PCI SATA card HELP!!!

[kstevege]

Before I re-install my WIndows XP and re configure my harddrive set up I need to know whether using an extra internal SATA drive via a PCI SATA card will significantly reduce my overall PCI bandwidth, especially when using my PCI sound card.

I use my computer for audio recording. Here is my current config:

3.0 cpu, MSI 865PE Neo 2, 2 gig ram dual channel, EMU 1820M sound card.
SATA driv#1: Xp and audio applications (sequencers, etc)
SATA drive #2: Saved audio projects

Now I need an adidtional hard drive for my sample libraries. I recently learned that PCI SATA cards exist. Options are: External hard drive, use my existing IDE ATA drive, or use a PCI SATA card.

Others have said for audio recording, best set tup in my situtation would be to put XP and audio applications on my IDE ATA drive (Which would require me to re-install XP and all my existing applications) and then use my existing SATA drive #1 for my smaple libraries and SATA drive #2 for my saved audio projects.

Not being properly informed, I made a hasty decision and ordered a PCI SATA card and 300 gig Maxtor SATA drive!!!

HELP ME PLEEEEAAAASE!!!

Should I cancel my order? Should I put XP on my IDE ATA drive and use my existing SATA drives as above? If not, and if I use the PCI SATA card and extra internal 300 gig SATA drive, will this signifcantly reduce overall PCI bandwidth and effect my sound card performance?

WHAT SHOULD I DO!!!! I HAVE TIME LIMITATIONS!! I FEE SO OVERWHELMED!!! PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!

- Steve

 

[sturm]

not looking up the board I am assuming that you only have 2 onboard sata connections right?

Using the pci sata card shouldnt cause any problems as long as there are no irq conflicts and both arent being used heavly at the same time.

If you really want to change your mind and cant cancel the order I would go ahead and try it to see how things work out.
If you notce a drop in performance than you can always sell the pci card and drive and get another pata drive.

 

[kstevege]

Thanks

Okay,.... AFter talking with a number of people, I decided not to use the PCI slot for a SATA hard drive hookup because I do have an available IDE ATA drive! If I was more competent about bandwidth and eveything else here I would have known to do this in the first place. SO I am going to use my new 300gig SATA drive for my audio recording projects.

Now I have one final decision: Should I put XP and and applications on the 120 SATA drive and put my sound libraries on the IDE ATA 250 gig or vice versa?

 

[sturm]

as far as speed goes, either one will work as well as the other. The 250 would be better for storage due to its bigger size.

 

[kstevege]

Thanks! I feel confident now about how to proceed!!!

Up until now, I never realized that IDE ATA 100 performs just as fast as SATA and that the rpm of the drive is more important!!