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Need Upgrade Suggestions

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FramePointer

n00b
Joined
Dec 8, 2011
Messages
37
Hi,

I'm currently in the process of upgrading my system. At the moment the system is using 4x7200 RPM 120GB Hard drives. 2 of them are currently in software raid 0 and have fairly mediocre performance (105 MB/s sequential read and write).

I have a crucial M4 64GB ssd also on the way and will be adding in a 320GB 7200 RPM to be a reliable storage drive (to hold data that I don't want to risk by putting on raid 0 arrays).

What I'm wondering now is if it is even worth putting my 4 120GB HDs in raid 0 and using them for running my games and other large applications off or is it better to just invest in a second 64GB crucial M4 and raid 0 the two SSDs and use the SSD for all the applications?

I'm not sure if the performance gained by raiding the 4 mechanical drives is worth the space they take up and the heat they create. Any ideas on what to do?

I'm tempted by the 2 SSDs in raid idea since Intel announced they would soon be supporting trim in raid 0 in their next version of RST. Also two M4s in raid 0 with firmware version 009 are getting read speeds near 1100 MB/s, sounds fun.

My new motherboard has 6 SATA ports (2 of which are SATA III) and hardware raid support (unlike my old one) via the Z68 chipset.
 
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It's probably not worth keeping the little hard drives, especially if you are planning an SSD. As to RAIDing 2 SSDs, you really don't need this. You will likely see zero real world performance gain over a single SSD, and only open yourself up to more grief and twice the potential for failure. Yes, 1GB a second benchmarks make cool screenshots I know but you will not get a faster computer. If you need more space, just get a bigger SSD.
 
I normally would get a SSD to hole my operating system and like a 300GB WD Raptor drive to hold my applications. However this might not go well with the current prices of Hard Drvies.
 
dustNbone said:
It's probably not worth keeping the little hard drives, especially if you are planning an SSD. As to RAIDing 2 SSDs, you really don't need this. You will likely see zero real world performance gain over a single SSD, and only open yourself up to more grief and twice the potential for failure. Yes, 1GB a second benchmarks make cool screenshots I know but you will not get a faster computer. If you need more space, just get a bigger SSD.
Click to expand...

True, I guess there wouldn't be too many real world benefits. As for a larger SSD, I guess my budget only allows me to get 1 more 64 GB ssd right now in addition to the one already on the way.

koolaidkitten said:
I normally would get a SSD to hole my operating system and like a 300GB WD Raptor drive to hold my applications. However this might not go well with the current prices of Hard Drvies.
Click to expand...

I was looking into buying new hard drives to replace my old ones, but yes the prices are simply too high right now.
 
In the grand scheme of things, if you are getting 105MB/s out of the 2 120's, you would probably get 150-200MB/s sequential depending on the controller out of 4 raid0'd drives (with 480GB capacity). One of the new Seagate 1TB/platter drives will give you ~160MB/s sequential and more than double the capacity of the 4 drives for (even at today's psycho pricing) for less than $140. That gives you 1 point of failure vs 4, less noise, less heat and less power draw. As to RAIDing the 2 SSDs, even if the support for TRIM is in the next release of the drivers, there are still other bottlenecks in the system that would not see significant decreases in boot time or load time with a doubling of transfer speed. You reach a point of diminishing returns for general use. For specific uses, database access, VERY large sequential transfers (Uncompressed Video, etc) you might see more of a difference.
 
I would be plenty happy with one of those 1TB drives, but considering how they were 50 bucks in the summer and now 3x as much, I really don't want to buy them right now.

I can't really afford a larger SSD, except the 120 GB SanDisk ultra which is going for 130 at amazon right now. Reviews seem to indicate its a decent mid range drive, but I don't know much about SanDisks SSDs.
I could also just pick up another crucial m4 and spread a 120gb partition over both drives, but that still might not be enough space.
 
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