Hard drive set up, am I doing it wrong?

coopsjc21 · 11 Sep 2017 at 14:07

Hi, I'm running an older system (upgrading later this year), Asus P5Q pro, e8400, 8gb corsair etc..

I have a Samsung 250gb ssd installed as my main drive that win7 64bit is installed to. I needed more storage space so added a 4tb western digital hdd and my old 350gb Samsung hdd. All connected via sata, I just connected the 2 hdds, started Windows and assigned them both a drive letter (d & e).

I install all my programs and most files (films, pics etc) to the 4tb drive, just keeping the ssd as a system drive.

Is it ok to do it this way, or should I have a raid set up going on? Am I likely to encounter any problems like this?

Cheers

Robzere31 · 11 Sep 2017 at 14:24

Sounds fine to me.
Similar to how I have mine.

250gb ssd windows
240gb ssd utility programs
1tb ssd games
3tb WD blue music, films photos etc.

coopsjc21 · 11 Sep 2017 at 14:34

Thanks. Reason I ask is recently been having trouble in Windows. Random freezes, every 20-30 mins no matter what I'm doing Windows will freeze for 5-10 seconds, then carry on again.

I've tried all sorts to find the cause but no luck. I've formatted & reinstalled Windows twice, but after 3-4 weeks of being ok the problem comes back. I thought maybe it was one of the hdds, so I disconnected them both. But Windows then wouldn't boot up with just the ssd connected?! I reconnected both hdds but Windows still had trouble starting. After lots of repair attempts, playing around in bios etc I got it working again. Windows booted up & was running ok. Two weeks later problem back, random freezing (& occasional blue screen).

This time I tried just disconnecting the 350gb drive, but windows has gone mental again, not booting properly. I got it booting again but it's running poorly, lots of freezing, the lan adaptor drivers won't load etc..

Robzere31 · 11 Sep 2017 at 14:47

When you installed windows to the SSD, did you disconnect all the other drives?
I found that windows will randomly put files all over the place unless I do.

coopsjc21 · 11 Sep 2017 at 14:51

No, but I read that a few days ago, so will know for next time. In fact I might go ahead and do another clean install now.

Do you think that might be contributing to my problems, or even the cause of the random freezes?

joey1211 · 11 Sep 2017 at 15:11

A hard disc would take 5-10 seconds to spin up and be read from, if it has files on it that Windows needed. Try changing their sleep time to never in the power options.

coopsjc21 · 11 Sep 2017 at 15:19

I think they're already all set to never sleep. Is there an option to configure ea h individual drive power settings?

TheVoice · 11 Sep 2017 at 15:26

For obvious performance reasons, your programs would be better installed to the SSD.

coopsjc21 · 11 Sep 2017 at 15:35

TheVoice said:
For obvious performance reasons, your programs would be better installed to the SSD.

Thanks, that's what I'm planning on doing, all progs to ssd and the hdds purely for files such as films, music etc.

About to reinstall now. While in the subject, with an ssd and 2 hdds (one fairly old) would you recommend sata config as IDE or AHCI?