My super $680 P35 gigabyte build, need advice on HD configs!

[cleverest]

I really appreciate any help on the following custom build I'm about to do! Sorry for the length of this post! Here is my configuration in detail followed by my question...

I have just purchased the following and expect it to arrive in a couple days...I only plan to do mild to moderate over-clocking with this system, if any.

https://secure.newegg.com/NewVersio...shListTitle=P35+Core+Duo+System+Core+Purchase

Please note the PCI controller in the parts above...I need this because the board has a single IDE port...the board included in the parts I ordered above is the: GA-P35C-DS3R

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128048

Also note, the video card I ordered is BASIC, but I don't have a lay-around cheapo one to use that isn't AGP and I need a temp card for now...I will be upgrading the video card later to a 8800 level or higher card at the end of the year....

I currently own the following already:

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530Watt PSU (see list for the case I'm buying).
Floppy Drive (yes I'm a fan of them).
3 Optical IDE DVD Drives (yes I have a reason to install (3) of these, it's (1) DVDR+DL burner and (2) specially firmware flashed DVD readers (to read specific media that I need to be able to read/backup, each is required for a specific media type, can't just use one...)

3 Internal Hard drives configured as follows:
1 x serial ATA150 = 200GB (I prefer to keep my windows installation on it's own small partition for ease of re-installation, a 20gb or so one, and the rest is for programs, etc...)
2 x IDE hard drives (first is 400gb, second is 120gb, both formatted to maximum partition size...the second one is to be replaced later with a bigger SATA drive or a raptor drive to put my OS on in the future...)

1 External 250GB Firewire Drive, and I have a PCI 2-port Firewire card

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So that's what I'm looking at to work with, here is my question if anyone can help...

Please note that I plan on installing my legit windows MCE 2005 on the 200GB Sata drive for my OS (on a smaller partition), so that will be my boot drive if that matters for the following:

1.) Given the components I have to work with, what is the best configuration for the IDE drives? What should I configure on the single IDE port on the board VS. what I connect to the PCI controller card which has two ports? What is better for performance/reliability? (it's not a raid card and I'm not interested in RAID at this point anyways.)

CLIFFS: To sum it all up I have 3 IDE slots to work with (1 on board, 2 on card) and I have 5 IDE devices to install (2 hard drives, 3 dvd optical drives)...what is ideal port/cable config in this case??

MISC: I plan on formatting everything with NTFS, but open to alternate suggestions.

THANKS EVERYONE!

- Brett

 

[kwchang007]

Sounds like to me you should hook up the two hdd's to the board and then the 3 opticals to the pci card. Well....that's the way I'd do it anyways.

 

[cleverest]

Sounds like to me you should hook up the two hdd's to the board and then the 3 opticals to the pci card. Well....that's the way I'd do it anyways.

Thanks for the response! Just wondering why this config, does it have to do with speed optimization or preventing conflicts otherwise?

Also, When I install windows, should I only have my SATA drive plugged in to insure windows picks it up as the C: Drive? I assume I can add the other drives to the board after windows is installed just fine?


- Brett

 

[kwchang007]

Thanks for the response! Just wondering why this config, does it have to do with speed optimization or preventing conflicts otherwise?

Also, When I install windows, should I only have my SATA drive plugged in to insure windows picks it up as the C: Drive? I assume I can add the other drives to the board after windows is installed just fine?


- Brett

First question, yeah, basically because the IDE port on the motherboard has a full 133 mb/s connection to the board. But PCI would be sharing the bus with other things, say if you had a sound card, also if the ethernet is connected to the pci rather than pci-e etc. Also, the only other way would be to have two hdd's on the card via one cable, one or two od on the card via one cable, and the other od/s on the mobo. Personally, I wouldn't want od maybe taking bandwidth from the hdd, also you have the increased latency of the card.

As far as the second, uhh yeah that should work, and probably is a good idea. I know in Vista you can format straight from the OS, but if your using XP you probably have to format from a CD, I forget, it's been such a long time since I've had to set up partitions (I know sounds weird).

 

[cleverest]

kwchang007,

thanks for the tips! I'll configure my system with both IDE hard drives on the board and both IDE optical drives on the card.

Anyone else have any advice for this setup? I appreciate the pre-building assistance...

Another question I have is about the 3 PCI slots....I have a firewire card and the IDE controller card to install right away, is there a slot order preference for this cards that I should consider? I plan on getting a TV tuner card later for the 3rd slot, so which one should I leave free? Does it matter?

- Brett