WD80GB SE=AMAZING DIFFERENCE+RAID question

[TROGDORdBURNINATOR]

I just picked a Western Digital 80GB drive with the 8MB cache. This is replacing my 2MB cache version of same drive for OS and programs. MAN IS THERE EVER A DIFFERENCE. I never though that little bit of cache would make such a huge impact. Wow, does it ever! It's hard to measure and harder to describe. Everything is just...more responsive. It's a feeling you get when you click on something, it just feels more "snappy."
I'm very impressed. This should be standard.

Anyway, since I have an otherwise identical drive and a controller, I was thinking about setting up a raid 0 array since backups are regular and speed is nice. I know that if you have two drives of differing speed, the array will function at the speed of the slowest drive. Is the same thing true of cache sizes? I'm wondering if it's worth it or if I should just leave it with the SE all by its lonesome.

Any thoughts?

 

[CZroe]

This is the way I understand it:
The stripe will be split amoung both drives. If one drive has not caught up, the data going to both drives will slowed down

BTW, I have a retail Western Digital 80GB 2MB 5400RPM model. Imagine the difference there!

Also, they may not be exactly the same. Your previous 80GB may be three platters and your new one is likely one platter (If using a platter from their new 250GB drive). A single platter non-SE drive would likely perform much better also.

The "Zippyness" is especially apparant when saving small files that fit entirely in the 8MB buffer as they will appear to write at 100MBps (Assuming no other reading/writing activity and an ATA100 cable/controller).

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

I think you can, but don't be surprised if the performance isn't outrageously better than what you expected. I would go ahead and try it and see how it goes, if you don't like it, you can go back. Just make sure to keep some nice hard CD backups of it through Norton Ghost or onto a seperate drive or something just incase you mess up.

 

[zephyrprime]

You must be imaginging the performance difference. Test show it's only 20% which is cost effective but not really noticeable to humans.

 

[TROGDORdBURNINATOR]

I'm not imagining it. It's very clear and obvious.

 

[XMan]

I've got dual 800JBs in a RAID0 array with 64K stripes . . . smoooooooooooooookin' fast.

 

[Acanthus]

there is a huge difference navigating windows between a BB and a JB ive witnessed it as well.

 

[grifterspawn]

You could say the JB's burninate the BB's...and the peasants rejoice.

 

[TROGDORdBURNINATOR]

there is a huge difference navigating windows between a BB and a JB ive witnessed it as well.

Yeah, when he's talking about a % difference I assume that must be a benchmark result. Like I've said, it's hard to measure but it's one of those things that you can really feel. It's just more responsive.

You could say the JB's burninate the BB's...and the peasants rejoice.

That's right. Burninate the BB's in their thatch roofed cottages.

Anyway, does anyone know the answer to my question:

If I set up a BB and a JB in raid 0 will I lose the snappiness that I'm feeling now?

 

[mooojojojo]

maybe it's because of the fresh windows install?

 

[dexvx]

Having a fresh Windows install with a fully defragged harddrive is a tremendous boost.

I had a 15K RPM SCSI drive that was full of crap and fragmented be slower than a Barracuda IV.

 

[chocoruacal]

Its all in your head I have 4 120 gig drives

2x120gig WD 2mb cache
1x120gig WD 8mb cache
1x120gig Maxtor 8mb cache

I couldn't tell you which one is which, other than looking at the serial number on the drive

 

[zephyrprime]

Yeah, when he's talking about a % difference I assume that must be a benchmark result. Like I've said, it's hard to measure but it's one of those things that you can really feel. It's just more responsive.

Yeah. I saw some benches at storage review. Hmmm, I wonder if browsing is really a whole lot faster?

 

[ScissorClaw]

I would definetly set them up as RAID. It has got to be faster. Even if it does run as fast as the slowest drive, you're still reading/writing to 2 drives at the same time.
I too also agrre that the new snappiness that you are feeling could be the result of the new fresh install. I love it right after I do a fresh imstall. It only seems to last for about a month or so.

With that said, at work, my rig only has one drive (bummer)and the one thing that I did notice that keeps my system nice and snappy is creating a partition JUST for the swap drive. I created a J: drive and keep ONLY my swap file in there. It's been almost two months now, and I believe it is just as snappy as when I finished the fresh install. I think everyone should try it some time, it can't hurt.

 

[TROGDORdBURNINATOR]

maybe it's because of the fresh windows install?

No, I've been playing with raid arrays and have formatted each at least twice. They both have fresh installs. The 8meg is more responsive.

 

[mechBgon]

What's important is that your face looks like this --->

 

[TROGDORdBURNINATOR]

Damn straight.

 

[m2kewl]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
What's important is that your face looks like this --->

wait until he raids some 15k.3s ---> :Q:Q:Q:Q:Q