (non-SSD) if available.

How to Change the Windows Temporary Folder

The Windows temporary folder is one of the most frequently overwritten directories on your system. Almost every installation, download, and update uses this folder to store temporary files, which are often deleted automatically but sometimes require manual removal. If you have both an SSD (for Windows) and an HDD (for data), we recommend relocating the Windows temporary folder to a partition on your HDD.

For detailed instructions on how to change the Windows temporary folder, please refer to the following guide:

How to change the Windows Temp folder

How to Change the Temporary Folder in Langmeier Backup

Langmeier Backup also utilizes the Windows temporary folder in certain scenarios, particularly when creating compressed backups. ZIP archives are initially generated in the temporary folder before being moved to the final backup destination. However, starting with Langmeier Backup 9.1, you can specify a custom temporary folder directly within the application. This allows you to select a folder located on your HDD, reducing unnecessary wear on your SSD. You can find this option under:

"Options → Global settings → Expert settings → Use own temporary path"

The specified folder will then be used for all Langmeier Backup operations that require a temporary directory. We recommend choosing a folder on your HDD for this purpose.

This is a simple yet effective optimization: your backups will run smoothly, Windows will remain fast, and you will extend the lifespan of your SSD.

Look it up further: Langmeier Backup, Backup concept

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