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Advice for HDD configuration

Tags:
  • Hard Drives
  • NAS / RAID
  • Storage
Last response: in Storage
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June 1, 2007 2:03:42 PM

I was hoping one of you nice learned folk might offer some advice:-

I currently have my gaming rig with 2x WD 36GB Serial ATA Raptor 10k rpm in RAID 0 giving total 70GB HDD and an older machine with one old, slow 40GB drive.

Anyway, all of a sudden I'm having serious storage capacity probs on my gaming machine due to sizes of new games these days FSX 14GB, MIITW 8GB, ArmA 9GB etc...so I've gone and bought a new 500G Samsung SATA2 HD501LJ and also I've decided to get a copy of Vista to see how that goes...hmmm...

Question is, what's the best set up for my hard drives?

1a) Should I break up the RAID 0 on the Raptors and go with Vista on one, Pagefile on other (don't even know if Vista uses a pagefile same as XP?) then all programs etc on the Samsung?

1b) Break up the RAID 0 on the Raptors and go with Pagefile on one, then OS, programs, etc on the Samsung? Put the other Raptor in my old PC in same kind of set up?

2a) Keep the Raptors in the RAID 0 with OS and apps on it and pagefile and general storage on the Samsung?

2b) Keep the Raptors in the RAID 0 with pagefile on it and OS, apps and general storage on the Samsung?

3) Something else?

4) Set fire to it all and go to the pub 8O

All advice welcome and appreciated!


Some specs in case anyone is interested, for gaming rig:
E6600 C2Duo
975X Platinum PowerUp Edition
2GB Corsair RAM @800mhz
Sapphire x1950Pro Ultimate (upgrading to BFG 8800GTX OC)
2xWD 36GB Serial ATA Raptor 10k rpm in RAID 0 (adding 500GB SATAII Samsung Spinpoint)
Win XP pro (changing to Vista Premium 32bit)
Termaltake Purepower 680W PSU

Older PC:
AMD 3400+
Abit KV8-MAX3
1GB Corsair something or other RAM
XFX 7800GS AGP
40GB HDD
Win XP home (will put on XP pro)
Some rubbish 350W PSU


Thanks!

More about : advice hdd configuration

June 1, 2007 11:51:27 PM

I'd go with 2a and 4 but 4 after 2a. Makes the most sense to use the Raptors for the OS and programs and the new drive for storage. Always good to go to the Pub and offer sacrifices to the computer gods
June 2, 2007 10:17:46 AM

Thanks for the reply - much appreciated.

The reason I was thinking of the 1) options was the small storage capacity of the raptors - I've heard there's a benefit of having the pagefile and OS on seperate drives and was wondering if that would outweight the speed benefit of having the raptors in RAID 0. Like wouldn't I want the pagefile on the fastest drive?

I see the disadvantage of 2a) would be the capacity of the raptors in RAID 0 for OS and apps - the same problem I've got at the moment (and made worse with Vista). Although maybe creating partitions on the 500GB new drive and putting pagefile on one, HDD non-intensive apps on another and general storage on another yet? This seems to be getting a bit messy though.

I see advantages and disadvantages in each set up. Think I'll start with 2a) though and see how it goes...then definitely 4 :D 

Thanks again
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June 2, 2007 1:48:47 PM

Creating a small partition on a second drive for the page files should work although from what I've read I'm not clear on whether there is a significant increase in speed by having the page files stored some place other than the drive the OS is on. You must be running an incredible number of programs if the OS and Apps take more than 36GB, at least if you're not storing anything on them. 2 other possibilities would be to get a larger Raptor or get 2 Seagate 80GB perpendicular drives in a RAID configuration but in either case you're stuck with 2 Raptors, which you might be able to sell. Thank God for option 4 :) 
June 2, 2007 9:35:44 PM

I totally hear you - i hear that pagefile on it's own drive independent of OS is bee's knees - but is it better than 2xraptors in raid 0 on same drive as OS? I guess most folk will say try it out and benchmark it...but that's the point of this whole thread - anyone else done it already?!

But what i'm meaning by apps - i mean all the normal stuff plus games which these days are taking say average 10gb each - therefore if i was to do what i've been doing which is have 2x35GB raptors in RAID 0 = 70GB i'm beginning to get seriously stuffed for space....

I've just put in my new drive though - not sure but it seems like i can't have a raid 0 array plus a normal sata drive on this MB controller so i may be b*ggered anyway - looks like it may be OS on one raptor, pagefile on another and everything else on the 500gb new drive....unless that's big-time bad?!

thanks again - and what you having for no 4)? it's my round :wink:
June 2, 2007 10:46:47 PM

Quote:

thanks again - and what you having for no 4)? it's my round :wink:


Make mine a Bass :lol: 
a c 187 G Storage
June 2, 2007 11:30:29 PM

My 2 cents:
OS on a raptor, games on the second raptor, general storage and backup on the samsung. Don't worry about the pagefile.
June 2, 2007 11:42:40 PM

Quote:
My 2 cents:
OS on a raptor, games on the second raptor, general storage and backup on the samsung. Don't worry about the pagefile.


Makes sense. You'll lose the RAID but it let's you use the Raptors for programs and gives you 72GB for OS and Apps
June 3, 2007 12:33:43 AM

How about purchasing a much larger HD?
!