Install OS to 1TB RAID? Or...

Hey all -

I just built a new computer, among other things, I am running 2 500GB drives. I want to run them in SATA RAID 0 for performance (don't care about mirroring). However...

Do I make the raid array my C:\ and install the OS (Vista 64) to it, or do I make the array a secondary volume, with a 120GB primary? Reason being, if its a secondary volume, I won't be gaining the performance of the RAID0 array full time but rather only when dealing with files on that array.

Additionally, I am going to be using the computer for gaming - do I install the array as my primary C:\ and install the games to it? If I make the array a secondary volume (D:\ for instance) do I install the games to that and my OS to C:\?

Help!

Thanks Paul,

I have a couple more questions.

So you are recommending virtually partitioning the 1,000 GB into 30GB root and 970GB (excluding actual disk math)? I run Adobe CS Suite, Solidworks 2008, Office 2007, AutoCAD, and then games (of which one is 8GB alone!). So, do I install these applications in the root partition (ie. c:\programfiles\autodesk\autocad\..) or do I make a D:\Program Files\ folder on the D:\ (970GB partition)? Do you follow? My struggle is that other than simply "data" I have a lot of executable software that needs to be "installed" and registered to the OS, so having a 30GB primary, even a 100GB primary, may be too small if I am to install applications there.

Also, can I make the 30GB partition and 970GB (or any two partitions) within the Vista installer? Or, do I need a partitioning tool? I'd rather the installer...

The system is an Intel Quad Core Q6600 with 4GB of RAM, 1,000 GB, a 700w PSU, and an Nvidia Geforce 8800GTX. Thanks.