SSD and HDD in the same system, okay?

[diabloz]

Hi, I'm looking to buy a SSD to install windows on, and have it working alongside my current HDD. I have only ever had one HDD at a time, so I'm pretty clueless about the process of running 2 storage drives together. I would like to know:
- Is it fairly easy to have a SSD and traditional HDD working in the same system together
- Would this impact performance
- Would I be able to install programs in both drives as I please
- Would my old x38 motherbaord limit any of this

Thanks!

p.s. Forgive if this has already been posted, I must have missed it.

 

[Z1NONLY]

It will work fine.

I am running one SSD and 4 HDD's right now.

-Yes.
-Programs on the SSD should open faster than programs installed on the HDD.
-Yes.
-An old motherboard may not have SATA speeds as fast as your SSD's SATA speeds. In that case you will be limited to your motherboard's max speed. (Assuming your existing motherboard has SATA connections so that you can use an SSD in the first place.)

 

[diabloz]

Cool, thanks. my Motherboard has Sata II, so yes I am aware that I will not get Sata III speeds. But I believe I will still see a significant improvement in performance. Which brands are the most reliable? I found a good deal on a OCZ (http://www.scan.co.uk/products/240gb-ocz-vertex-plus-25-ssd-sata-ii-indilinx-barefoot-mlc-read-255mb-s-write-255mb-s-64mb-cache-12k), but I've been reading that they have are quite unreliable. Samsung and Intel seem to be the most reliable, but generally, they are more expensive.

 

[ndositwe]

Cool, thanks. my Motherboard has Sata II, so yes I am aware that I will not get Sata III speeds. But I believe I will still see a significant improvement in performance. Which brands are the most reliable I found a good deal on OCZ (http://www.scan.co.uk/products/240gb-ocz-vertex-plus-25-ssd-sata-ii-indilinx-barefoot-mlc-read-255mb-s-write-255mb-s-64mb-cache-12k), but I've been reading that they have are quite unreliable. Samsung and Intel seem to be the most reliable, but, generally, they are more expensive.

Intel and Samsung have a great reputation when it comes to reliability on their SSDs. In my main PC, I'm using a Samsung 830 128GB whilst in my secondary machine an Intel 330 120GB. I bought two Samsung 830 to setup RAID 0 in my primary PC, but decided to keep one as a spare. I got these drives back in September 2012, and the SSDs are running great 24 hours... I haven't encountered any problems so far.

If reliability is your main factor, go Intel or Samsung.

 

[Z1NONLY]

I have read about reliability issues with OCZ as well. However my first SSD was a vertex II and worked great for over a year before I sold the rig.