I Need Some HDD Config Recommendations

I'm about to be building my new system within a week or so and I have two extra HDDs I want to be putting in RAID 0. The problem is though, I already have my OS drive. What I'm asking here is for recommendations on what type of setup I should run here and why. The hard drives I have are a WD 250GB HDD I'm currently using as my OS and I acquired 2x Samsung HDDs, and possibly also using my current 320GB Seagate HDD as well. Below are the configurations I'm thinking of using:

• Single Boot: 250GB as OS (win7), 2x 320GBs RAID 0 for games / programs
• Dual Boot: 2x 320GBs RAID 0 for primary OS (win7), 250GB as secondary OS (win8 )
• Single Boot: 2x RAID 0 (win7)
• Single Boot: 250GB HDD (win7), set up all 3 of my 320GB HDDs in RAID 5 (2x Samsung, 1x Seagate) for storage / programs / games
• Single Boot: 3x 320GB RAID 0 (win7), 250GB HDD (win8 )
• Single Boot: 3x 320GB RAID 0, 250GB HDD (storage - optional)

What do you guys think I should do? I like all of them for different reasons, but I'm unsure which way I should go. Currently, I'm leaning on setting up the first option above, but I also like the RAID 5 option for storage. On a performance level though, the last two options would be the best way to go all around.

IDK. So many different options I have here but not sure which option to go with. This is why I need the help of B3D here. :)

I really like the first option personally. I prefer to have the OS have the non RAID setup even though it will take a little longer to load. Your games will thank you. My second choice would be go all out RAID 0.

Before I suggest anything....

1. what are the RPM of the drives?
2. are you intending on running multi-boot down the road?

Type speed and interface of all drives available would be nice. It would be much easier to give you your best options.

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Originally Posted by Goliath182

I really like the first option personally. I prefer to have the OS have the non RAID setup even though it will take a little longer to load. Your games will thank you. My second choice would be go all out RAID 0.

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All those options I like TBH. Though, I'm not sure which one I'll end up doing. I might not end up doing the 3 disk RAID 0 or RAID 5 as I currently have data on my 320GB Seagate drive that I'd have to migrate over somewhere for that to get working.

I also want to check out win8 too just so I know what the fuss about that is all about. Though, I might just load up Virtual Machine on my computer and install win8 on that. So, IDK.

And If I can muster it up, I'll probably buy an SSD to retire my 250GB HDD and use the SSD for my OS and the RAID 0 for games. Or maybe the other way around. IDK. I'll end up doing something though of course.

If your sure you will be getting an SSD, I would look into a LSI MegaRAID card. Use two HDD in Raid 1 and the SSD for Cache. That would be quite fast.

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Originally Posted by altereDad

Before I suggest anything....

1. what are the RPM of the drives?
2. are you intending on running multi-boot down the road?

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1. The HDD info is in my OP. But, to say it again, the 3x 320GB HDDs are all 7200RPM 16MB buffer drives. 2 of them are Samsung drives and the 3rd is by Seagate

2. I am thinking of doing a win7 / win8 dual boot but I haven't decided on that. That's one of the options I listed up above in my OP.

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Originally Posted by Joshua_Mahr

Type speed and interface of all drives available would be nice. It would be much easier to give you your best options.

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All 4 drives are SATA II, 16MB buffer, 7200 RPM. Aside from the single 250GB HDD, the other three are 320GB which is why I'm considering doing a 2 disk or 3 disk RAID array of some sort.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Joshua_Mahr

If your sure you will be getting an SSD, I would look into a LSI MegaRAID card. Use two HDD in Raid 1 and the SSD for Cache. That would be quite fast.

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I'm not sure if or when I'd be getting the SSD though. And if I get a RAID card, I would be using it to connect to an external enclosure and setting up a minimum 5 disk RAID 5 on it.

Hmmm I would lean towards getting one more 320 and going Raid 10.

That's not really an option for me right now, so I have to work with what I have. And if I got another 320GB, that'd just push me over the edge on a RAID 5 box over any other RAID type. :-P

I think I've decided between two different options for myself. At least for now.

The first is doing a single boot OS using the 250GB HDD as my OS and the two Samsung HDDs in RAID 0 for programs and games.

The other option I'm also leaning on is a dual boot win7 / win8 with win7 on the RAID 0 for all my programs and games and such. Then the win8 install will be on the 250GB HDD and that will also have some programs but no games. It'll be used more for getting to know how win8 works more than anything.

Or you also could Raid 0 2 320's for Win7 and Raid 0 the 320 and 250 for win 8. (you would only get 500GB total with the different sized drives) Still would be best IMO

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Originally Posted by Joshua_Mahr

Or you also could Raid 0 2 320's for Win7 and Raid 0 the 320 and 250 for win 8. (you would only get 500GB total with the different sized drives) Still would be best IMO

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Not sure if that's something I'd want to do. I'm a capacity freak :-P

I think all of those will work great. You should have plenty of storage for whatever you want to do

Neither of those options... nuff said!