Configuring a New Setup

[eric_larsen1]

<p>Hi there,<br>

I wrote late last summer inquiring about a PC build that I was contemplating at that time. Many useful responses were made and for that I am appreciative. I ended-up building this:<br>

MoBo: GIGABYTE GA-EP45-DS3R LGA 775 <br>

Processor: Intel Q9450 Yorkfield 2.66 ghz 45nm 12mb L2 cache quad core processor 1333 Mhz FSB <br>

RAM: 2 X 2GB Corsair XMS2 DHX DDR2 (will be getting two more shortly for a TTL of 8GB)</p>

<p >Hard Drives: 2x WD Caviar SE16 WD6400AAKS 7200 RPM 16MB cache SATA 3.0Gb/s</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Graphics: EVGA NVIDIA 8600 256mb 128-bit dual DVI SLI DirectX-10</p>

<p > </p>

<p >PS: BFG Tech ES-800W continuous hybrid SLI</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Case: Antec 300 ATX Mid-tower</p>

<p > </p>

<p >OS: Vista 64 SP2</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Main Use: CS4</p>

<p > </p>

<p > </p>

<p >I built this and loaded the OS then had to put it away and finish graduate school (which I just did!). The new "box" is now awaiting final configuration and a ceremonial flip of the switch. My question has to do with configuring hard drives. I've read and read about this and I always find it confusing. I know I want simple. Speed is relative and since I'm upgrading from a 1.6 GH machine with 1GB of RAM, I think standard hard drives will be fine. I considered RAID 0 or the use of a velociraptor but don't think I'll need such speed for what I do. Data protection, however, means that I would consider a RAID 1 for the data disk...</p>

<p > </p>

<p >I have the two 640 gb caviars and can always buy more of them. How do I configure the system? I understand that I'll need one drive for OS/Apps, one for data (or two if RAID 1), one for Scratch, and one for Page files. Then I can use ESATA drives for storing mirrors made with Ghost, off-site backups of data, etc. Is this correct? That's five drives without any backups!</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Bear with me, I'm smart but when people start talking about partitioning drives and setting-up raid arrays, it all gets mushed up in my mind.</p>

<p > </p>

<p >My priorities are Data Safety, Ease of Use, Fast...in that order. </p>

<p > </p>

<p >What do you recommend?</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Thanks!</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Eric Larsen</p>

<p > </p>

[andylynn]

<p>You're talking about 4 hard drives plus externals. Overkill. Page files are soooo 5 years ago, you'll have 8GB of RAM here and 64-bit OS and PS. You won't be using swap files and putting scratch on its own disk is pretty far down the priority list these days. Install your software on one drive and keep all your files on the other and have backups, you'll be fine.</p>

<p>BTW get a program called Diskeeper. You'll thank me later.</p>

[philfx]

<p>If you work on large files, meaning 500MB or more, then you might eat away your ram in a number of edits and layers. 8GB is great, but just in case of the not so often chance that you work for large files, a scratch disk does come into play. Then you will want a 10K rpm 150GB sata2 drive as dedicated scratch.</p>

[brad_smith8]

<p>I'm not sure about having all these drives for scratch, data, etc.</p>

<p>I know you're against creating an array for speed (and I'm not trying to change your mind), and I've been using a striped array of two older WD Raptors for four years without a problem, but even if there was an issue it wouldn't matter since I do external backups regularly (soon to go from a USB drive to an eSATA).</p>

<p>I have everything on that array: OS, data, and programs. It is also my scratch disk. Nothing ever seems slow.</p>

<p>Before disabling your swap file remember that Windows can put anything there, even parts of itself to clear your RAM, and many programs won't work unless it's enabled.</p>

[andylynn]

<blockquote>

<p>If you work on large files, meaning 500MB or more, then you might eat away your ram in a number of edits and layers. 8GB is great, but just in case of the not so often chance that you work for large files, a scratch disk does come into play. Then you will want a 10K rpm 150GB sata2 drive as dedicated scratch.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Really, that is so overkill. In architectural rendering I work on larger files than photographers have to use (unless they are working very inefficiently) on a computer with half that much RAM while running render processes in the background and I've never felt the need or desire for that much overkill. An extra Raptor drive just for scratch would be expensive, loud, energy consuming and insignificant to the actual performance.</p>

<p>You people spend too much money on computers.</p>

<p>BTW I wasn't suggesting turning off swap. Leave it on, it won't be doing anything but it's a type of safety net.</p>

[Uhooru]

<p>I tend to agree with Andrew. OS and Apps on one and data on the other with buck-ups as neccessary. Can be external. Scratch disk isn't neccessary. Besides, if for some bizarre situation calls for a scratch disk, you can always get one later.</p>

[eric_larsen1]

<p>VERY interesting! Thank you all very much for the opinions! I'll start with the two HDs I have and configure them as you've suggested. <br>

Am I correct in assuming that I still have to configure a PS scratch on the data drive (separate from the OS/apps drive) even though it may not be used much?<br>

Thanks all -- very helpful!</p>

[andylynn]

<p>Yeah, that's how you should do it.</p>

[eric_larsen1]

<p>Great! Cheers and thanks!</p>

[bill koenig]

<p>VERY interesting! Thank you all very much for the opinions! I'll start with the two HDs I have and configure them as you've suggested. <br /> Am I correct in assuming that I still have to configure a PS scratch on the data drive (separate from the OS/apps drive) even though it may not be used much?<br /> Thanks all -- very helpful!<br>

<br /> Eric,<br /> <br /> You need a external drive for data backup. I would also get something like Ghost 14 to back up your OS as well as your data which I would put on second 1TB external drive. And last, a third external drive for off site backup, to protect your data in the advent of flood or fire.</p>