Major Upgrade/Rebuild: I Hope You're All Happy...
- Thread starter Horoscope Fish
- Start date
An SSD is a great idea. I have a 20 gig SSD that runs my OS and software that I use the most along with a 2 Tb main disk for storage. The start up time is almost instantaneous. I'm not sure exactly how it works but there's an Intel program that migrates the programs you use most over to the SSD, I can't remember what it's called but it seems to work well because Photoshop start up time is around 1.5 to 2 sec.
If you don't want to run things on an SSD, then consider a RAID0 solution for your OS, and even RAID1 for your data.
Most modern mobos have enough SATA ports to achieve this, and the BIOS is more than capable of handling this kind of configuration.
However, there are some caveats you should be aware of.
The onboard RAID controllers on most consumer mobos are not dedicated RAID controllers, and therefore most of the processing is still done on the CPU. Additionally should your mobo fail, you would need an identical chipset and driver version to recover any RAID0 type setup!!
As an alternative, you can use Windows RAID setups to achieve the same thing, and it'll still use CPU processing power to do the RAID bits.
Advantage of this is, should your hardware fail (not the drives), you can simply lift your drives out into another Windows system and import them in and Bob's your uncle and you're up and away again whilst you work on repairing the damage to the hardware
I could go on and on about all the different options here, but suffice to say, your setup sounds good
I've just got a SMART notification about one of my drives which is not what I really want to see, so that's my weekend sorted now, hunting for space to move all the data off that drive before it goes kaput on me
By the way, did you get a dual channel or tri channel board?
Most modern mobos have enough SATA ports to achieve this, and the BIOS is more than capable of handling this kind of configuration.
However, there are some caveats you should be aware of.
The onboard RAID controllers on most consumer mobos are not dedicated RAID controllers, and therefore most of the processing is still done on the CPU. Additionally should your mobo fail, you would need an identical chipset and driver version to recover any RAID0 type setup!!
As an alternative, you can use Windows RAID setups to achieve the same thing, and it'll still use CPU processing power to do the RAID bits.
Advantage of this is, should your hardware fail (not the drives), you can simply lift your drives out into another Windows system and import them in and Bob's your uncle and you're up and away again whilst you work on repairing the damage to the hardware
I could go on and on about all the different options here, but suffice to say, your setup sounds good
I've just got a SMART notification about one of my drives which is not what I really want to see, so that's my weekend sorted now, hunting for space to move all the data off that drive before it goes kaput on me
By the way, did you get a dual channel or tri channel board?
Horoscope Fish
Senior Member
Damnit... Now you've got me thinking about this! The ongoing problem with rebuilds: Upgrade "Creep"... Still, I'll look into the whole SSD thing. Youz guyz make it sound awfully tempting.
Parts are on the way, though; departed Memphis last night and I just realized I going to need thermal paste. Hmmm... Maybe they'll throw in a free SSD with purchase?
Btw, Out of curiosity I timed my computer startup and the time it takes to load PS. From pushing the "On" computer button to being fully started up Windows 8 OS ready to click was 4.5 sec and the time it took between clicking the PS link to a fully ready to go PS program was 2 secs (give or take a couple fractions of a sec). These SSD wicked fast.
Also, the program I use for the two disks is Intel Rapid Storage and Smart Response technology. It somehow keeps track of the programs I use most and migrates them to the SSD (30gb SSD, not 20gb that I mentioned last night). I remember reading that the two discs are technically aligned together as a RAID system but it's not the kind of RAID that most people would think about when you mention a RAID system.
Here's Intel's video about the tech - Intel Smart Response Technology and Intel SSDs: an Overview
Also, the program I use for the two disks is Intel Rapid Storage and Smart Response technology. It somehow keeps track of the programs I use most and migrates them to the SSD (30gb SSD, not 20gb that I mentioned last night). I remember reading that the two discs are technically aligned together as a RAID system but it's not the kind of RAID that most people would think about when you mention a RAID system.
Here's Intel's video about the tech - Intel Smart Response Technology and Intel SSDs: an Overview
Ruidoso Bill
Senior Member
Windows 8 "lowest version" 64 bit does 128 GB and the "pro" version does 512 GB. Man 512 GB Ram looks so huge! I am running 16 GB with win 7 premium.
Horoscope Fish
Senior Member
Okay parts are "Out for Delivery" as I type this but now (!!) I have a concern... Looking at the specs on a lot of new motherboards I see two different dimensions for ATX boards: The familiar to me spec of 12" x 9.6" and the newer and not so familiar to me specification 12" x 8.6"... GAH!! A missing inch?? Whose bright idea was THIS?!
Problem is (assuming there is one) my chosen motherboard, I now see, uses the smaller 8.6" dimension. I have a goooorgeous Antec P-180 case that I'm using now, and want to keep using, but I've never worked with a mobo that measures 8.6" and am wondering if that "missing inch" is going to wreak havoc when I go to mount the board?
Someone please advise...
Thanks in advance.
Problem is (assuming there is one) my chosen motherboard, I now see, uses the smaller 8.6" dimension. I have a goooorgeous Antec P-180 case that I'm using now, and want to keep using, but I've never worked with a mobo that measures 8.6" and am wondering if that "missing inch" is going to wreak havoc when I go to mount the board?
Someone please advise...
Thanks in advance.