So what do you guys do with all the hard drives you've accumulated?

[kingfeta]

Just built a pc with 2 new WD-640GB hard drives. In my old pc, I have 2 WD-74GB 10,000rpm raptors and Maxtor 300GB. I'm really not looking to use RAID since I also have two external MyBook drives totalling 1.5TB that I back stuff up with. I guess I have a couple questions:

1. Should I put all these drives in my new PC? If so, how should I arrange them? I mean, should I use a 74GB raptor for just my OS(Vista Pro 64bit) and the rest as storrage?

2. Is there another way to use these drives? I looked into NAS, but I think that may be more than I need...pricewise(seems expensive) and featurewise(wasn't planning on dealing with RAID).

Thanks.

 

[roadrunner197069]

You can give them to me.

 

[evilshuriken]

I have to disagree with roadrunner. You should give them to me instead. I am poor and your donation could be tax deductable.

 

[weskurtz81]

I disagree with both evishuriken and roadrunner. You could SELL them to me. Who needs a tax deduction when you can have $40 to fill your tank with....

 

[foxhound009]

I disagree with both roadrunner and the shuriken guy,
You should give them to me. This would be highly political profitable since I live in Europe... it would tighten the bond between USA and Europe, I asure you....

 

[Winly]

well i will take one of those Raptors and i will use it to install my operating system on it. that will give you a boost in performance. the rest you can just use for storage and backups, for example one HDD for programs, another for backups etc, but if you are looking for a boost in performance put them in RAID 0, but remember if one of them fail the rest will fail to and you will loose all the information you had. hope this helps

 

[bobbknight]

If you really do not want to keep them, use DBan Nuke on the drives and donate them to the salvation army or the good will.
You could keep them and use the raptors as a raid 0 os drive and the maxtor as a spare.

 

[popaholic]

i would definately use one of those raptors as a main drive as it will help boost your performance and load times. The other drives i would nuke em and sell em to a friend.

 

[jivdis1x]

Loads the OS onto one of the 74GB=Main drive. Raid 0 the 2x640GB for data=Data drive. Move all Temp folder, paging files, and My Documents folder to the 2nd 74GB=System drive. Clone the Main 74GB onto the 300GB maxtor and shelf for ER.

You can change the path of windows Temp folder, Paging and My Document to the system to increase your PC overall performance. A DIY NAS doesnt cost anything when you have an old PC. You dont have enough old spare HD to build one.

 

[jivdis1x]

Look likes you are discourage from RAID. The 640GB is a speed demon for a 7200rpm drive but it has it limits. Just from personal experience-with a single WD 640GB; I can burn two different images to two optical drive at once running close to 16x. But without RAID 0, I cant do 3 images to 3 separate optical drive running 16x using decryptor or imgburn. It might even works for 4 or 5 but I didnt have anymore optical drives.


abit p35 Pro, q6600 oc 3.4Ghz, 4GB ram, 64bit vista, LG HD/Blu ray 16x DVD-RW combo, LG 16x DVD-RW, Lite-on 16x DVD-RW, HD 3870, HD 2600XT, Corsair 650xt, 2x 19' LCD, 52' LCD, CM690 tower.

 

[rozar]

Just built a pc with 2 new WD-640GB hard drives. In my old pc, I have 2 WD-74GB 10,000rpm raptors and Maxtor 300GB. I'm really not looking to use RAID since I also have two external MyBook drives totalling 1.5TB that I back stuff up with. I guess I have a couple questions:

1. Should I put all these drives in my new PC? If so, how should I arrange them? I mean, should I use a 74GB raptor for just my OS(Vista Pro 64bit) and the rest as storrage?

2. Is there another way to use these drives? I looked into NAS, but I think that may be more than I need...pricewise(seems expensive) and featurewise(wasn't planning on dealing with RAID).

Thanks.

Keep in mind that Rudundancy and backup are 2 different things. You could RAID 1 the 2 raptors for OS and apps, RAID 1 the 2 WD 640s for data and still use the external drives for backup. This is what I would do.

 

[IH8U]

1. Use them till they Die (then smash em apart for the magnets).
2. Use them in budget builds for friends, or co-workers.
3. Put them in external enclosures and use them for external storage.
4. Smash them (Stress relief)!

 

[dirtmountain]

I've used them to make external storage or to make super budget builds for friends and family. Old tan cases, 250w power supplies, cd burners, old XP OS, 80mm case fans and 40GB HDs can make adequate systems for people at very low prices.

 

[spanner_razor]

Yeah I just use the bigger ones in external enclosures, you can get a cheap one for like 10 bucks or something, 8 quid in the uk for mine. Bit noisy but fine for backup or transfers. Though I still have smaller drives of the 4, 20 and 40 gig varieties that do nothing, I prefer to use those on legacy machines for playing old games.

 

[aevm]

1. Use them till they Die (then smash em apart for the magnets).
2. Use them in budget builds for friends, or co-workers.
3. Put them in external enclosures and use them for external storage.
4. Smash them (Stress relief)!

What exactly would you do with the magnets???

I used #3 myself. I paid $10 for an enclosure last week and reused my ancient 250GB IDE disk.

 

[secolliyn]

I currently now have 10 Hard Drives i started with a 120 and when i built a new computer i would buy another kind of like you but when there are good deals on hard drives i have
2X 120
3X 320
4X 500
1X 160
Thats a Total of Just over 3Tb Useable space
i used to work at Compusa Before the went out of buisness and when ever they would have Sales on External Hard Drive Enclosures (USB/Firewire) anyway i still have like 10 i have 4 Internal and 6 external what i would say is use the 2x 74 GB 10K drives one for your OS and one for Apps the rest for external dives

 

[carver_g]

What exactly would you do with the magnets???

Actually, the magnets in a hard drive are super strong and come in quite handy; I've pulled them out of many (very) old drives. I use them mostly in the garage.

 

[IH8U]

@aevm, I use the magnets to hold parts, bolts, nuts, and screws when working on cars/trucks (set the back of the magnet on the wheel well and place aforementioned items on it). Or I use it to hold screwdrivers and the like to my workbenches.

 

[evongugg]

Use the hard drive to build yourself a router with m0n0wall or IPCop.
You need an old computer too.

 

[hackmule]

These magnets are the best for heavy tools, especially hammers (including mini sledges). Thet are much better than the magnetic stripsyou buy at the hardware store (DIY for you across the pond folks) and infinitely better than the hooks that pull out when you grab the tools . I mount the hammers with the head on end so it is ready for use. Big Tape measures and box cutters are others that I like mounting.

Now I've got a old quad pentium pro with 12 9 gb wide scsi drives that I'm only using to heat the office on cold days. I'm lusting for the magnets but what you you do with the platters? I've used them as wind chime clappers but little else, Ideas?

 

[IH8U]

@ hackmule

Try using them for clock faces (paint on #'s), trim em down and use em as shims, glue/weld a bunch together as a lamp shade, give em to the kids (wash em first).