Best setup for two hard drives?(other than raid)

[URLORD]

Yet another build, and I was wondering what would be the best setup for my two raptors(other than raid).
I have a 74gb and a 36gb raptor
Here are some of the scenarios I was looking at:
1: 36gb- 2 partitions, 10gb for the OS, remainder for apps and games.
74gb-pagefile,all of my documents, saved files movies, etc.

2: 36gb- OS, including the pagefile
74gb- all of my apps, games, saved files,my documents, movies etc.

3: 36gb- OS,apps, and games
74gb- pagefile, all of my documents, saved files movies, etc

4: 36gb- OS, pagefile, apps, and games
74gb- my documents, saved files, movies, etc.

I'm looking for the fastest read and write times, anybody ever try any of these combos?
Thank you for any insight

 

[URLORD]

what the ****** is the point in posting a question is this forum if no one is going to bother to help?

 

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: URLORD
what the ****** is the point in posting a question is this forum if no one is going to bother to help?

Well posting that isn't going to get you any more responses!

First off, even though you said OTHER than RAID, RAID will never be an option as it will take the size of the smallest HDD and duplicate it.

Second off, the 74 Gig version will be faster. I honestly wouldn't bother partitioning it. Putting the page file on a separate HDD (ie: Separate Head and Platter) has merits, but for the amount we use Page File these days, the difference is at the most negligible.

Having said that I would do a Windows Software JBOD using Dynamic Disks. Seeing as, for some reason, you don't want to use RAID your best bet would be to install everything on the 74 Gig Drive and just save all documents to the 36 Gig Drive. If you so desire move your Page File to the other drive as well.

If you haven't done it before, you have no idea the hassle involved in installing EVERYTHING outside of drivers to your second HDD. It is really truly an annoyance IMO, but to each his own.

-Kevin

 

[URLORD]

Whew! someone helped!
Thank you

 

[3NF]

Buy a bigger HDD .. maybe 2

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: URLORD
what the ****** is the point in posting a question is this forum if no one is going to bother to help?

It's two days before Christmas. There aren't as many people on, and they're probably trying to forget about work related things.

That said, I'd put the OS on the 74GB drive, putting games and whatever you want to have the quickest drive access on it and use the 36GB for mass media storage.

 

[URLORD]

Thank you for your input everyone

 

[Dave Richardson]

15GB max os partition on smaller drive and use imaging s/w to make regular backups to backup partition on other drive. Reinstalling OS drivers, patches, utilities firewall, anti virus etc is a pain.

 

[PorscheMaD911]

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
If you haven't done it before, you have no idea the hassle involved in installing EVERYTHING outside of drivers to your second HDD. It is really truly an annoyance IMO, but to each his own.

Haha, that's so true, I remember trying to set up and manage a 5 Gb partition for XP, a 1.5 Gb partition for swap, a 30 Gb partition for games and apps, and another 40 odd Gb partition for docs and media etc.

Not worth the hassle IMO, now I have one partition for XP, games, apps etc and another for docs and media. I even manage to screw this up by making the XP partition too small, so I think I'll just get another hard drive. I might take a leap out of the stone age and buy SATA!

John