Serious image editing rig

[Phil Indeblanc]

Hello,

Whats the best improvement I can make?... on a i7-870CPU/ Asus P7P55D Pro that runs intensive CS5 Photoshop with large files (1GB+), Bridge, and other image manager, InDesign, Acrobat Pro, Capture One, Lightroom, Internet Explorer, Dual 30" screens, on Win7 64x with 16gb ram (Gskill-DDR1333/10666/CL9.9.9.24, Im using a ATI Radeon HD 4600(fanless).

Also, I am/was using 3 SSD Torqx drives from Patriot. 1 for OS, 2 for RAID-0 scratch disk (Should I put Windows virtual mem on the scratch also?). All Torqx SSD'shave failed at some point. (They replaced them, but would like a more reliable SSD. I have Raptor as OS backup image.

 

[aznshinobi]

The OCZ Vertex 2 is probably the most reliable SSD you can get. Other than that I suggest maybe a Mushkin Callisto or S599 which are both great SSDs. I think that that's really the only upgrade you need. everything else is still top of the line and I do some editing as well with photoshop and even my 955 can handle CS5 quite well. Soo.... Yeahh two Vertex 2's should do it.

 

[Phil Indeblanc]

Thanks. I will really have to think about that hard. I use a Raptor that I image my OS SSD somewhat regularly using Acronis. So when the SSD fails I recover the image onto the Raptor, and ship my drive for replacement. When it comes back, I re-swap it. So this is a 10 Year warranty drive. They were pricey, but not as much as X25's. So I said I would like more reliable, but perhaps I will wait on it Should the Win7 Vritual mem go on the scratch? Whats the good and bad on that?

 

[Phil Indeblanc]

Q1: Well I have 4x 64GB Tarqx drives and 1x 64GB Kensington V+. I already have the 2 Torqx in RAID0 for the scratch disk. Would it best to move all of page file soley to the scratch RAID as well?

I am thinking of doing a RAID0 for the OS also BUT!...
I noticed a funny thing that happened. I had the 150GB Raptor as OS. I made an image using Acronis (sector by sector) of the Raptor, so I can dump it on one of the SSD's, then realized DUH! they are too small for 89-100GB of OS content (lots of fonts and about 5 major programs(CS%Photoshop,InDesign,AcrobatPro,CaptureOne,ACDSee, and a few other ones). I got to the point where it asks which drive to dump it on, and I saw it was greyed out, and realized the size. OOff.
So I backed out, and thought if I just plug in my Raptor back all should be Hunky Dori......NOPE!, Well, then I realized I had changed the drives to AHCI mode in BIOS, and that might have caused it, but either way.....I guess I am a bit rusty since I have not been in the IT bus for almost a decade now. Funny how most things are the same still

Q2: Do you think if I RAID0 the 2 other 64GB drives and having it almost full would be a bad idea for OS? The 2 show up with about 115GB space vs the 90-100GB I use. I am not too worried about data loss as I have imaged a back up of the OS with fine tuned tweaks of plugins and settings and screen modes .