Hard drive for OS

Transform · May 22, 2009

My current setup is a 80GB SATA II 8MB cache Seagate hard disk which has the OS on it.

I have just bought a 500GB SATA II 32MB cache Hitachi hard disk. My question is:

should I use the 500GB as a storage device and keep my OS on the 80GB

or...

Put the OS on the 500GB as a partition and then use the rest of that as storage and the remaining 80GB drive as secondary storage?

fastco · May 22, 2009

Yes I would leave the OS on the 80GB and use the 500 for storage.

Spyder_1386 · May 22, 2009

I would use the second option - OS on 500GB with partition and use the rest as secondary storage.

Your 80GB SATA should be running at 5400RPM am I correct? The 500GB should be running at 7200RPM (not to mention the cache sizes on each). I would always put my OS on the faster hard drive .... just my opinion.

Spyder_1386

Transform · May 22, 2009

both drives are 7200 so speed is the same which is why i was thinking to still use the 80gb for OS. Difference in cache won't make much of a difference unless i'm transferring large amounts of data right?

captaincranky · May 22, 2009

Store your data FAR AWAY from the OS. 80GB = system drive; 500GB = "volume" drive.

With a volume drive, partitioning isn't really necessary. Simple folders can provide the separation. And since there is much less chance of infection on a separate volume drive, partitioning just takes time and wastes space. Download to the "C:/" drive, scan with security programs, then move the files to the volume.

There isn't much practical reason to partition an 80GB drive. With a few games installed, the drive will be approaching 1/3 to 1/2 full. Data access, is fastest in this portion of any drive.

To have a larger cache on the drive, you would have to go to a 250GB, which I think Seagate sells a 32MB model. I wouldn't worry too much about.

Read and write speeds under different data configurations and even what effect different RAID configurations on those numbers, will just confuse the issue and confuse you.

Hard drive for OS

Transform

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fastco

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Spyder_1386

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Transform

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captaincranky

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