Expandable Storage Solutions Media Center PC ?

[JDJ]

Expandable Storage Solutions Media Center PC ?

Always running out of disk space (music files).

Already own 300gb USB/Firewire and already installed 500GB in HP PC
Windows XP Media Center Edition in addition to 300GB that came with
machine. No more expansion slots in PC.

Was wondering about a better approach than USB or Firewire external
drives (slow & expensive). Something I could easily migrate to new
faster PC on next upgrade, like some sort of RAID or disk array where
I can buy cheap 500GB and up hard drives and simply buy a new drive
when I run out of space.

Ideally multiple drives would look like one logical drive, so if I
want to use Windows Explorer to look at folders in alphabetical order,
I don't have to bounce to another drive when one drive can't hold
everything I have A to Z.

Also looking for ideal database application to track music collection
on hard drives and/or CD.

 

[Guest]

You must be a Disk Jockey. Take a look below. Up to 7.5 Terabytes.
MP3 Brings High Capacity Disk Drives Into The Home - Product
Information Computers
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BRZ/is_8_20/ai_65513209

 

[Guest]

Try adding a RAID controller to youre pc,thier under 50.00 Then create a RAID
set,the SATA hd will cost though if over 250gb,a 250 SATA Seagate runs only
about 100. while a 500gb cost about 250.each,also seagate carries a 5yr
warranty
while wdc,maxtor,etc carry a 1yr.If you need more than 1 or 2 RAID arrays (@
1 terabyte each),look at server boards that can host more hds using RAID 5

 

[JDJ]

Try adding a RAID controller to youre pc,thier under 50.00 Then create a RAID
set,the SATA hd will cost though if over 250gb,a 250 SATA Seagate runs only
about 100. while a 500gb cost about 250.each,also seagate carries a 5yr
warranty

$250 for 500 gig is acceptable if I can just spend $250 to add another
500gb.

The RAID will be in an external enclosure with empty drive bays I can
add too? There are no empty drive bays in my PC. How does the external
box talk to the PC and/or my LAN?

Is it limited to 1 terabyte, i.e. 2 x 500GB hard drives? I filled up
this last 500GB hard drive pretty quickly.

look at server boards that can host more hds using RAID 5

This is different than the $50 RAID controller you mention above?

Where is the server board, in my PC or in its own enclosure?