RAID question

Troezar

Troezar

Troezar

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I am currently trying to stretch the life span of my PC which isn't too stressed with a bit of online gaming and usual web/office activities. I have 2 x 74GB WD Raptors (SATA) used as single drives and a couple of 80GB WD Caviar drives in RAID 1 on a 2 port Highpoint 1520 RAID card.

What I'm thinking of doing is putting the Raptors in RAID 0 and installing Win7 when it comes out.
  1. My questions is am I better to run them off the RAID card or use onboard RAID?
  • Can I use onboard RAID and an add-in card RAID at the same time?
  • Will I have to rebuild the RAID 1 array if I remove it from the addin card and run it off the motherboard?

Oh and I currently use the two SATA connectors nearest the cpu socket for the Raptors as they as apparently more stable when overclocking my (old!) motherboard.
 
1: Installing more resource consuming OS never makes PC work faster.

2: That Highpoint is in slow PCI bus so what do you think about where system drive will work faster?
 
Troezar said:
  1. My questions is am I better to run them off the RAID card or use onboard RAID?
Click to expand...

I don't think there will be much difference, but the highpoint will bottleneck on the PCI bus.

  • Can I use onboard RAID and an add-in card RAID at the same time?
Click to expand...

Yes.

  • Will I have to rebuild the RAID 1 array if I remove it from the addin card and run it off the motherboard?
Click to expand...

Yes.

I would just configure your existing controller to RAID for the 2xRaptors. Note when creating RAID it will wipe all data on those drives and you will have to reinstall Windows. Also before going to Windows 7 you should check that you can get drivers for everything, e.g. your highpoint card (Vista drivers are usually ok).
 
Thanks for the reply. As far as I am aware Win7 (64bit) won't be any worse for my system than XP(32bit) and I'll have got used to using it for when I upgrade prob. in about 18months. Plus I paid £45 for it on preorder:)

As for the Bus I'm sure those Raptors won't saturate it and if memory serves me correct the old tests I've read on similar systems to mine showed significant improvements with RAID 0 over a single drive.

The object of the exercise it to squeeze a bit more out of the system with what I have to hand and of course renew my interest by tinkering around with it:D
 
I've put Win7 x64 on an old 4800x2 with 2xRaptors in RAID0. So not much different to what you are planning.

It runs perfectly well...but it's been 3 years since I had XP on it so can't compare how much slower it is than Win7.
 
Thanks that's good to know. The only question I have left unanswered is whether the RAID card will be compatible. The Highpoint site isn't much help. If it isn't I can just go to RAID on the motherboard and use external storage if needed.
 
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