Multiple external SATAs - Windows 7

[TimMatrix]

I am trying to find out whether it is possible or not, on the following scenario:_

Install W7 on main SATA HDD as a bootable and resides inside the PC tower, then, install programs, for example "Photoshop" onto 2nd External SATA HDD, "FSX" (Flight Simulator) on 3rd External SATA HDD, etc...

These external HDDs are not BOOTABLE, but to store only programs and data (no W7 OS on them).

The W7 from main HDD will run these programs only if the correct External HDD is plugged in.

Is that possible? Please advise, before I decide to buy more external SATA HDDs.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Lordgrayone]

Don't see why not

 

[Mattus]

I can't really see any reason why it wouldn't work, other than that a program like Photoshop might install background processes which it would try to run from the external drive on Windows startup... you'd have to disable them.

What's your thinking behind this idea, though? It seems like an unusually complicated/expensive storage arrangement for games and applications... for me, having to plug in a particular HDD before I could open a certain program would get old pretty fast. It also limits the combinations of programs which you can have running at the same time. Couldn't you just get a 1-2TB internal HDD and put all your games and programs on that?

 

[TimMatrix]

I can't really see any reason why it wouldn't work, other than that a program like Photoshop might install background processes which it would try to run from the external drive on Windows startup... you'd have to disable them.

What's your thinking behind this idea, though? It seems like an unusually complicated/expensive storage arrangement for games and applications... for me, having to plug in a particular HDD before I could open a certain program would get old pretty fast. It also limits the combinations of programs which you can have running at the same time. Couldn't you just get a 1-2TB internal HDD and put all your games and programs on that?

I agree, but then there's the risk in putting all the programs and game into a 1-2Tb HDD is akin to putting all your money into a single bank account. When the bank goes under, your money disappears! So, if the 1-2Tb HDD goes, all the programs and games are lost (okay, programs are replaceable but not the data within them, including configuration settings, etc).

Further, I like to keep the main disk drive totally for W7 OS only, and I'm considering putting the OS onto a SSD drive, something in the region of 60-80Gb (which is far, far adequate for the basic OS installation and some core programs such as Chrome/Firefox, etc). Then adding an external "Photoshop" SATA HDD will contain the program itself with its associated folders containing photos, etc. Same goes for FSX with associated scenery packs, flightplans, etc.

It's nice to keep them segregated and more importantly, "restricts" the viruses/trojan to "minumum" damage. (I use Comodo Internet Security (free version) on the master HDD (it'll be on SSD when I buy one soon).

Does any of the above make any sense? I hope so?

Thanks for all your replies.

 

[[Darkend]Viper]

I'd be more tempted to stick everything on one drive and get in the habit of backing up the important bits.

I've had windows installed on an internal drive and apps on an external, and windows seemed slower to load, and would every so often throw an error about not being able to find a certain file that was on the external. I've now got everything installed on 1 drive, and backup to an external drive any important documents.

As for the virus bit, I would say if you've got real time scanning on, and run a scan often you should be safe no matter what.

Also a mechanical hdd has a failure rate, I know i've lost more external drives than internal, and at work the server drives last 6 years easily, but the desktops struggle with 4 years. What i'm trying to say is the powering up and down of mechanical drives could kill them quicker.

 

[Orcvader]

The load times from the apps on externals will be very slow. How about buying two extra internal drives instead? And internals usually lasts longer since they don't have to spin up and down so much.

 

[ChileanLlama]

I agree, but then there's the risk in putting all the programs and game into a 1-2Tb HDD is akin to putting all your money into a single bank account. When the bank goes under, your money disappears! So, if the 1-2Tb HDD goes, all the programs and games are lost (okay, programs are replaceable but not the data within them, including configuration settings, etc).

Further, I like to keep the main disk drive totally for W7 OS only, and I'm considering putting the OS onto a SSD drive, something in the region of 60-80Gb (which is far, far adequate for the basic OS installation and some core programs such as Chrome/Firefox, etc). Then adding an external "Photoshop" SATA HDD will contain the program itself with its associated folders containing photos, etc. Same goes for FSX with associated scenery packs, flightplans, etc.

It's nice to keep them segregated and more importantly, "restricts" the viruses/trojan to "minumum" damage. (I use Comodo Internet Security (free version) on the master HDD (it'll be on SSD when I buy one soon).

Does any of the above make any sense? I hope so?

Thanks for all your replies.

Backup, backup and backup. That will prevent all the problems you're thinking about.

It sounds like your strategy is preparing yourself for a HD failure and minimising the amount of data you lose by spreading it all over external drives, rather than preparing yourself for a HD failure and having some insurance to recover everything.

Unless your external drives are e-sata or USB3 then you'll have a performance hit. For things like games with lots of addons or applications like Photoshop that want a swap file this will hinder your loading times.

And eventually, you'll no doubt end up breaking something in your config because you didn't have the right external drive plugged in/pulled the wrong one at the wrong time, or trip over the wire during a write.

As said already you'd really be better off with an internal drive and then a similarly sized external drive to hold a backup. If you really want to go belts and braces get a second external drive and alternate back ups with one held offsite.

 

[TimMatrix]

Whoa, most of you are against the idea of external HDDs in the way I suggested. I guess you've had the experience before?

Unless your external drives are e-sata or USB3 then you'll have a performance hit. For things like games with lots of addons or applications like Photoshop that want a swap file this will hinder your loading times.

Yes, it is eSATA, I was thinking of, for those 'external' SATA drives.


Anyway, I will reconsider and take aboard all your comments and may plump for the 1Tb-2Tb HDDs. I've been told to avoid 1Tb or 2Tb, since as they're notoriously unreliable in comparision with a 500Gb HDDs? Can anyone enlighten me on why is this (if the facts are true?) Was it something to do with the magnetic flux density on a platter being too tightly packed, causing occasional read/write errors?

Happy to listen to all your comments.

Many thanks.

 

[ChileanLlama]

Whoa, most of you are against the idea of external HDDs in the way I suggested. I guess you've had the experience before?



Yes, it is eSATA, I was thinking of, for those 'external' SATA drives.


Anyway, I will reconsider and take aboard all your comments and may plump for the 1Tb-2Tb HDDs. I've been told to avoid 1Tb or 2Tb, since as they're notoriously unreliable in comparision with a 500Gb HDDs? Can anyone enlighten me on why is this (if the facts are true?) Was it something to do with the magnetic flux density on a platter being too tightly packed, causing occasional read/write errors?

Happy to listen to all your comments.

Many thanks.

I've not had the experience before, I wouldn't put myself through it. I just think you're introducing far more risk than you're planning to prevent. External disks for me have their place, and that's for mobility.

RE:HD reliability - If they are facts, then they must be true I don't honestly think you'll get a decent opinion on this, as you'd need data from the HD manufacturers to really prove it - and almost all people on a forum like this just simply won't have used enough drives to get a representative sample.

All I can say is that so far I've never had a 1TB, 1.5TB or 2TB drive fail on me - and I've got lots of them I've had lots of 250, 320 and 500GB drives fail. I still don't think that proves anything though. But regardless what you go for there's a probability it will fail. You just need to protect yourself against the inevitable.

 

[Mr Blonde]

Of course, if you fancy a little bit of fun and you have a pair of spare SATA drives knocking about, you could set them up as an internal RAID 1 array and see it the performance is tolerable.