Drive suggestions...

[SiDE]

Not really worked out to my original plans of transferring my drives to my new computer. I'm needing to upgrade my hard drives because my current ones does not have SATA interface. I'm looking for a 40GB-80GB for my OS and then a second one around 250GB, which ever is in a good sale, for storage. I'm looking at Western Digital, Seagate, and Hitachi HHD. Does anyone have any suggestions good drives?

Secondly, I have a 16X DL and a 8X DVD/CD drives with IDE interface. Both of which reads and write, transfering the 16X drive to my new computer. I'm wondering if the I already have one burner, do I need to get my second IDE drive that burns too or just a drive that reads DVD/CD?

 

[g-paw]

My preference is Seagate, at this time I have 8 of them and no problems with any of them. Not sure if there is any advantage to have 2 optical drives, if you're copying a disk, the program you use will temporarily store the data on you hdd and then copy it to a blank disk when you insert one. Given the price, if I were going to use 2 optical drives, I'd get a second burner, that way you have a back up if one heads south

 

[ausch30]

I like Seagate as well and they have the best warranty but all are good so just go with the cheapest. As far as the optical drives I agree with g-paw, if you want to get a second drive go with a burner. The price difference is about $10 and if your other drive dies you'll have a backup.

 

[aevm]

If you get two burners make them different. Each of them will do some things better than the other, and you get two different sets of software too. Try LG + Samsung for example.

 

[SiDE]

Right now I have both optical drives from Memorex. I would like to get a black finish for the from to match my black case. I saw on from LG with interchangeable face but I still need to look around. I might get either the Pioneer or the Sony that Tomshardware reviewed.

I might end up getting a Seagate for having a good rep for internal drives. I read somewhere that if you don't get a Western Digital Raptor, there is nothing really much left from them. Anyone heard anything about that or anything about Hitachi HHD?

Would getting a 40GB be enough for the OS, programs, and files stored in the desktop? Also the second 250GB be enough for storing downloaded videos and my whole My Document folder?

 

[g-paw]

Right now I have both optical drives from Memorex. I would like to get a black finish for the from to match my black case. I saw on from LG with interchangeable face but I still need to look around. I might get either the Pioneer or the Sony that Tomshardware reviewed.

I might end up getting a Seagate for having a good rep for internal drives. I read somewhere that if you don't get a Western Digital Raptor, there is nothing really much left from them. Anyone heard anything about that or anything about Hitachi HHD?

Would getting a 40GB be enough for the OS, programs, and files stored in the desktop? Also the second 250GB be enough for storing downloaded videos and my whole My Document folder?

40GB would be the least you would want for the OS/programs but you'd be better off with 80GB. I'd get the Seagate with perpendicular technology but I think the smallest one is 160GB, which is a lot for OS/program but hdd are so inexpensive right now not a big deal. If you're storing videos, get the largest hdd you can afford for storage, video files are big. Again, given the price difference I'd go with a 320GB for storage. If I had to trade off, I'd go with an 60GB or 80GB for the OS/programs and the 320 for storage

 

[ausch30]

g-paw the problem with that is that it's about $41 for a 40gb and about $66 for a 320gb so that's $107 for 360gb when you can just get a 500gb for $110 and partition it.

 

[g-paw]

g-paw the problem with that is that it's about $41 for a 40gb and about $66 for a 320gb so that's $107 for 360gb when you can just get a 500gb for $110 and partition it.

You're right and that's what I had done for years but with the cost of drives binge pretty low right now I've gone with 2 drives. In fact, what I've been doing is getting the Seagate 160GB, partitioning it and use the partition for files I'm working on, e.g., video file, and backing up to the larger storage drive. Once a project is completed, I delete it from the "working" drive. But if money is tight, would go your way.

 

[SiDE]

I would have gone with the 500GB setup. But when that drive fails on you, your lost because your data are gone. But with a separate drive setup, your files are still intact even your OS drive is gone...

Do you know if WD has 80GB perpendicular recording?

 

[g-paw]

I would have gone with the 500GB setup. But when that drive fails on you, your lost because your data are gone. But with a separate drive setup, your files are still intact even your OS drive is gone...

Do you know if WD has 80GB perpendicular recording?

I think the perpendicular technology is unique to Seagate. While it's faster, the perpendicular technology is not going to have a significant impact., i.e., going with a WD or Seagate with out it isn't going to create a bottleneck Really, an 80GB hdd is a more rational choice for the OS/programs

 

[SiDE]

I just check out Seagate's site and it says that all the Barracuda HHD have perpendicular recording technology. Didn't Seagate started the perpendicular technology and now other company are starting to use it..?

Would it be possible to use one IDE cable to connect one optical and one hard drive to the mother board?

 

[g-paw]

Didn't Seagate started the perpendicular technology and now other company are starting to use it..?

Would it be possible to use one IDE cable to connect one optical and one hard drive to the mother board?

I haven't seen where Seagate licensed the technology to any other company but they may have. Yes you could connect an ATA hdd and an ATA burner to the same data cable, connect the hdd as the Master. But if you're buying a new hdd drive, really doesn't make sense to get an ATA. But if you have an ATA you want to use, you can use it

 

[SiDE]

I wanted to see if I could because I might use my current IDE optical drive and HHD to test my new system's hardware while I wait for the new ones. Also I'm trying to do this all before the rebate runs out on me.

 

[obiwan05]

You should be able to run the pata hd and a dvd-rw on the same cable. I'll say should. some of my pata drives wont play nice with my lg burner and cannot be on the same chain.....

 

[ausch30]

I would have gone with the 500GB setup. But when that drive fails on you, your lost because your data are gone. But with a separate drive setup, your files are still intact even your OS drive is gone...

Do you know if WD has 80GB perpendicular recording?

The problem with 2 drives is that it doubles the chances of drive failure. I don't mean to say your more likely to have one fail but with more moving parts comes greater risk of failure. I believe Hitachi has Perp. recording in their newest drives but I could be wrong. The real benefit of perpendicular recording that it allows manufacturers to put more room for data on each platter there by reducing the number of platters and read/write heads for the same amount of storage. By doing this performance is increased slightly but the larger benefit is in production cost and longevity of the drive.