Bitcoin Forum

I just explored hard disk several days ago because I want to focus to download blockchain data to run the bitcoin core wallet or maybe
next to run a full node.

In general, there are 5 type of hard disk which is widely used

1. Default Hard disk 2.5 SATA
https://dosenit.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/harddisk-sata.jpg
read and write between 50 - 120 MB/s

2. SSD 2.5 SATA
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1q66ZaDTI8KJjSsphq6AFppXaq/Goldenfir-SSD-2-5-64GB-32GB-16GB-Drive-untuk-Laptop-Solid-State-60GB-Laptop-Hard-Disk.jpg_Q90.jpg_.webp
read and write between 200 - 550 MB/s


3. Msata SSD
https://www.partitionwizard.com/images/uploads/articles/2020/02/msata-vs-m2/msata-vs-m2-1.png
read and write between 200 - 550 MB/s

4. Msata M.2 SSD
https://www.partitionwizard.com/images/uploads/articles/2020/02/msata-vs-m2/msata-vs-m2-2.jpg
read and write between 200 - 550 MB/s

5. NVME M.2 SSD

https://ourtechroom.com/images/sata_vs_nvme_ssd399316.jpg

that 2 pictures Msata m.2 above and NVME M.2 SSD, as you can see the different

read and write NVME M.2 SSD is between can be 3000 - 7000 MB/s

that powerful, so what do you have to focus?,
you have to focus on the shape of the slot on the laptop because each hard disk has the different slot. Old laptop gen 4 under doesn't have a slot for
Msata M.2 SSD and  NVME M.2 SSD
I have ThinkPad i5 t420 that just have a slot for Msata SSD which was upgraded to 1 TB for bitcoin blockchain data yesterday,

so if you have an old laptop and want to use NVME M.2 SSD, you can use it as an external by changing the target when run bitcoin core.
just buy an additional case like below that you will able to run full node external with can read 5 GB/s data like the external hard disk. but it's still much cost.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ajQAAOSwKOViviyZ/s-l500.jpg

but, i heard research by Alvin Cox, JEDEC, that SSD drive is not safer to keep your data and will be lost in a couple of months if not turned on because SSD frive have limited life where different like HDD in general. so dwyor

You made some mistakes in your post, so I recommend that you correct them.

In the "Msata M.2 SSD" section of your listing, you wrote: "read/write between 2000-3500 MB/s". However this is incorrect. Both classic SATA and mSATA offer the same data transfer speeds depending on the revision of the interface (SATA I, SATA II or SATA III). The mSATA and mSATA m.2 form factors are essentially smaller versions of the regular SATA interface that hard drives and SSDs conventionally use.

The real boost in data transfer speed comes only with NVMe devices that use the PCIe interface instead of SATA, which provides a much more efficient way to transfer data.

Using an NVMe device as an external storage really doesn't make sense, due to the speed limitation of USB interface. You can get the same data transfer speeds using everyday flash drives (with NAND flash memory), which are much cheaper and widely available.

You don't need an SSD to run a bitcoin full node.

Ssd may be faster to sync the first time, but then it will make no difference from a HDD,as you won't download the whole blockchain ever again (just new blocks)

So you can just buy an HDD to save some money if you need.

True, but spinning disks are so 2013 and just suck dick... ???

Just do an ssd, they are super cheap nowadays. so yeah, "3" or "4" FTW... ;D

it seems so, and I read many times about this. but, how to speed it up download after almost downloading?. because when almost finish, the core wallet is going to slow to sync and download the block which I assume the problem is my HDD disk is slow to running disk. So cause that problem I try to change HDD to SSD.

Lucky me I have M2 Nvme slot for my laptop (that m key)

https://i.postimg.cc/8PdRwnzQ/nvme-slot.png (https://postimages.org/)

So what is the best, buy nvme 1 tera to blockchain or buy nvme 128 or 256 gb just for OS, my laptop default has 1tb HDD

When SSD hard disk has technical problems, you will lose data in it forever because it is impossible to recover data stored in SSD. It is worse than HDD in data recovery and technical fixing.

If you want to store Bitcoin blockchain data, choosing HDD is better than SSD.

SSD is more fitted if you use it for operating system, too start your computer but not good to store data especially important data.

I'd go with leaving the blockchain data on the HDD and buying a 1 TB SSD for the OS. 128 or 256 is probably not enough if you use your laptop for more than just running a node. Also, SSD won't die just because you don't turn it on, most of the time it is caused by too much writing. You can learn more if you search about SSD write cycle.

yes, i know this, when SSD is not connected to the electrical for a long time will be lost the data. that warning also if any user still keeps his seed and private key on the SSD drive for cold storage that must move it to Tradisional Hardisk or if forced to still keep it on SSD must connect regularly to electric

yes, if the SSD has reached the limit, especially when used for mining Chia coin, that possible SSD such as m2 nvme will fast broken at least 4-5 months.

When we are talking about ssd here it gives a temporary storage duration and the capacity it could accommodate is limited to an extent, you can't expect downloading a full blockchain on the ssd storage, that could just amount to a waste of time since some files may not be accessible from it after you would have wasted efforts and time in download it, bit i see no need to using an ssd since the blockchain it self have already serve the purpose which any cloud storage service couldn't have provided, bitcoins are stored on the blockchain and not the ssd and all you need is to have your unblocking keys to decode the access encoded by the private keys on the blockchain, you will need over 400gig storage space to download the blockchain and ssd by then could be a fifty by fifty chance of serving your purpose, but when you have your key, you can always access your assets on the blockchain without any embargo attached.

The data in the blockchain is open source and therefore the occurrence of errors in it or even its loss will cause synchronization problems only, and not the loss of your currencies.

the loss of data is not a problem, just as if it does not make the Blacksin synchronization, then the data will become useless and thus stay offline for a long time makes the data useless.

SSDs preference comes at the expense of the price and time, and therefore calculating costs and time will play important role, especially when you will need one TB or two.

In my opinion if you want hard drive so much that you should buy Ledger wallet that is most secure wallet and it might give you access to the more security levels. And also some of its pics are described below.
https://i.imgur.com/Fho4Htz.jpeg
https://i.imgur.com/u3WdJka.jpeg

Oh please don't use Goldenfir junk drives, it's time ticking self-destruction drive, and speed is much lower than advertised especially for stuff like Bitcoin blockchain.
When you are looking for SSD drives it's much better to check out used quality drives that have higher life expectancy, something like Samsung evo 860 or evo 870 would be just fine.
Just look at higher TBW number or bigger warranty if you are purchasing new ssd drive, and they usually have better controllers built in.

Here is one good forum post for all good SSD drives in all tiers:
https://linustechtips.com/topic/1092033-ssd-tier-list/

HDD drives don't have unlimited life, and the have their own issues like noise and much slower speed.
Good SSD drives have big warranty and can last you five or more years or until you fill up all space.

Man, you are not connected in what we are talking about. we are talking about storage that functions to keep the bitcoin blockchain, not private key or mnemonic seed storage as you showed.

That look possible if we still need an HDD to back up the blockchain saved on SSD. it means we work 2x when running core wallet on SSD Drive.

Nvme SSD has the fastest write speed and longer life span too but normal SSD will do just fine, hard disks are too old and they can stop working when you least expected.

Nvme takes the win for me, nothing beats the reading and writing speed of Nvme, I am currently using two Samsung 970 EVO Plus in my PC and the difference is performance is marginal.

https://i.imgur.com/cCsqj1P.jpeg

Around 70 to 80 euros for good 1TB SSD drives is really not a lot of money for most countries, you could even find very good deals and discount around Black Friday.
Sure, HDD drives are cheaper and you can use both of them, I prefer using HDD for storing big files that don't move, and for everything else SSD is much better.
If you have enough money to own computer and run Bitcoin node, than for sure you have money to buy one SSD drive that will last for years.
There is nothing wrong in using big HDD and old laptop for Bitcoin, just accept the fact everything will be much slower.

Are you run the bitcoin blockchain with that nvme?. how fast when compared it between old HDD?

I don't know what is the maximum age for the SSD?. but when read that article, 2 years is the maximum reached. so this is very inconvenient when running the bitcoin wallet is limited at that time and moving to a new SSD when reached maximum after 2 years.

What would be the point of running a full node on a separate if you think you might have to completely unpowered it for months at a time?
If you just plan on running it occasionally twice a year just use your usual dive and then get rid of the data till next year.


Blockchain data is available from thousands of nodes, there is nothing that is permanently lost because of a single drive failure, that's actually the sale point of a decentralized system, you lose the blockchain data on a failed drive you just put in a new one and resync from the network. Far easier than trying to recover it from a broken HDD.

Anyhow, just go with a standard 1 TB SSD like the EVO series from Samsung, it's $80 right now and you won't need more space this decade.


I bought my desktop SSD on 08.03.2018 according to the invoice in my email, HDD Sentinel says 1689 days and 15 hours of power on time, so, you can safely put 5 years minimum there.

Yeah but anyone done any comparison on how long it takes to rebuild the blockchain on spinning disk vs SSD in case your chain get's corrupt? If I need access to my wallet, I don't want to wait 2 weeks lol... :P

Just sayin, the cost is negligible nowadays, and you can always backup your blockchain to spinning disk using free utils like FreeFileSync/rsync etc...

I was once a victim, I stored a private key with JSON file on an SSD that follows my OEM gaming PC from abroad two years ago, I reconnect the SSD to my new PC in January of this year and it isn't working, after few trials the SSD forcefully worked but EMPTY.

Great 5 years is enough, I just upgrade my laptop into M.2 NVME SSD and Ram from 8 to 16 GB, I don't use that NVME for blockchain but for OS.
After I tried, that look something different when download blockchain, maybe because of Ram, and I upgrade dbcache into 4096 Mib. So what  else should be I do to improve performance?

it is deeply regretted you lost the private key, how could this happen?, how you keep the SSD?, is in a damp cupboard?

Everything with SSD's is variable - I had one die after a week once, I've had some last years, others last a few months.

The real key with SSD's is to not buy the cheapo ones. :P