Hard Drive Recommendation

[Matt Silberstein]

I have a Dell computer, running XP Pro SP2. It came with a 40 gig EIDE
drive which is almost filled. It also has a SATA interface on board.
So I figured I would jump to a 160 gig SATA drive. Here are my
questions:

1) What brand should I get? Is anyone making particularly
better/faster drives today? (I know there is going to be smoke from
that. Sorry.)

2) Is there any technical reason to go larger or smaller? That is, is
there some "sweet spot" of performance or something that I am missing.
I just figured that 160 was sufficiently large and at a reasonable
price. But if 200 or 250 gig drives are better I will go with them.

3) I figured I would use DrvImagerXP
(http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/DrvImagerXP-Download-1629.html)
to move everything from my old drive, then tell the system to boot
from the new drive. Is that correct?

TIA.



--
Matt Silberstein

All in all, if I could be any animal, I would want to be
a duck or a goose. They can fly, walk, and swim. Plus,
there there is a certain satisfaction knowing that at the
end of your life you will taste good with an orange sauce
or, in the case of a goose, a chestnut stuffing.

 

[John R Weiss]

The WD Raptor 10K RPM drives are about the fastest out there. Biggest is 74 GB,
but you could put in 2 if you really need the space, and use your old HD for
less-used data.

...

 

[lahuard]

There are 15k rpm, but these are really expensive. Also, there are
super big 500g HD, but I dont know if they are avalible yet. Check
www.NewEgg.com and ^^^^ hes got it right too.

 

[Rod Speed]

I have a Dell computer, running XP Pro SP2. It came with a 40 gig
EIDE drive which is almost filled. It also has a SATA interface on
board. So I figured I would jump to a 160 gig SATA drive.

Yeah, makes a lot of sense interface and size wise.

Here are my questions:

1) What brand should I get?

I like Samsungs myself, mainly because they are quieter than the rest.

Is anyone making particularly better/faster drives today?

There isnt much in it speed wise and I bet you wouldnt be
able to pick it in a proper randomised double blind trial.

Better in the sense of quieter, yes, with the samsungs.

(I know there is going to be smoke from that. Sorry.)

2) Is there any technical reason to go larger or smaller?

No, its essentially about what is the best value $/GB.

That is, is there some "sweet spot" of
performance or something that I am missing.

Not really except that with a 160G you will need to
ensure that you do have the OS upgraded to support
it. You dont need to do that with a 120GB drive instead.

That support isnt hard with XP, just upgrade
to SP2 before adding the new drive.

I just figured that 160 was sufficiently large and at a reasonable
price. But if 200 or 250 gig drives are better I will go with them.

There isnt much in it, both of those are fine too.

3) I figured I would use DrvImagerXP
(http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/DrvImagerXP-Download-1629.html)
to move everything from my old drive, then tell the
system to boot from the new drive. Is that correct?

I prefer to use Acronis True Image for that myself.
Its better to use a clone operation than an image
for that boot drive replacement situation.

You wont have anywhere to write the image file to
when replacing the 40G drive with a 160G drive.

Matt Silberstein

All in all, if I could be any animal, I would want to be
a duck or a goose. They can fly, walk, and swim. Plus,
there there is a certain satisfaction knowing that at the
end of your life you will taste good with an orange sauce
or, in the case of a goose, a chestnut stuffing.

And they arent quite as stupid as a sheep.

 

[Peter]

There are 15k rpm, but these are really expensive. Also, there are

super big 500g HD, but I dont know if they are avalible yet. Check
www.NewEgg.com and ^^^^ hes got it right too.

You are first to report 15k rpm SATA. Do you know the brand name?
Or you were thinking about SAS drive?

 

[Matt Silberstein]

On Mon, 20 Jun 2005 17:03:12 -0700, in
comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage , "John R Weiss"
<jrweiss98155(at)@[NOSPAM].comcast(dot).net> in

The WD Raptor 10K RPM drives are about the fastest out there. Biggest is 74 GB,
but you could put in 2 if you really need the space, and use your old HD for
less-used data.

I meant to say that the 10K seem blindingly fast, but above my price
range right now.

...

--
Matt Silberstein

All in all, if I could be any animal, I would want to be
a duck or a goose. They can fly, walk, and swim. Plus,
there there is a certain satisfaction knowing that at the
end of your life you will taste good with an orange sauce
or, in the case of a goose, a chestnut stuffing.

 

[Matt Silberstein]

Matt Silberstein <[email protected]>
wrote in message [snip]

3) I figured I would use DrvImagerXP
(http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/DrvImagerXP-Download-1629.html)
to move everything from my old drive, then tell the
system to boot from the new drive. Is that correct?

I prefer to use Acronis True Image for that myself.
Its better to use a clone operation than an image
for that boot drive replacement situation.

I was hoping for a low/no cost solution. But it seems they have a
trial version. Is it crippleware or does it time out? I don't mind the
latter.

You wont have anywhere to write the image file to
when replacing the 40G drive with a 160G drive.

I get those confused. Yeah, I hoped that DrvImagerXP would clone.


--
Matt Silberstein

All in all, if I could be any animal, I would want to be
a duck or a goose. They can fly, walk, and swim. Plus,
there there is a certain satisfaction knowing that at the
end of your life you will taste good with an orange sauce
or, in the case of a goose, a chestnut stuffing.

 

[Jim Macklin]

To keep it simple, what do you do with the computer and what
will you plan on doing in the future?
You can buy a SATA drive or drives and install them, leaving
the OS on the original EIDE drive. Then move the MY
Document folders and data to the SATA drives. That will
open up 20 to 30 GB on the boot drive. If your Dell has
SATA built-in it must be a 4700 or newer computer. How long
do you intend to keep it may be a factor in how much you
want to spend.


--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm



"Matt Silberstein"
message |I have a Dell computer, running XP Pro SP2. It came with a
40 gig EIDE
| drive which is almost filled. It also has a SATA interface
on board.
| So I figured I would jump to a 160 gig SATA drive. Here
are my
| questions:
|
| 1) What brand should I get? Is anyone making particularly
| better/faster drives today? (I know there is going to be
smoke from
| that. Sorry.)
|
| 2) Is there any technical reason to go larger or smaller?
That is, is
| there some "sweet spot" of performance or something that I
am missing.
| I just figured that 160 was sufficiently large and at a
reasonable
| price. But if 200 or 250 gig drives are better I will go
with them.
|
| 3) I figured I would use DrvImagerXP
|
(http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/DrvImagerXP-Download-1629.html)
| to move everything from my old drive, then tell the system
to boot
| from the new drive. Is that correct?
|
| TIA.
|
|
|
| --
| Matt Silberstein
|
| All in all, if I could be any animal, I would want to be
| a duck or a goose. They can fly, walk, and swim. Plus,
| there there is a certain satisfaction knowing that at the
| end of your life you will taste good with an orange sauce
| or, in the case of a goose, a chestnut stuffing.

 

[WeshaTheLeopard]

Here's my list of brands of 3.5" drives in order of decreasing quality,
according to my personal experience as a private consultant:

Seagate
Hitachi
Samsung
IBM
Maxtor
Western Digital

Then, you should worry not only about the speed but about cooling too,
as every 10 F of overhearting shorten the lifetime of the drive almost
twice.

 

[Peter]

I was hoping for a low/no cost solution. But it seems they have a

trial version. Is it crippleware or does it time out? I don't mind the
latter.

It is "crippleware", otherwise they would not sell much.

I get those confused. Yeah, I hoped that DrvImagerXP would clone.

No, it won't clone. But you can mount, say 160GB drive,
partition it 120/40, put image in 40GB partition, restore
image to 120GB partiton, etc.
Not sure what DriveImagerXP does when restoring 40GB
image to 120GB partition...

 

[Peter]

Then, you should worry not only about the speed but about cooling too,

as every 10 F of overhearting shorten the lifetime of the drive almost
twice.

How do you define "overheating" in above context?

 

[Peter]

Not sure what DriveImagerXP does when restoring 40GB

image to 120GB partition...

Have found this comment:

*> I found on the site:
*>
*> http://home.carolina.rr.com/lexunfreeware/LexunFreeware.htm
*>
*> this:
*>
*> "DrvClonerXP and DrvImagerXP have had inconsistent results, and
therefore, I
*> have decided to discontinue their distribution and support. Many have
had
*> successful results with these programs, but many have had problems."
*>
*> PaulS

Nevertheless, WinPE (BartPE, UBCD4WIN or else) and
Ghost32.exe work fine for me ;-)

 

[Matt Silberstein]

On Mon, 20 Jun 2005 20:46:14 -0500, in
comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage , "Jim Macklin"
<p51mustang[threeX12]@xxxhotmail.calm> in

To keep it simple, what do you do with the computer and what
will you plan on doing in the future?
You can buy a SATA drive or drives and install them, leaving
the OS on the original EIDE drive. Then move the MY
Document folders and data to the SATA drives. That will
open up 20 to 30 GB on the boot drive. If your Dell has
SATA built-in it must be a 4700 or newer computer. How long
do you intend to keep it may be a factor in how much you
want to spend.

It is our general purpose home/business computer. I think I would like
two more years out of it, other than the drive it meets all of our
current needs. I had not thought of keeping the current drive. And
just moving the data. That would probably do great. With a few
exceptions, there is little "data" in Program Files. I would like the
increased speed from the SATA drive though. I suppose it depends on
how much work I want to do. Divide a days work over the next two years
in delays.

What do you think of this drive?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16822148034


--
Matt Silberstein

All in all, if I could be any animal, I would want to be
a duck or a goose. They can fly, walk, and swim. Plus,
there there is a certain satisfaction knowing that at the
end of your life you will taste good with an orange sauce
or, in the case of a goose, a chestnut stuffing.

 

[Mike Painter]

I have a Dell computer, running XP Pro SP2. It came with a 40 gig EIDE
drive which is almost filled. It also has a SATA interface on board.
So I figured I would jump to a 160 gig SATA drive. Here are my
questions:

http://www.hotdealsclub.com/ has 320 Gb Western digital for $140.00

More is better.

Other than the ill-fated kalok drives from many years ago all hard drives
are about the same in terms of reliability.
I'd buy on price and performance.

 

[Rod Speed]

I was hoping for a low/no cost solution.

Most of the hard drive manufacturers have one of those for that job.

But it seems they have a trial version. Is it crippleware

Yes, that wont actually do the work. You can see what the
user interface is like etc, but it wont actually make the clone.

or does it time out? I don't mind the latter.

Fraid not.

I get those confused. Yeah, I hoped that DrvImagerXP would clone.

Nope, tho there is a DrvCloneXP available.

Guess the simplest approach would be to try it and only
bother to try anything else if it doesnt work properly.

You aint got much to lose unless it damages
the contents of the 40G drive in the process.

 

[Rod Speed]

It is our general purpose home/business computer. I think I would like
two more years out of it, other than the drive it meets all of our
current needs. I had not thought of keeping the current drive. And
just moving the data. That would probably do great. With a few
exceptions, there is little "data" in Program Files. I would like the
increased speed from the SATA drive though.

Yeah, its generally best to make the new drive the
boot drive, because its normally noticeaby faster.

I suppose it depends on how much work I want to do.
Divide a days work over the next two years in delays.

What do you think of this drive?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16822148034

Seagate Barracuda. Too noisy and gets too hot for my taste.

They do work fine tho and have the best warranty available currently.

 

[Matt Silberstein]

Yeah, its generally best to make the new drive the
boot drive, because its normally noticeaby faster.



Seagate Barracuda. Too noisy and gets too hot for my taste.

They do work fine tho and have the best warranty available currently.

I liked that warranty and the specs seem good. Noise I don't mind, but
heat is not a good thing. Well, at least I am in the right area.

Thanks to all.



--
Matt Silberstein

All in all, if I could be any animal, I would want to be
a duck or a goose. They can fly, walk, and swim. Plus,
there there is a certain satisfaction knowing that at the
end of your life you will taste good with an orange sauce
or, in the case of a goose, a chestnut stuffing.

 

[Ron Reaugh]

There are 15k rpm, but these are really expensive.

That's SCSI requiring an expensive controller in addition.

 

[Ron Reaugh]

Yeah, makes a lot of sense interface and size wise.



I like Samsungs myself, mainly because they are quieter than the rest.

And lower performance. Use WD, Hitachi or Maxtor.

There isnt much in it speed wise and I bet you wouldnt be
able to pick it in a proper randomised double blind trial.

Better in the sense of quieter, yes, with the samsungs.



No, its essentially about what is the best value $/GB.


Not really except that with a 160G you will need to
ensure that you do have the OS upgraded to support
it. You dont need to do that with a 120GB drive instead.

That support isnt hard with XP, just upgrade
to SP2 before adding the new drive.


There isnt much in it, both of those are fine too.


I prefer to use Acronis True Image for that myself.
Its better to use a clone operation than an image
for that boot drive replacement situation.

You wont have anywhere to write the image file to
when replacing the 40G drive with a 160G drive.

40g -> 160g is his direction/goal and that images is feasible.

 

[Ron Reaugh]

Here's my list of brands of 3.5" drives in order of decreasing quality,
according to my personal experience as a private consultant:

Seagate
Hitachi
Samsung
IBM
Maxtor
Western Digital

That list is pure bull.

Then, you should worry not only about the speed but about cooling too,
as every 10 F of overhearting shorten the lifetime of the drive almost
twice.

That's not accurate without stating where that curve starts which is about
130-140F.