A question about combining separate hard drives

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Mzmkont

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Jan 31, 2013
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Hello guys,
I have one question. Currently I have two hard drives - one's a SSD used mainly for Windows and another one (HDD) used for storage. And on the second one I'm running out of space. So I have a question. Are there any drawbacks if I add another hard drive and combine the one I got with the new one? Let's say they both run at 7200RPM.

Thank you!
 
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USAFRet


Yes, the WD Black is a good drive.

Again, I'd just add a new drive, and start to fill that one up.
I have multiple drives, each with their own function.
1 for OS and applications
1 for photo and video work
1 for games and doc/music/downloads
1 for backups
etc, etc...
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Mzmkont

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Let's say the hard drive that I currently have is called A (with all the stuff and files) and the new hard drive is called B. So are there any drawbacks if I "merge"(can't really remember the exact term of the process) them both and afterwards have a drive AB(with all my files and new extra space) as a one drive.
 
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Kurdain1

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Nov 30, 2007
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JBOD? (Just a Bundle Of Disks)? Google search it.
Spanning?
You can just add in another drive, new drive letter and point your files to the new drive.

I have all my windows stuff on a small SSD on the C drive.
All my games on my large SSD labeled D drive and I just point all my games to install to that drive.
I have all my archives on 2 old 7200 drives I use for back-ups of stuff.

Does that help with your question?
 
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Math Geek

Math Geek

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i think it is spanning volume in disk management. problem is to do this it has to format both drives and set it up. it will treat it as a single drive but not until it wipes it all out.

might not be ideal for you. i'd just add a 3rd drive and just decide what goes to which drive.
 
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ArtPog

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Why don't you simply purchase a HDD having whatever disk-space capacity you think you need now and for future expansion, then clone the contents of your present HDD to the new HDD?

You didn't indicate the size of your present HDD but let's say it's a 1 TB disk. So you could purchase a 2 TB or a 3 TB HDD, or even a larger one and use that disk as the recipient of the cloned contents of the 1 TB disk. Doesn't that make sense to you?

And, of course, you could use the 1 TB HDD for whatever purpose your heart desires. Perhaps for comprehensive backup purposes of your SSD boot drive.

Are you with me Mzmkont?
 
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Mzmkont

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But what if my current HDD (1TB) is set to have the desktop/documents/downloads/programs etc etc, won't that be a problem for duplicating stuff from the 1TB drive to let's say a 3TB drive?
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Lets say your current second drive is a 1TB, the D drive.
Purchase a 3TB
Clone from old to new 3TB
The new drive will then become the D, replacing the old 1TB.
Your OS drive, the C (SSD) will not know the difference, except seeing much more free drive space.

After, wipe the old 1TB and use as needed.

Or, justa dd another drive as mentioed several times above/
 
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Mzmkont

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So if for example I have steam/games and other things installed I just can "replace" the drives with each other, right and it won't make a mess with the shortcuts and many other things? And how do I do that?
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Well...for any real description of 'how', we'd need to have a clear picture of 'what' you currently have, and what is where.

Can you post a screencap of your Disk Management window?


(I'm thinking the Best Answer selection was a misclick? Undone, unless you really want this one)
 
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Mzmkont

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No, not on the computer at the moment and I don't have another storage right now. I'm just curious what is the best thing to do. And what is the best HDD for the money? I mean, I'm currently looking at the WD Blacks, they look alright. What do you think?
 
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Kurdain1

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I have all my windows and documents on my C drive.
All my games and files are on my D: drive.

Originally my game drive was a 256GB SSD but with large games this got used up pretty fast.

I purchased a 1 TB SSD and put it in, it became my E: drive.

I copied everything from the D: to the E: drive.

Went into disk management unassigned the D: drive, changed the E: to D: then reassigned the old 256 to E:

So now my 1TB is D:, my 256 is E:.
All my shortcuts, Steam libraries, etc. didn't know the difference.

Same method would apply to HDD as well.

Hopefully that helps.
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Yes, the WD Black is a good drive.

Again, I'd just add a new drive, and start to fill that one up.
I have multiple drives, each with their own function.
1 for OS and applications
1 for photo and video work
1 for games and doc/music/downloads
1 for backups
etc, etc...
 
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