Need some help on a possible RAID 0 Array

[aldy402]

I'm currently using the following

1x Raptor X 150
2x 500GB WD WD5000AAKS

I store the OS, and all program files on the raptor but using both of the 500gb drives as storage. I deal A LOT with torrents and most of my disk use is primarily on the first 500gb drive. I upload/download from it constantly. I'm constantly moving and decompressing.
I just leave the 2nd drive there to store files when I run out of space on the 1st one..

Should I just do a RAID 0 array and use both of them together? Im not worried about redundancy but will decompressing archives, file copying, and media loading be that much quicker? worth it?

Thanks for your time

[unhappy_mage]

If you uncompress from one drive to another, that will be faster overall than raid 0. It'll also prevent fragmentation in the unpacked files. Your internet connection is likely not fast enough that your hard drive setup is a bottleneck, so raid 0 won't help in that regard.

[KevinG]

I'd bet your already VERY fragmented...you should try to defrag.

[aldy402]

you guys are probably right, Its been more and more sluggish lately but the damn vista defrag is horrible
it seems like its never going to end

I usually decompress into the same drive, so raid 0 is the way to go?

and thanks again for your input guys

[JonnyBlazexx]

I wouldn't raid 0 them myself. If you are constantly writing to your drive, you would be constantly writing to both of them in a raid 0. I am sure you know, but I will state it anyways, that if one of the drives fails, all of your info is toast. I did see you said you wern't worried about redundancy however. As far as decompressing files: if you are decompressing a file to the same harddrive, then raid 0 would be faster. However, like it has been said earlier, one drive to another drive would beat raid 0 in terms of decompression speed (that is as long as the process wasn't cpu limited).

If you arn't remotely worried about data loss/redundancy, it is very convenient to have a large continuous "drive." and raid 0 would give you that. I only have a 750GB drive, but i do like the continuity of it. I.E. i don't have to worry about splitting large files or folders of files between two drives (like two 350GB harddrives).

just my 5 cents