Use SSD or HDD (or both) with 150/150mbit internet?

[MassMan]

I have a rather old system with three drives, an SSD an old HDD and a newer HDD. I'm not sure how to configure qBittorrent after I upgraded my internet to 150 fibre. To me it seems there are TWO options, unless I'm missing something? Using qBittorrent 3.1.11 and I've set Disk Write Cache Size to 1024mb.

• A) Use SSD for temp files and HDD for final location of files. This ensures that I download at full speed. But when each file is complete and gets transferred from SSD to HDD the huge spike in I/O activity causes the other downloads to stall until the file transfer from SSD to HDD is complete.
• B) Use same HDD for both temp files and final location of files. This eliminates the stalls since there is no huge spike in activity when a download completes. Downside is that the HDD gets choked and download speed is only ~100mbit instead of 150.

Any suggestions appreciated, relevant sysinfo below:

Systeminfo
con: 150/150mbit fibre internet
os: Windows 7 64bit
cpu: CORE2 DUO E8500 3.16GHz
gpu: GTX 660 2 GB GDDR5
ram: OCZ 2x2 GB DDR2 PC2-8500/1066 MHz
ssd: Samsung 830 Series MZ-7PC256N
hdd: Samsung Spinpoint T166 500GB, 16mb buffer
hdd: Western Digital WD20EARS, 64mb buffer
mb: ASUS P5Q PRO

[Switeck]

I don't recommend downloading torrents using qBT to a SSD. But it is ok to seed finished torrents from an SSD, since no additional writing to SSD is needed.

SSDs and torrents:
http://qbforums.shiki.hu/index.php/topi ... l#msg14641

More about the problems of using SSDs for torrents:
http://qbforums.shiki.hu/index.php/topi ... l#msg12725

It might be best to put the most active smaller seeding torrents on the SSD and most others on the faster HDD with the large but seldom requested torrents on the slow HDD.
After you get everything set up in qBitTorrent, you may want to make a backup of its settings in case of crashes and/or reinstalls. I think the qBT FAQ somewhere tells how.


For qBT settings on a 150 mbit/sec symmetric fiber line...

Are you downloading public torrents from public trackers that often have many really lousy seeds and peers...or mostly from private trackers which are dominated by 100 mbit/sec or 1 gbit/sec seedboxes?
The private trackers don't need nearly as many connections to max out download speed...and usually there's few(er) peers to upload to at any given moment.

There are some public torrents and trackers that tend to have higher quality (read: better configured) BitTorrent peers and seeds than others, so it helps to know how you use it to tell what settings might be more useful.

[MassMan]

Hi, thanks for taking the time

I'm mainly using two trackers. A private +100mbit only tracker, but no matter what settings I use I get proper speeds so that doesn't matter.
The problem is a semi-public tracker with a lot of poor connections, where I get a lot of connections per torrent and my 64mb cache HDD gets queue time and often +70% active time according to window's performance monitor and Write Cache Overload according to qBittorrent's Statistics.

Below are the full contents of qBittorrent.ini (rather too much info than too little).

C:\ is SSD.
D:\ is the old slower HDD.
E:\ is the new HDD.

Code: Select all

[General]
ported_to_new_savepath_system=true

[Preferences]
General\Locale=en_GB
ExecutionLog\enabled=false
General\AlternatingRowColors=true
General\SystrayEnabled=false
Advanced\TrayIconStyle=0
General\CloseToTray=false
General\MinimizeToTray=false
General\StartMinimized=false
General\NoSplashScreen=true
General\ExitConfirm=true
General\PreventFromSuspend=true
Downloads\SavePath=E:/
Downloads\TempPathEnabled=true
Downloads\TempPath=E:/temptorrent
Downloads\AppendLabel=false
Downloads\UseIncompleteExtension=true
Downloads\PreAllocation=true
Downloads\NewAdditionDialog=true
Downloads\NewAdditionDialogFront=true
Downloads\StartInPause=false
Downloads\ScanDirs=C:/Users/MassMan/Downloads
Downloads\DownloadInScanDirs=0
Downloads\TorrentExportDir=
Downloads\FinishedTorrentExportDir=
MailNotification\enabled=false
MailNotification\email=
MailNotification\smtp_server=smtp.changeme.com
MailNotification\req_ssl=false
MailNotification\req_auth=false
MailNotification\username=
MailNotification\password=
Downloads\DblClOnTorDl=1
Downloads\DblClOnTorFn=1
Connection\PortRangeMin=removed this because i'm paranoid
General\UseRandomPort=false
Connection\UPnP=true
Connection\GlobalDLLimit=-1
Connection\GlobalUPLimit=-1
Bittorrent\uTP=true
Bittorrent\uTP_rate_limited=true
Advanced\IncludeOverhead=true
Connection\GlobalDLLimitAlt=111111
Connection\GlobalUPLimitAlt=111111
Scheduler\Enabled=false
Scheduler\start_time=@Variant(\0\0\0\xf\x1\xb7t\0)
Scheduler\end_time=@Variant(\0\0\0\xf\x4J\xa2\0)
Scheduler\days=0
Connection\ProxyType=-1
Connection\Proxy\IP=0.0.0.0
Connection\Proxy\Port=8080
Connection\ProxyPeerConnections=false
Connection\Proxy\Authentication=false
Connection\Proxy\Username=
Connection\Proxy\Password=
Bittorrent\MaxConnecs=500
Bittorrent\MaxConnecsPerTorrent=500
Bittorrent\MaxUploads=500
Bittorrent\MaxUploadsPerTorrent=500
Bittorrent\DHT=true
Bittorrent\PeX=true
Bittorrent\sameDHTPortAsBT=true
Bittorrent\DHTPort=6881
Bittorrent\LSD=true
Bittorrent\Encryption=0
Advanced\AnonymousMode=false
Bittorrent\MaxRatio=-1
Bittorrent\MaxRatioAction=0
IPFilter\Enabled=false
Queueing\QueueingEnabled=true
Queueing\MaxActiveDownloads=30
Queueing\MaxActiveUploads=999
Queueing\MaxActiveTorrents=100
Queueing\IgnoreSlowTorrents=true
WebUI\Enabled=false
Downloads\DiskWriteCacheSize=1024
Downloads\DiskWriteCacheTTL=60
Advanced\OutgoingPortsMin=0
Advanced\OutgoingPortsMax=0
Advanced\IgnoreLimitsLAN=true
Advanced\RecheckOnCompletion=false
General\RefreshInterval=5000
Connection\ResolvePeerCountries=true
Connection\ResolvePeerHostNames=false
Connection\MaxHalfOpenConnec=50
Advanced\SuperSeeding=false
Connection\Interface=
Connection\InterfaceName=
Connection\InetAddress=
General\ProgramNotification=true
Advanced\trackerEnabled=false
Advanced\trackerPort=9000
Advanced\updateCheck=true
Advanced\confirmTorrentDeletion=true
Advanced\LtTrackerExchange=false
Advanced\AnnounceToAllTrackers=false
State\size=@Size(779 591)
State\pos=@Point(594 300)
State\hSplitterSizes=129, 623
Connection\alt_speeds_on=false
Downloads\AutoShutDownqBTOnCompletion=false
Downloads\AutoShutDownOnCompletion=false
General\DeleteTorrentsFilesAsDefault=true
Downloads\AutoSuspendOnCompletion=false
Advanced\osCache=true
Connection\InterfaceListenIPv6=false

[LegalNotice]
Accepted=true

[AutoRun]
enabled=false
program=

[MainWindow]
geometry=@ByteArray(\x1\xd9\xd0\xcb\0\x1\0\0\xff\xff\xff\xf8\xff\xff\xff\xf8\0\0\a\x87\0\0\x4\x17\0\0\x3\xc8\0\0\x2&\0\0\aw\0\0\x4\a\0\0\0\0\x2\0)
vsplitterState=@ByteArray(\0\0\0\xff\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x2\0\0\0\xc8\0\0\x6\x9b\x1\0\0\0\x5\x1\0\0\0\x1)

[TorrentProperties]
Visible=true
SplitterSizes="450,467"
FilesListState=@ByteArray(\0\0\0\xff\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\x2\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x6\x87\0\0\0\x4\x1\x1\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x64\xff\xff\xff\xff\0\0\0\x81\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x3\0\0\x2Z\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\xc8\0\0\0\x2\0\0\0\0\0\0\x3\x65\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0)
CurrentTab=2
Trackers\TrackerListState=@ByteArray(\0\0\0\xff\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x6\x62\0\0\0\x5\x1\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x64\xff\xff\xff\xff\0\0\0\x81\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x5\0\0\0\x1e\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\x2\x1b\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0|\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x64\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\x3I\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0)
Peers\PeerListState=@ByteArray(\0\0\0\xff\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\a\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\f\0\b\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\v\0\0\0\x64\0\0\x6\xeb\0\0\0\f\x1\x1\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x64\xff\xff\xff\xff\0\0\0\x81\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x6\0\0\x1\x90\0\0\0\x4\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x88\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\x1\x90\0\0\0\x4\0\0\0\0\0\0\x2\xdf\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x64\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0)

[TransferList]
HeaderState="@ByteArray(\0\0\0\xff\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\t\x1\0\0\0\x18\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x2\0\0\0\x3\0\0\0\x4\0\0\0\b\0\0\0\t\0\0\0\x5\0\0\0\x6\0\0\0\a\0\0\0\n\0\0\0\v\0\0\0\f\0\0\0\r\0\0\0\xe\0\0\0\xf\0\0\0\x10\0\0\0\x11\0\0\0\x12\0\0\0\x13\0\0\0\x14\0\0\0\x15\0\0\0\x16\0\0\0\x17\0\0\0\x18\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x2\0\0\0\x3\0\0\0\x4\0\0\0\a\0\0\0\b\0\0\0\t\0\0\0\x5\0\0\0\x6\0\0\0\n\0\0\0\v\0\0\0\f\0\0\0\r\0\0\0\xe\0\0\0\xf\0\0\0\x10\0\0\0\x11\0\0\0\x12\0\0\0\x13\0\0\0\x14\0\0\0\x15\0\0\0\x16\0\0\0\x17\0\0\0\x18\0\x98\xcf\0\0\0\t\0\0\0\x10\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\xf\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\f\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\v\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x17\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x16\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x13\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x12\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x11\0\0\0\0\0\0\x6\xd7\0\0\0\x18\x1\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x64\xff\xff\xff\xff\0\0\0\x81\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x10\0\0\0\x1d\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\x1\xb3\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\xc8\0\0\0\x2\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\\\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\x1,\0\0\0\x3\0\0\0\0\0\0\0-\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0)\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0>\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x2\0\0\0\0\0\0\0t\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\xb3\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x5\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\xe0\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x1c\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0)"

[TransferListFilters]
selectedFilterIndex=1
customLabels=@Invalid()

[AddNewTorrentDialog]
y=0
width=443
expanded=false
treeHeaderState="@ByteArray(\0\0\0\xff\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x4\x4\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\x2\0\0\0\x64\0\0\x1,\0\0\0\x4\x1\x1\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x64\xff\xff\xff\xff\0\0\0\x81\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x3\0\0\0\xc8\0\0\0\x2\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\x64\0\0\0\x1\0\0\0\0)"

[TorrentAdditionDlg]
save_path_history=C:/Users/MassMan/Downloads

[Switeck]

Most of your settings are perfectly fine, so any setting I didn't mention here should probably be left unchanged.

All these settings are found under the
[Preferences]
section.

Unless you were incorrect about max speed for your fiber connection, these should probably be changed to:
Connection\GlobalDLLimitAlt=15000
Connection\GlobalUPLimitAlt=15000

If you manually port-forwarded and configured your modem, router, and computer then using UPnP in qBT is unnecessary :
Connection\UPnP=false

Estimating networking overheads is hard enough, including these estimated networking overheads in the upload/download speed limits can cause big speed fluctuations:
Advanced\IncludeOverhead=false


Private trackers don't need or work well with a high number of connections per torrent and public torrents won't gain much if any as well, so:
Bittorrent\MaxConnecsPerTorrent=50
Bittorrent\MaxUploads=150
Bittorrent\MaxUploadsPerTorrent=40
(I am presuming you have no more than ~150 peers to upload to at any given moment...and that you want to upload to each relatively quickly -- about 100 KiloBYTES/sec to each.)
(If max connections per seeding torrent is ever added, that can be set to only 10-40.)

This was set higher than the maximum global limit, so reduced it to 1 less than the global limit:
Queueing\MaxActiveUploads=99
(Not counting slow torrents means the number of active torrents can still exceed both limits!)

Might as well hold-in-ram cached data for as long as qBT currently allows:
Downloads\DiskWriteCacheTTL=600
(I wish this could be set higher, but doesn't seem to be the case currently...)

Half open connections only count outgoing connection ATTEMPTS -- not already-established connections and not incoming connection attempts. It doesn't need to be very high -- even at 10, it can try (and retry over-and-over again) 1000's of ips per hour. 10 minutes after starting qBT, it's mostly just retrying dead, firewalled, and busy ips...slightly slowing down everything else as a result. For anyone with less than 5 mbit/sec upload, it's probably better to set that even lower. On public torrents, a high half open is rather wasteful since most peers are disconnected, changed ips, or firewalled. To function decently at a private tracker, you need to be getting incoming connections anyway. The overwhelming majority of your peer/seed connections are incoming in any case:
Connection\MaxHalfOpenConnec=10

[MassMan]

Thanks, changed all the values as you recommended. [quote="Switeck"]Unless you were incorrect about max speed for your fiber connection, these should probably be changed to:
Connection\GlobalDLLimitAlt=15000
Connection\GlobalUPLimitAlt=15000[/quote]I never use the Alternative speed limit. I always use the global speed limit of 0, and the speed tops out at around 17 MB/s. Is there any reason to set a global speed limit on 150/150? Note that I get slightly more than 150 according to speedtest.net:

[Switeck]

A global limit isn't needed so badly when you're unlikely to reach such limits anyway due to slow storage media. Downloading to both HDDs at the same time might let you reach closer to the limits, but even with pre-allocate enabled I doubt qBT will download much faster than 10 MB/sec. The SSD might let you download faster, but at a cost of possibly 10-100x as many writes to it as the filesizes suggest.

I assumed you had the alternate speed limit set in case you wanted to share the connection with something that either required large amounts of bandwidth OR needed extremely low latency, that's why I had the alternate limits at 15 MB/s instead of closer to the theoretical limits based on speed tests.

I really hope this increases your average upload to others, but much of that is dependent on the luck/circumstances of peers downloading those torrents especially on overseeded private trackers.

[sledgehammer_999]

And at one point you might become CPU-limited too: https://code.google.com/p/libtorrent/is ... ail?id=552

[MassMan]

Yeah I bought this system in 2007 and I've never upgraded the mb+cpu+ram and the hdds are also old so the system has some huge bottlenecks. I thank you for your help in squeezing more speed out of an old system. Perhaps it's time for a new pc.