HD configuration help needed

[Malak]

Hi! I'd like to know your opinion about this HD combo for my new PC. I have a low badget (around $220) and I'd like a speed system (I am a gamer mainly)

1) wd raptor 74 gb (partitioned as 5gb windowsxp+2gb swap+applications+games)

2)2 wd raptor 36gb NOT in raid 0: one with winxp+games, the other with swap+applications

3)1 wd raptor 36gb + 1 segate 7200.9 (or WD ws1600js, which one is the best?): winxp+applications on the first, swap+games in the other

4) 2 raid0 7200.9 (or wd1600js) with same partiotions of point 1

What do you think? any alternative ideas or better partitioning (or swap ideas) are welcome, thanks!

 

[jap0nes]

i dont know how prices are for you.. but i would pick option 1 as my first choice, except that i would do a larger partition for windows+games (something about 40-50GB), as games would run slower if they load from a different partition (try to move a file from a partition to another and to move to the same partition).
the problem is 74GB is not that much of space at the moment.. so if you can go with option 3 with a 74 raptor instead of 36 would be cool too

 

[fishmahn]

The only thing that will speed up with a faster hard drive is boot and load times (as long as you have enough ram of course).

So, yes, a Raptor will load the game faster, but your in-game performance will not change.

If you need a lot of space, get 2 7200rpm drives and RAID 0 them for performance. A Raptor is still faster, but not much. If you don't need as much space (70gig is plenty), get a single Raptor.

Mike.

 

[jap0nes]

but your in-game performance will not change.

actually, i think it would... unless he has some gigs of ram, the game would stil have to load textures, scenery and other stuff from games to memory, then a fast disk would make some difference besides loading faster. Also there would be some swapping too, where a fast disk would also make a difference besides loading faster.

i persnonally wouldn't recommend going into a RAID0, as it increases performance but doubles the risk of getting your data lost, unless you have a nice backup routine

 

[fishmahn]

Textures and scenes... sounds like its loading a level. Games today (most of them at least) load the whole level - textures, scenes, etc. - at the beginning of the level. If you count that as 'in game performance' then you're right. I don't count that as 'in game performance' however.

Swapping should not happen if he has enough RAM - which I mentioned in the first sentence of my post.

Mike.

 

[jap0nes]

Games today (most of them at least) load the whole level - textures, scenes, etc. - at the beginning of the level

well, that also depends on how much ram he has... so the decision is up to... his ram

 

[FITCamaro]

Raptors aren't worth the money full price. I will be getting two used soon but thats the only way I'd buy them.

Get a small 40GB 7200rpm drive for Windows and regular apps and two 250GB SATA 3.0Gb/s drives in RAID 0 for games and what not. Doing raid on your system drive is retarded. One drive fails and its all gone. Games are easy to reinstall and don't cost you money, unlike another Windows license (unless you use Ghost).

 

[fishmahn]

Games today (most of them at least) load the whole level - textures, scenes, etc. - at the beginning of the level

well, that also depends on how much ram he has... so the decision is up to... his ram
At that I agree (one could say for the 3rd time).

To the OP: If you don't have at least 1GB of RAM, upgrade your ram and just get any old 7200 RPM drive you want. Worry about HDD speed after you've got enough RAM and video card (and CPU of course).

Mike.

 

[kittle]

Assuming your RAM is enough and video card is a current model..

go with option #2
with 2 drives you can have 1 busy servicing windows requests and the other busy servicing game loading - based on the assumption that you load windows on 1 and games + apps on the other.