Adding a new HDD;questions about the process.

[iseethemtoo]

Ok so I got a new 150g Raptor that im going to add to my current setup. ( see sig)

My plan is to leave the 36g for the OS and Apps, and use the 150g strictly for games...

What would be the best way to go about doing this in terms of the games n stuff that Ill be wanting to move over from the 36g

Would it be adviseable to just wipe the 36g drive clean and start with a fresh Windows install, and just doing fresh installs of my games onto the new drive?

Also about my third drive ( storage)... I shouldnt have to do anything to it correct? Like that drive doesnt affect benchmark scores right? ( seems like stupid question but just want to make sure). I also wanted to have all the necesary drivers Ill need after a fresh instal on this drive...

Im looking to try and make my system be as it was when I first assembled it (save for all the info on the 120g Caviar I have)

Any opinions and advice on the subject would be great!

Thanks!

 

[LouPoir]

Wow - why waste the speed of the newer 150gb raptor on games. Seems a waste.

 

[Atheus]

Originally posted by: iseethemtoo
Would it be adviseable to just wipe the 36g drive clean and start with a fresh Windows install, and just doing fresh installs of my games onto the new drive?

yep

Also about my third drive ( storage)... I shouldnt have to do anything to it correct?

nope

Like that drive doesnt affect benchmark scores right? ( seems like stupid question but just want to make sure).

nope

 

[iseethemtoo]

Originally posted by: LouPoir
Wow - why waste the speed of the newer 150gb raptor on games. Seems a waste.

Heh, theres one in every bunch.

The drive has been purchased, what would you have me do, balance it on my head?

Oh and Atheus, thanks for the confirmations =]

 

[n7]

Originally posted by: iseethemtoo
The drive has been purchased, what would you have me do, balance it on my head?

No.

Better thing to do would be to ship it to me as a donation

 

[LouPoir]

I would install the operating system on the new raptor -

 

[ch33zw1z]

or at least toss the page file on there.

 

[iseethemtoo]

Originally posted by: LouPoir
I would install the operating system on the new raptor -

Why would you go that route? (honest question not being smartass) A squeaky clean 36 is a good place for it I thought.

or at least toss the page file on there.

I was thinking baout doing something with my pagefile, but I dont know too much about it.

If the OS is on the 36G it would be adviseable to put the pagefile on the 150G?

 

[ch33zw1z]

I would put the page file on the 150GB, it will speed things up a little more. I have my OS and games on a 36GB, page file + new DVD rips on a 74GB, and data on my 2x250GB RAID1 setup. It was originally 2 36GB, but RMA'd one and got a 74GB in return. I notice the most in games, less pc lag.

either way you install the OS, put the page file on the other hard drive...

 

[iseethemtoo]

Originally posted by: ch33zw1z
I would put the page file on the 150GB, it will speed things up a little more. I have my OS and games on a 36GB, page file + new DVD rips on a 74GB, and data on my 2x250GB RAID1 setup. It was originally 2 36GB, but RMA'd one and got a 74GB in return. I notice the most in games, less pc lag.

either way you install the OS, put the page file on the other hard drive...

Great thanks, that helps...

One other question, in what way do you assign 3 drives. Currently my 36 is master and my 120 is slave. When I add the new 150 whta do I set thhem as. I assume the 36 will be master and the new 150 will be slave, but what will my 120 for storage be now?

Can I just leave my current storage drive as Slave, and also designate my new drive as Slave? DO I have to do anything to my original 120g storage when adding my new 150 Raptor?

Thanks!

 

[ch33zw1z]

Depends on how many SATA ports you have. Is it more than 2? If so, plug it into the next number up and it should be assigned automatically. If not, gonna need a SATA adapter card for more than 2 hdd's.

 

[iseethemtoo]

Took a closer look at my MoBo and it looks like there is two SATA ports and two others designated as SATA ports for RAId setups.

Im looking at the manual right now and reading about the "SATA RAID" ports and it says "if you want to use it as an independant drive, set the operation mode to IDE mode in advanced menu"

After reading that it seems to me that I could use one of those 2 other SATA RAID ports.

Any thoughts?

MoBo is in sig...

 

[bob4432]

i would put os/apps/games/pagefile on new 150, use the 36 and 120 as data/backups/pagfile

 

[ch33zw1z]

Originally posted by: iseethemtoo
Took a closer look at my MoBo and it looks like there is two SATA ports and two others designated as SATA ports for RAId setups.

Im looking at the manual right now and reading about the "SATA RAID" ports and it says "if you want to use it as an independant drive, set the operation mode to IDE mode in advanced menu"

After reading that it seems to me that I could use one of those 2 other SATA RAID ports.

Any thoughts?

MoBo is in sig...

Didn't even look at mobo, sounds like you can use them. enjoy the speed!

 

[iseethemtoo]

Originally posted by: ch33zw1z

Originally posted by: iseethemtoo
Took a closer look at my MoBo and it looks like there is two SATA ports and two others designated as SATA ports for RAId setups.

Im looking at the manual right now and reading about the "SATA RAID" ports and it says "if you want to use it as an independant drive, set the operation mode to IDE mode in advanced menu"

After reading that it seems to me that I could use one of those 2 other SATA RAID ports.

Any thoughts?

MoBo is in sig...

Didn't even look at mobo, sounds like you can use them. enjoy the speed!

Thanks for hangin in there Cheese to help with this. I hva eone more question then ill leave you alone.

Is this setup optimal:
36g Raptor - OS and Apps
150g Raptor- Games and Pagefile
120g Caviar - Storage

If its not optimal in ure opinion can you offer me solutions and explanation please? Simply saying "No" won't help me much, I prefer to understand the "why" =]

Thanks!

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: iseethemtoo

Originally posted by: ch33zw1z

Originally posted by: iseethemtoo
Took a closer look at my MoBo and it looks like there is two SATA ports and two others designated as SATA ports for RAId setups.

Im looking at the manual right now and reading about the "SATA RAID" ports and it says "if you want to use it as an independant drive, set the operation mode to IDE mode in advanced menu"

After reading that it seems to me that I could use one of those 2 other SATA RAID ports.

Any thoughts?

MoBo is in sig...

Didn't even look at mobo, sounds like you can use them. enjoy the speed!

Thanks for hangin in there Cheese to help with this. I hva eone more question then ill leave you alone.

Is this setup optimal:
36g Raptor - OS and Apps
150g Raptor- Games and Pagefile
120g Caviar - Storage

If its not optimal in ure opinion can you offer me solutions and explanation please? Simply saying "No" won't help me much, I prefer to understand the "why" =]

Thanks!

personally i would put the os/apps/games and a pagefile on the raptor 150 (pagefile on all hdds) as the 150 is known to be faster than the 36

 

[brikis98]

depending on how old your 36gb raptor is (or more specifically, its specs) the 150gb should be quite a bit faster, so it probably makes sense to put everything that you'd want to go fast - such as the OS, game loading, etc - on the 150gb. i think you'll see the best performance if you:

* put your OS (incl page file), apps and games on the 150gb raptor
* use the 120gb Caviar as storage
* sell the 36gb raptor or use it for something else, such as backup, file server, etc

 

[ch33zw1z]

Originally posted by: iseethemtoo

Originally posted by: ch33zw1z

Originally posted by: iseethemtoo
Took a closer look at my MoBo and it looks like there is two SATA ports and two others designated as SATA ports for RAId setups.

Im looking at the manual right now and reading about the "SATA RAID" ports and it says "if you want to use it as an independant drive, set the operation mode to IDE mode in advanced menu"

After reading that it seems to me that I could use one of those 2 other SATA RAID ports.

Any thoughts?

MoBo is in sig...

Didn't even look at mobo, sounds like you can use them. enjoy the speed!

Thanks for hangin in there Cheese to help with this. I hva eone more question then ill leave you alone.

Is this setup optimal:
36g Raptor - OS and Apps
150g Raptor- Games and Pagefile
120g Caviar - Storage

If its not optimal in ure opinion can you offer me solutions and explanation please? Simply saying "No" won't help me much, I prefer to understand the "why" =]

Thanks!

This setup will work, but will work better if you switch the two Raptors around. The PF will work best setup on a seperate hdd.

Like others stated, the 150 will be faster overall. It's just newer and WD has had time to refine the Raptors.

I'm not sure what you mean by "games" though. do you install them to a seperate hdd all together? or just store them

 

[iseethemtoo]

Thanks all,

In response to cheese, was thinking of installing them on their own hdd

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: iseethemtoo
Thanks all,

In response to cheese, was thinking of installing them on their own hdd

you should install the items that will be utilized the most on the fastest hdd - os/apps/games - there is no reason to install the os on a slower hdd than the games since you use the os all the time and you may as well use the fastest for the games to get better loading times. look at benchmarks, the 36GB raptor (unless brand new) is much slower than the current 74 and 150GB models

but do whatever you want, we are just suggesting what would be the best setup...