Raptor or RAID?

[Frodo]

I'm currently using a Seagate 300GB SATA-II 7200.9 as my boot drive.
I just picked up a WD Raptor 74GB (WD74ADFD) to replace it as the boot drive
(will use a new install of Win XP Home OEM).
But would it be better(faster) to just get two 160GB SATA-II 7200RPM hard
drives (Seagate, WD or Samsung)
and set up a RAID 0
The Raptor cost $140, but I can mail order two 160GB drives for $115-$120.
Or I might just get the newer WD Raptor 150GB
I'm just a game player (C&C3).

 

[Jesco Lincke]

I'm currently using a Seagate 300GB SATA-II 7200.9 as my boot drive.
I just picked up a WD Raptor 74GB (WD74ADFD) to replace it as the boot drive
(will use a new install of Win XP Home OEM).
But would it be better(faster) to just get two 160GB SATA-II 7200RPM hard
drives (Seagate, WD or Samsung)
and set up a RAID 0
The Raptor cost $140, but I can mail order two 160GB drives for $115-$120.
Or I might just get the newer WD Raptor 150GB
I'm just a game player (C&C3).

While RAID 0 micht (or might noct) be faster than a raptor, it is
definately NOT better. RAID 0 has a 100% better chance for drive failure
than a single drive...

Personally, I'm using a raptor as boot drive and two "regular"
SATA-drives (RAID 1) as data drive & (manual) backup for the raptor.

Just my two cents...

Jesco

 

[Arno Wagner]

I'm currently using a Seagate 300GB SATA-II 7200.9 as my boot drive.
I just picked up a WD Raptor 74GB (WD74ADFD) to replace it as the boot drive
(will use a new install of Win XP Home OEM).
But would it be better(faster) to just get two 160GB SATA-II 7200RPM hard
drives (Seagate, WD or Samsung)
and set up a RAID 0
The Raptor cost $140, but I can mail order two 160GB drives for $115-$120.
Or I might just get the newer WD Raptor 150GB
I'm just a game player (C&C3).

Well, I don't think you will see much speed improvement either way.
Especially in gaming my impression is that the disks are not the
bottleneck today, so a faster disk will essentially not change much.
However it will be louder, hotter and generally less reliable.

SKeepo the 300GB disk and invest the money in backup media.
BTW, one thing that can help is to put the swap-file onto the
raptor (raport as second disk) and use the rest of it as backup
space. Better solution here is more RAM.

Arno

 

[Jesco Lincke]

Especially in gaming my impression is that the disks are not the
bottleneck today, so a faster disk will essentially not change much.
However it will be louder, hotter and generally less reliable.

Startup time on my machine (after MB boot, that is) has increased
considerably (about 15% I'd say) with the raptor.
Yes, temperature is an issue which can be dealt with.
Noise is not. I'm running a silent PC and am unable to hear the drive.
In fact, the only noise I hear from my PC is the CD/DVD-drive...

Jesco

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

While RAID 0

micht (or might noct)

Is this you babblebot?

be faster than a raptor, it is definately NOT better.

Wotunidjut.
'Better' than what: Obviously depends on his definition of 'better'.

RAID 0 has a 100% better chance for drive failure than a single drive...
Nope.


Yerunidjut.

I'm using a raptor as boot drive and two "regular" SATA-
drives (RAID 1) as data drive & (manual) backup for the raptor.

Just my two cents...

And not worth even that.

 

[Frodo]

I'm already at 2GBs of memory.

Well, I don't think you will see much speed improvement either way.
Especially in gaming my impression is that the disks are not the
bottleneck today, so a faster disk will essentially not change much.
However it will be louder, hotter and generally less reliable.

SKeepo the 300GB disk and invest the money in backup media.
BTW, one thing that can help is to put the swap-file onto the
raptor (raport as second disk) and use the rest of it as backup
space. Better solution here is more RAM.

Arno

 

[Jesco Lincke]

Is this you babblebot?


Wotunidjut.
'Better' than what: Obviously depends on his definition of 'better'.



And not worth even that.

Oh, so I did make it into your spam-list...
Was kind of starting to miss you.

Welcome back to the "most stupid poster ever contest", Folkert!

 

[Arno Wagner]

Arno Wagner schrieb:

Startup time on my machine (after MB boot, that is) has increased
considerably (about 15% I'd say) with the raptor.

Increased??? I would say the raptor should be a little bit faster.
Still, since 15% is about the margin were you subjectively start to
notice something, it is not really significant. There might be
something seriously wrong eith the disk, though.

Yes, temperature is an issue which can be dealt with.
Noise is not. I'm running a silent PC and am unable to hear the drive.
In fact, the only noise I hear from my PC is the CD/DVD-drive...

So they have gotten better. Good to know.

Arno

 

[willbill]

I'm currently using a Seagate 300GB SATA-II 7200.9 as my boot drive.
I just picked up a WD Raptor 74GB (WD74ADFD) to replace it as the boot drive
(will use a new install of Win XP Home OEM).
But would it be better(faster) to just get two 160GB SATA-II 7200RPM hard
drives (Seagate, WD or Samsung)
and set up a RAID 0
The Raptor cost $140, but I can mail order two 160GB drives for $115-$120.
Or I might just get the newer WD Raptor 150GB
I'm just a game player (C&C3).

get the WD Raptor 150GB for your
new boot drive, and use one or both
of the others as "secondary" drives

use Acronis True Image 9.0 to clone
the current boot drive

bill

 

[Jesco Lincke]

Increased??? I would say the raptor should be a little bit faster.
Still, since 15% is about the margin were you subjectively start to
notice something, it is not really significant. There might be
something seriously wrong eith the disk, though.


So they have gotten better. Good to know.

Arno

Sorry, should have been decreased of course. I had written "boot speed
increased" before, but rephrased it. Obviously not enough of the sentence

 

[Jesco Lincke]

Increased??? I would say the raptor should be a little bit faster.
Still, since 15% is about the margin were you subjectively start to
notice something, it is not really significant. There might be
something seriously wrong eith the disk, though.


So they have gotten better. Good to know.

Arno

Sorry, should have been decreased of course. I had written "boot speed
increased" before, but rephrased it. Obviously not enough of the sentence

And I actually timed the startup process after first disk access...
Whether 15% ist enough to be worth the trouble is another thing.

 

[Arno Wagner]

Sorry, should have been decreased of course. I had written "boot speed
increased" before, but rephrased it. Obviously not enough of the sentence

Aha ;-)

And I actually timed the startup process after first disk access...
Whether 15% ist enough to be worth the trouble is another thing.

Usually not at all...

Arno

 

[Frodo]

get the WD Raptor 150GB for your
new boot drive, and use one or both
of the others as "secondary" drives

use Acronis True Image 9.0 to clone
the current boot drive

I'm planing on a clean install for Win XP

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

Sorry, should have been decreased of course.

Of course. Rather self evident to everyone except one clueless
babblebot who just sees another opportunity to get more posts in.

Oh wait.
You just used a mere 3 messages yourself to say what you wanted to say.

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

I'm already at 2GBs of memory.

Indeed babbelbot, you don't. It makes your head hurt.

Brainfarct again, babblebot?

What swap, babblebot. It's a game machine.

And another brainfarct.

and use the rest of it as backup space.

That's some expensive backup space for game disks there, babblebot.

 

[Jesco Lincke]

Of course. Rather self evident to everyone except one clueless
babblebot who just sees another opportunity to get more posts in.

Oh wait.
You just used a mere 3 messages yourself to say what you wanted to say.

So very unlike you, right?
Oh, but wait - you have absolutely NOTHING to say and still use lots of
postst to tell everybody.
Now that takes skill....

 

[Jesco Lincke]

Of course. Rather self evident to everyone except one clueless

babblebot who just sees another opportunity to get more posts in.

Oh wait.
You just used a mere 3 messages yourself to say what you wanted to say.

So very unlike you, right?
Oh, but wait - you have absolutely NOTHING to say and still use lots of
posts to tell everybody.
Now that takes skill....

 

[Jesco Lincke]

Of course. Rather self evident to everyone except one clueless
babblebot who just sees another opportunity to get more posts in.

Oh wait.
You just used a mere 3 messages yourself to say what you wanted to say.

So very unlike you, right?
Oh, but wait - you have absolutely NOTHING to say and still use lots of
posts to tell everybody.
Now that takes skill....