2 Harddrives

[Computergeek]

Hello,

So i have been reading the forums alot and it seems that a lot of ppl are using 2 harddrives. One for the OS install and one for installing apps and everything else. What is the point for doing this. Does it make things run better?

Thanks
Computergeek

[enaberif]

so if your os takes a crap you just have to re-install it and backup minimal files.

[Tazer-[X]]

No, it deosnt make things run better unless you beleive it does. Its personal preferance. Im running 3 drives, and its a single partition as 1. Raid 5. THere would be no advantage for me to use another disk unless I can figure out a way to increase the size with out reformating

[Oversized Rooster]

There IS an advantage actually. Try downloading 5-10 torrents at the same time, playing some MP3s or videos and running some apps at the same time. It can hickup from time to time.

Personally, I run a fast WD VelociRaptor 10000rpm 300GB hard drive for my operating system and all installed applications.

Then I have 3 additional WD 500GB hard drives for my music, DVDs, company stuff, web site development, digital camera pictures, etc. I'll add a 1TB drive soon too.

Whenever I have to re-format my PC, I just backup my documents folder and Outlook data file onto one of my 500GB HDs and proceed. Restoration is VERY quick too. I keep a drivers folder on one of my 500GB HDs from which I can directly apply all Windows and Office patches / service packs and all hardward drivers without re-downloading all that stuff.

[MpG]

Generally the more things are flogging your system's HDD's, the more difference can be noticed by using multiple, seperate drives.

If you can isolate things like multiple torrents and frequent pagefile accesses, applications become more responsive and snappier. On the other hand, if you're working with very large files (i.e A/V editting, etc) RAID solutions can make even more of a difference. It all depends on what you do with your machine.

[Tazer-[X]]

True enough, but that is exactly what a raid 5 array is queelling. Less costs by the soudns of it. Get the speeds of a raptor, and the same size, for less. RAID 5 can do alot more operations per second than a single drive array.

[miggs78]

Yeah I also suggest a mixture of what enaberif and Tazer suggested. If possible get 4 hard drives, 2 in RAID for running the OS, and 2 in another RAID to run store and run apps, if you can't get 4, get 3, which 1 should be like a good size for the OS, and the other 2 for RAID for the apps.

[Jack Rabbit]

Part of it is also a hold over from before the dawn of time. Putting your swap file on a physically seperate disk used to provide a noticable boost to Windows performance. As far as I can tell that is no longer the case.

[DarKStar]

I have always used 1 hard drives for the OS install and applications, if my HDD is big I partition and use the partitions as storage areas or for apps or whatever if need be. I always buy the HDDs in pairs - and make a 1:1 clone using Acronis TrueImage (which you can download FREE, the latest version, if you have a Seagate !)
If the HDD dies, I have a backup I can use right away - of course I'm not into RAID, I like running 1 HDD in my system and making regular backups - I use a SATA/IDE USB enclosure.

[Jack Rabbit]

Originally Posted by DarKStar

I have always used 1 hard drives for the OS install and applications, if my HDD is big I partition and use the partitions as storage areas or for apps or whatever if need be. I always buy the HDDs in pairs - and make a 1:1 clone using Acronis TrueImage (which you can download FREE, the latest version, if you have a Seagate !)
If the HDD dies, I have a backup I can use right away - of course I'm not into RAID, I like running 1 HDD in my system and making regular backups - I use a SATA/IDE USB enclosure.

orly? How do you make that happen? Will any old OEM drive at a box shop allow this or do you need buy from some "authorized source" and what are the limitations of use?