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advice with reconfiguring hard drives on PC

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bowlesbe   10-22-2008 at 06:26:29 PM

I currently have 2 500 GB Seagate HD's set up in RAID 0 + 1 configuration. A RAID 0 partition has my OS on it, and a RAID 1 set up has my documents.

I am now reconsidering my options as I am wiping everything off my computer and doing a clean install. I would like the entire 500 GB for documents and I have heard it is better to have the OS on a completely separate hard drive than documents.

Can anyone offer advice? I was thinking about getting a new high performance hard drive just for the OS, or maybe two new ones with a RAID 0 set up for performance?

Comments would be appreciated.

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stoner133   10-22-2008 at 06:52:13 PM
- 0 +

How do you have a RAID-0+1 array setup with only two drives? RAID-0 requires two drives alone. RAID-1 is a mirror drive so you couldn't store documents just on it. RAID-0+1 would need four hard drives.

Reply to stoner133
cyberjock   10-22-2008 at 07:11:50 PM
- 0 +

Stoner133 is correct. It is impossible to have a RAID 0+1 on your setup. RAID 0+1 requires at least 4 drives.

But, you said the RAID 0 partition has your OS, and RAID 1 is documents. How big are your partitions? It sounds like you might be confusing partitions with drives. They are not always the same.

Thinking about this a little, it would be quite handy if you could set up partitions on different RAID configuration using the SATA controller chipset. I'm not sure if any currently exist though.

------------------------------ The smartest people don't know the most but realize what their true knowledge limits really are. -Me
 Reply to cyberjock
bowlesbe   10-22-2008 at 07:33:45 PM
- 0 +

Hi again,

Just to clarify because it is confusing. I have 2 500 GB drives. The two partitions are irrespective of the two drives.

I am aware that both RAID 1 and RAID 0 usually require two respective drives. The unique thing about my motherboard (ASUS Deluxe P5B) is that it actually allows you to combine the best of both words within two drives... so within my two drives I set up one RAID 0 partition for the OS for performance, and one RAID 1 partition for documents etc. Sorry I forgot how unusual this set up actually is... but anyway thats how I set it up... its a bit obscure but pretty neat actually. ... I think it might be called RAID 10 in technical terms but im not sure...

The part I do NOT like about it is that you have to prespecify your partitions in the BIOS before you make the OS... so you can't just make new partitions right in the OS after the fact as you commonly can....



Reply to bowlesbe
bobbknight   10-22-2008 at 07:39:40 PM
- 0 +

Raid 0 for OS, raid 1 for data.

Reply to bobbknight
robrich22   10-23-2008 at 06:55:20 PM
- 0 +

If you want to get the best performance and have raid 1, setup...

I'd buy a 74GB Western Digital Raptor and use that as your main drive for your operating system.

Then setup the other 2 500GB drives in a raid 1 setup.. Use that for your documents.

Or alternatively, you could buy 2 cheaper drives and set those up raid 0 for your OS.. or buy 2 raptors..

I remember awhile back, seeing an article on here about using 2 cheaper HD's in raid 0 vs. 1 raptor.. I'm
pretty sure the outcome was the cheaper drives were the way to go.. but I'd dig around for the article..


Message edited by robrich22 on 10-23-2008 at 06:57:44 PM
Reply to robrich22
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