Should i Raid?

[Delta6326]

Well right now i have a Western Digital Caviar Black WD5001AALS 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb and im running out of space from all my games, music, etc. so i was wandering if i should get another at newegg for $65 or should i just get a 640gb for just $69?

if i get another of my same one what type of raid should i do and is it super risky? you can look at my system info for help. I don't want to spend more than $75

I have a Toshiba External and that's almost full of backup's and more music.

I HAVE THE 500gb LEFT ONE
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...mpareItemList=N82E16822136320,N82E16822136319

 

[alexp999]

just remember if you raid you only get the space based on the smallest drive.

So raid 0 would give 1TB.

 

[Studabaker]

YES. Buy one or two more WD5001AALS, you can RAID0 three drives, too!

 

[ZenZimZaliben]

No one said this, and maybe it doesn't need to be said. But just to be sure....IF you make a raid array be sure to backup all your data. Once you create the RAID both HD's will be wiped clean.

 

[Delta6326]

oh so if i raid it wipes them clean, i don't know then i have so much stuff that i dont have enough room for a backup and whats the best way to do a backup just go to my computer-> right click main drive-> then click back up?

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Just a quick hijack question. Can you have, say, 2 500gb HDs not in raid with the first being C: and the second being D:? Just have them as separate drives?

 

[ZenZimZaliben]

Hahah...well I am glad I brought that point up to you. What a disaster that would have been...LOL. BTW the "Thanks" button is good for this type of thing.

IF you don't have room to backup on HD, then you will need to use a different method. Sounds like you have a lot of music/vids/media...that stuff doesnt compress very well. So really your main options are Big Flash Drives, Blue Ray, Many DVD's, or other hard drives.

 

[Studabaker]

oh so if i raid it wipes them clean, i don't know then i have so much stuff that i dont have enough room for a backup and whats the best way to do a backup just go to my computer-> right click main drive-> then click back up?

not really. for me the best way is to have a backup hard drive that you take all of your folders where all of your data is stored and copy them over. for example i have a 2x250GB array, in the future I'll get a single big HD to use outside of the array and always hold a backup of all my important stuff. you kind of have to backup when you run a RAID0 because if one of the drives goes out on you the whole array goes down.

 

[CDdude55]

Just a quick hijack question. Can you have, say, 2 500gb HDs not in raid with the first being C: and the second being D:? Just have them as separate drives?

Ya, if there new format the drives and you should see them in windows and you can pick the letter you want them to be.

 

[Delta6326]

ok, so i just remeberd i can clear about 81gb of stuff off my external then put my back up on it. now my question is, is it safe to raid 0? should i put my games and stuff on my new HD and put the os on my old one to try and keep that one clean? how do you set up raid? and how do you put all your back up back on the HD sorry for all the questions but im a type of person that likes to know all my options and how to do it right the first time

 

[Studabaker]

ok, so i just remeberd i can clear about 81gb of stuff off my external then put my back up on it. now my question is, is it safe to raid 0? should i put my games and stuff on my new HD and put the os on my old one to try and keep that one clean? how do you set up raid? and how do you put all your back up back on the HD sorry for all the questions but im a type of person that likes to know all my options and how to do it right the first time

RAID0 is safe, as long as you run backups every once in a while.

Your OS, Apps & Games should all be in your RAID0 partition, as the whole point of RAID0 is speed, not so the system sees one giant HD! You CAN create partitions within RAID0, or you can create a couple of different RAID0 arrays on the same set of drives and do it that way. I just create a RAID array and then a 60GB partition for System ( C: ) and the rest for Data ( D: ).

When you first boot up your computer with the newly installed drives, you let it cycle to detect the drives, once you see they are all there, reboot and then go into BIOS and enable RAID mode (edit: and reboot again). Then you'll get an option to enter a key combo to set up your RAID (edit: after the POST screen). In there it will be pretty easy and self-explanatory to set up your Striped RAID array.

 

[ZenZimZaliben]

There are many different levels of raid. RAID 0 is for performance. 2 discs. the data is spread across all HD's in the array equally. This is how performance is increased. So you would want to install your OS and applications on the raid to benefit from this boost.

You need to be sure your motherboard supports raid, which most do. Then your motherboard manufacturer should also have the driver your will need during install "Hit F6 to install drivers"

There are also BIOS settings to enable raid. You will need to activate RAID controller on motherboard and AHCI if you HD's are complient.

 

[Delta6326]

ok thank you to all i will have to do some thinking i got money for my birthday so i wanted to spend it on somthing

 

[Studabaker]

There are many different levels of raid. RAID 0 is for performance. 2 discs. the data is spread across all HD's in the array equally. This is how performance is increased. So you would want to install your OS and applications on the raid to benefit from this boost.

You need to be sure your motherboard supports raid, which most do. Then your motherboard manufacturer should also have the driver your will need during install "Hit F6 to install drivers"

2 OR MORE disks. Even 3 disks can be in RAID0.

True to the part about the drivers, make sure you have the Intel RAID drivers on the Asus CD or from the web site, if you get them from the web site u can put them on floppy, CD, or an SD card like I did.

 

[ZenZimZaliben]

I did mean 2+ discs..either way, I dont think he's going for a 3+ disc raid.

To the OP> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_RAID_levels

 

[Delta6326]

ok i just checked and i have only one more Sata power cable on my power supply so when my friend comes over i will ask him what i should do hes the one that got me hooked on computers he built his first when he was 10 and made his first game at age 14

 

[Studabaker]

ok i just checked and i have only one more Sata power cable on my power supply so when my friend comes over i will ask him what i should do hes the one that got me hooked on computers he built his first when he was 10 and made his first game at age 14

There's no way your XION 800Watt PSU didn't come with at least 8 SATA power connectors. It's a modular PSU right? There should be another SATA power modular cable somewhere. Anyway there are regular 4-pin to SATA power adapters, also. Most mobos come with a pair.