Odd question regarding main and backup hardrives

[Chowder Head]

Alright, I ordered a 300GB SATA Seagate Barracuda a month ago for the computer I'm building. I plan on getting something like a Raptor to use for my primarly files, and use the Seagate for big files like my music, data, videos, etc. Is there a special way to do this or just use one hardrive for one purpose, and one for the other?

One more thing. The case I'm using is a P180 and it says it has:
"External 4 x 5.25"; 1 x 3.5"
Internal 6 x 3.5" for HDD"

The Seagate is a 3.5 one. What kind of hardrives fit in the 5.25? What size is a Raptor? And what's the difference between the internal and external hardrives? How can an external hardrive be INSIDE the computer?

Sorry for the somewhat confusing questions, I'd appreciate any advice you all can lend out. Thanks!

 

[unhappy_mage]

Internal versus external just means whether it's accessible from the outside or not. The 3.5" external bay is for a floppy, and the 5.25"s are for cdrom drives and the like. The raptor is 3.5" as well.

As for keeping data and programs seperate, when you install software put it on the C: drive. When you download stuff or save documents, save them to D:.

 

[Chowder Head]

Ohhhh, so internal drives you can't see, and the external are the ones you can see and operate, like a floppy or a disc drive correct?

And since I got a NEC 3550 burner, that would take up one of my external 5.25 slot, and my Seagate I have would take up a internal 3.5. And that means if I wanted to, I could 5 more internal hardrives correct?

Now it's starting to make sense. Thanks for your help.

 

[ilkhan]

And that means if I wanted to, I could 5 more internal hardrives correct?

potentially, yes. But running that case myself, I wouldn't want (not that I have any choice having just bought the 300GB in my sig and the 80 being restored back to service, potentially) to run an IDE HDD in the lower drive cage.

 

[Chowder Head]

Any reasons why not? Would you have to deal with extra heat and more noise, since there are numerous drives?

If I were to get one more Seagate 300GB SATA hard drive and buy a raptor for my main files, would that work okay? 2 300's for music and such, and the faster Raptor to handle the main files. Shouldn't be too loud right?