Should I Install Games on Separate Drive from OS???

[vilhiem]

I just built a mighty fast new rig, including a 300GB WD VelociRaptor.

Question: Should I install a separate 300GB VelociRaptor hard drive from the main drive for games. In other words, I heard that games would run faster if they are on a separate drive from the operating system drive.

Thanks!!!
Vilhiem

 

[DonDon]

Anytime you spread the workload, you will see an increase in performance.

Buuuutttt,

Adding a second drive will not get you an increase in FPS or allow you to increase the video settings in the game. At most you might see a modest improvement in new level load times.

Most people would say that is not worth the money being spent, me included. That money would be better spent on more or faster memory, faster processor, better video card, or even a better monitor.

If money is no object though, I think you would get better overall performance if you got the second Vraptor and Raided the 2 drives.

Don

 

[vilhiem]

Thanks DonDon for your reply ...!

I was just reading another message on this board and have a follow-up question:

On my new rig, and on that 300GB VelociRaptor, I installed BOTH XP32 and Vista64 (XP in the 1st partition, Vista on the 2nd with 100GB/200GB, respectively).
Now I have read that the 2nd partitioned OS on a HD runs slower ... YIKES!!!
If this is true, then would that be another reason to install a 2nd VelociRaptor for games?

Thanks!!!
Vilhiem

 

[Markistehnamezor]

Get a 320gb single platter from western digital and use that for your OS. Performs nearly the same with slower access times, but it won't matter since its dedicated to an OS. Also its like $60, and you can use your current VR for games instead of getting another.

 

[MrGuvernment]

yup, cheaper ways to make your games load / start faster.

as above, adding another drive will always help, as you dont have everything running off of and trying to access things on the same drive.

 

[DonDon]

Thanks DonDon for your reply ...!

I was just reading another message on this board and have a follow-up question:

On my new rig, and on that 300GB VelociRaptor, I installed BOTH XP32 and Vista64 (XP in the 1st partition, Vista on the 2nd with 100GB/200GB, respectively).
Now I have read that the 2nd partitioned OS on a HD runs slower ... YIKES!!!
If this is true, then would that be another reason to install a 2nd VelociRaptor for games?

Thanks!!!
Vilhiem

Sigh, here we go again.

While it may be possible to show that reading a hard drive on the inner tracks IS SLOWER than reading a drive from the outer tracks, the difference in real world performance is impossible to notice.

That said, for the fastest performance, either Raid 2 drives or install your OS's on separate drives. "If you got the money Honey, I got the time!" Faster costs money. I am very much into the risk/reward thing.

Buuuut, unless you are doing data intensive things, like video encoding, 3d rendering, or database searches, you will not notice any difference in normal day to day computing. Even on the data intensive tasks, the difference will be modest at best.

I personally set up my 500 gig 7200.11 on my new system earlier this year like this. 1 X 100 gig partition for XP. 1 X 100 gig partition for Vista, and the rest as a scratch drive. I keep all of my regular data on a NAS, so no permanent data is stored locally for any length of time. I am mostly using XP for now so that's who won the "FASTEST PARTITION" when I set things up.

Now, I am contemplating a switch to Vista soon, since it is almost a viable OS. I am starting to shop around on EBAY for some used 74 or 150 gig Raptors to RAID. I think the combination of going from a single fairly fast drive to 2 or more RAIDED Raptors will be worth the effort and expense. I just can't stomach the cost of 2 Vraptors right now. I guess I have to get off of my ass and get a few more computer repair jobs to pay for it all.

Don

 

[Ockie]

Keep your games on the same disk system, the performance increases you will see wont be worth the added expense of another vraptor. It also depends on your concept of cost, if the performance is worth the cost sacrafice, knock yourself out.