Advice on best configuration for hard drives?

[Just Learnin']

Hello folks, :wave:

Just took delivery on two Raptors (see sig). Am wondering how best to set them up with my 200gb Caviar in the mix, i.e gaming performance wise mostly! Don't have a clue about which if any RAID to use.

Everything is on the 200GB drive right now and all I have done is physically attached the Raptors to the SATA ports on the MB. They show up in device manager but nowhere else. (no driver install attempted yet)

I would like to do a fresh install and have 3 partitions on the 200GB drive. What to make boot disk? Where to put what.........?

Thanks - Pete :bow:

[Hawk]

For Speed, RAID 0 - Problem, 1 drive dies, all data lost - Use's all avaiable disk space

RAID 1( Mirroring) - 2 copies of your DATA. Single failure will not loose DATA, wastes 50% of drive size

If the data is important, RAID 1 is your best bet.

[Just Learnin']

Thanks Hawk, :bow:

Would OS installed on IDE drive, games installed on RAID 0 (I guess installed as storage?) work? As in benefit the speed of the games as well as guard against OS corruption.

If so could The OS be installed then the RAID drives added in (installed through windows)? or would this setup waste the benefit of having these drives? :help:

Is it common to experience failures/data loss with RAID 0, is it that unstable?

- Pete :scratch:

[Freddy]

Hi Pete, :wave:

of course when you use the Raptors in RAID-0 for your OS and your games you will benefit the most from the speed your Raptors have to offer! :cool: That is how I am using them! :thumb:
But then you have to reinstall Windows... If you would prefer not to reinstall Windows you can also keep the OS where it is now and use your Raptors in RAID-0 as a second drive for your games and any other applications you are going to install in the future.
It is best to use your Raptors in RAID-0 for everything that is in need for speed :deviltail and your Caviar for your data and video files for example. But not because it is not safe to put your data on the Raptors in RAID-0. It is simply because you use 2 drives as 1 instead of really only 1 the risk of a drive crash is twice as great, but... ;) instead of 2 regular drives you are using 2 Raptors that actually have been designed with speed and safety in mind, or as WD puts it "Enterprise Drives with High Performance and High Reliability", so that probably should keep things pretty balanced!... :thumb:
You can also use your Raptors in RAID-0 for everything and use your Caviar as a backup drive with the help of a program, like Acronis True Image 8.0 (http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/)! That would give you the ultimate speed and safety! :cool:

[Just Learnin']

Hello Freddy, :cool:

The Acronis link and your explanation make the best solution for me! :thumbs:

I couldn't wait for the Zalman cooler you linked me to , I went with the XP-90C, the F@H program made me realize stock was useless. I just finished installing it :bonk: , MB temperature dropped from 49-50C :fire: to 32-33C :cool: whilst folding! I actually also got a 12cm Vantec stealth and am considering making a "small" hole in my case. :smash: I used the recommended Panaflo 92mm M1A fan on the CPU and it makes my 9800XT fan sound so loud! :yikes:

I will do a new install and let you know how things went in about a month, I don't have high speed internet and it will probably take that long just to update XP. :beat: My boys are having nightmares about all the games they have in there dissappearing too! :cry:

Are you beta testing Vista yet?

All the best Freddy - Pete :beer:

[Freddy]

The Acronis link and your explanation make the best solution for me! :thumbs:

I couldn't wait for the Zalman cooler you linked me to , I went with the XP-90C, the F@H program made me realize stock was useless. I just finished installing it :bonk: , MB temperature dropped from 49-50C :fire: to 32-33C :cool: whilst folding!The MB temperature was 50 C!!!??? :yikes: How much did the CPU temperature change?

I will do a new install and let you know how things went in about a month, I don't have high speed internet and it will probably take that long just to update XP. :beat: :lol:

Are you beta testing Vista yet?No, I am sticking with XP Pro for now!... ;)

[Just Learnin']

The Acronis link and your explanation make the best solution for me! :thumbs:

I couldn't wait for the Zalman cooler you linked me to , I went with the XP-90C, the F@H program made me realize stock was useless. I just finished installing it :bonk: , MB temperature dropped from 49-50C :fire: to 32-33C :cool: whilst folding!The MB temperature was 50 C!!!??? :yikes: How much did the CPU temperature change

OOPS! :o ..er eh that is what I meant, scratch the MB put in CPU! :hide:


- Pete

[Freddy]

The Acronis link and your explanation make the best solution for me! :thumbs:

I couldn't wait for the Zalman cooler you linked me to , I went with the XP-90C, the F@H program made me realize stock was useless. I just finished installing it :bonk: , MB temperature dropped from 49-50C :fire: to 32-33C :cool: whilst folding!The MB temperature was 50 C!!!??? :yikes: How much did the CPU temperature change

OOPS! :o ..er eh that is what I meant, scratch the MB put in CPU! :hide:


- PeteWow!!! Well, then it is really a great cooler! :thumb:

[Just Learnin']

Wow!!! Well, then it is really a great cooler! :thumb:

Lots of CU! Had to mount a metal bracket on back of the MB! :hide: hehe.....

Maybe a little more Prime95 is in order....... :fire:

[Snafu]

You can also use your Raptors in RAID-0 for everything and use your Caviar as a backup drive with the help of a program, like Acronis True Image 8.0 (http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/)! That would give you the ultimate speed and safety! :cool:
Exactly what I am doing :thumb: . I actually created a clone of my raptors so I can easily boot to teh caviar drive if needed.

I use the room left over on the caviar drive is bulk storage.

[Just Learnin']

Pretty much finished the new install, have it updated and folding. Just trying to download some modified Audigy drivers now. :mischeif:

It's super fast compared to what I was used to, no time to blink between mouse clicks! :cool:

Went with RAID 0 and 200gb drive is for storage, like you all seemed to say it shoud be. :bow:

Maybe I should play around some with the page file? Enough for now though off to work this afternoon so I can buy some more 'puter stuff! :rock:

Guess I had better mention that the CPU temps are up to 39C full load now, still beats the old cooler by 11C though. :wpleased:

UPDATE: Installed 120mm vantec Stealth in side panel directed at center of MB, CPU temp is now 34C with 2 instances of F@H running @ 220FSB @ 1:1 with a Panaflo 92mm H1B on heatsink. :cool:

Thanks again for all your help and patience - Pete :beer: