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GG

What is the difference between these 2 drives (except for AU$502.70)?

I was building my new machine and deciding which HDD is best. I currently have a 1TB SATA that I will use and am planning to have ANOTHER 750GB SATA in there.
I plan on playing CPU intensive games and using powerful image/video editing software (I have 8GB DDR3 RAM + Intel Quad Core @ 3.0GHz).

So the options are:

2 x 750GB SATA + 1TB SATA = 2.5TB
- OR -
1 x 750GB SATA + 1 x 750GB SATA RAID 0 + 1TB SATA = 2.5TB (for an extra $500)

Which is the best?

Karakawe · Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 1:45 am Post subject:

I think you're confused about what RAID is. RAID 0 is using two hard drives for twice the speed, but the capacity of one drive (two 750GB HDDs in RAID 0 would be 750GB). If it's cheaper to buy two of the 750GB drives than the RAID 0 version, the latter is a waste of your money.
Also, if you go for RAID, make sure your motherboard supports at least RAID 0 (it probably does), and check the manual for how to set it up.
EDIT:
Who needs >1TB? lul Rolling Eyes

GG · Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 1:48 am Post subject:

I am confused about what RAID is. So it's 2 HDD's for twice the speed, but the same storage...
The motherboard does support all types of RAID.
But I want speed (for OS + Games) and storage for movies.

So should I go for RAID? Is it that much faster boot time if I have my OS on the RAID?

EDIT: I do.

Karakawe · Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 1:59 am Post subject:

Fuck, I confused myself. RAID 0 would be the same size as two 750GB drives.
However, it's set up in such a way that it's about twice as fast (with two drives) for sequential writes mostly and boot times would probably be noticeably faster. If one hard drive fails, however, data is irrecoverable.
Looks like you're going to be buying two of the drives anyway, so putting them in RAID and installing an OS would bring down those boot times, then just use the 1TB for more storage, I guess.

GG · Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 2:01 am Post subject:

So what's RAID?

Because the 2 HDD's are the same ones :S

Karakawe · Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 2:14 am Post subject:

RAID = Redundant Array of Inexpensive (now Independent?) Disks
There are different levels of RAID.
RAID 0 stripes disks in such a way that there is no redundant data (which is why you keep twice the storage but have risk for data loss with one drive failure). Think of the disk being cut up into very small parts and writing basically at the same time.
RAID 1 mirrors two hard drives, meaning that you only get the size of one (the smallest, if they're different).
RAID 5 uses striping like 0, but is redundant in such a way that if one drive blows up, the data is not lost. (Needs 3+ drives.)
RAID 10 is basically a combination of 1 and 0. Four drives, for example: two pairs of drives. Each pair is in a RAID 1 array with separate information from one another. The two RAID 1 arrays are in a RAID 0 array, so the data the two pairs have was mirrored after striped between the two pairs. Little confusing to explain, but you can look it up.

GG · Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 2:18 am Post subject:

OK. Ima stick with the 2 x 750GB SATA, and use heaps of page file.

hcavolsdsadgadsg · Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 2:18 am Post subject:

You can always do the safe thing and RAID 1.

Data reads are sped up, which are most important anyway.

GG · Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 2:20 am Post subject:

The RAID 1 HDD's I found aren't compatible with Vista 64 bit nor my DVD drive config. DVD drives < HDD's.

Karakawe · Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 2:21 am Post subject:

You don't need to buy "RAID 0" or "RAID 1" items, you can simply buy two of the same hard drive and set up RAID in BIOS.

GG · Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 2:22 am Post subject:

NVM, all sorted. Made up my mind.