need help with HD's

[Clutz]

I'm about to ordered a raptor 150GB sata drive from newegg. I already have a 160GB maxtor 7200 rpm ide and an old slow WD 30GB ide drive. What would be the best setup for me? I would like to use my PC for:

1) AH game play (maybe dedicate the raptor for this?)
2) just plain web surfing
3 maybe something totally separate and secure for things I order with bank cards and such (in case anybody is spying).
4)maybe a way to save things for safety(I don't really have much to save)

I know how to make a standard partition using windows and fdisk to delete partitions, But what I don't understand is where or how many Os's I will need and where to put them or how they work with each other. As it is now I have two drives each with it's own OS (XP pro), and I have to use my bios to get to each drive. This suks. Please help! This is almost the last step I have to take to get my PC running good for game play (its been a long journey).
Thank you very much, Clutz

[whels]

Originally posted by Clutz
I'm about to ordered a raptor 150GB sata drive from newegg. I already have a 160GB maxtor 7200 rpm ide and an old slow WD 30GB ide drive. What would be the best setup for me? I would like to use my PC for:

1) AH game play (maybe dedicate the raptor for this?)
2) just plain web surfing
3 maybe something totally separate and secure for things I order with bank cards and such (in case anybody is spying).
4)maybe a way to save things for safety(I don't really have much to save)

I know how to make a standard partition using windows and fdisk to delete partitions, But what I don't understand is where or how many Os's I will need and where to put them or how they work with each other. As it is now I have two drives each with it's own OS (XP pro), and I have to use my bios to get to each drive. This suks. Please help! This is almost the last step I have to take to get my PC running good for game play (its been a long journey).
Thank you very much, Clutz

i would use the new Raptor for OS and program install. you will be amazed at how fast you will boot up and progs run.

use the 160gig for data and backup storage.  30 gig id probably remove, since is way slow and you can put its info onto the 160 gig.

also id put the windows swap file on the raptor too.

you only need 1 OS, it can handle as many drives as your computer can use.

Whels

[Clutz]

Thank you whels, I understand a little bit better.

Let me ask: Where would I put regular typical programs like Microsoft Word and virus programs? Also, where would I put AH download? I'm worried about to many process's and applications running at the same time the game is running and would like to not have to fight that battle. Is there a way to keep the game separate from all the other programs so this doesn't happen? I guess I'm asking should I partition the raptor drive into several partitions? Thank you. Clutz.


PS. There is a similar thread in hardware/software right now, but I didn't want to hijack it and I wanted to ask some simple questions cause I have been reading that other thread for two days now over and over and its hard for me to understand it. TY.

[Roscoroo]

put the os and all your Active/Running programs on the Raptor . if it was me I'd even partition the Raptor in half . you can get alot of os/programs/game on a 70gb partition and keep it under 50% used.

 your goal is 50% or less used of your primary (OS) partition .
(mines on a 40gb partion and i avg 18 gb ... when i get tired of a game i unistall it and add a new game ... ) the second partiton and second hard drive can be filled to 90% if your not accessing read/write type programs .

use the 160 maxtor as a Document/full exe installers/ back up ect drive .
I have all my programs stored (most of them zipped up) on this drive for a backup .

[Clutz]

Thank you Roscoroo, I understand a little bit more but I am still confused quite a bit because I don't understand some terminology. So if I may,let me ask in a different way. TY

 OK, I got two drives as mentioned or even three and I will partition them in anyway you think. This is basically what I need to get going.
Windows xp pro
Yahoo
Bell south Internet DSL connection
Microsoft Office
McAfee virus protection, Ewido spyware
Ping plotter
Software and drivers for sound card and video card
AH download

What I want to do most of all is keep AH game away from everything else so it doesn't have to fight applications and other running programs (I have tried to fight that battle and I never seem to win). And yet keep it as fast as possible.

So considering the above list, what would go where. I think this will give me a basic understanding of what I'm try to accomplish and how different partitions work. I hope my ignorance doesn't make these questions seem to silly. Thank you very very much. Clutz

[Roscoroo]

ok lets brake this down ...
Drive 1 placed as Master on first Sata.... formated  in 2 partitions .

Maindrive (C:) Full OS install, drivers, programs installed (office, paint,printer,ect) AV and Firewall
Windows xp pro
Yahoo
Bell south Internet DSL connection <<<< if this is a cd from your isp I myself never install this crud on my pc's , I set up my connects manually / or let windows detect it by right clicking on intardnet explorer .
Microsoft Office
McAfee virus protection, Ewido spyware
Ping plotter
Software and drivers for sound card and video card
AH download






((Next is partition 2 of the main drive))
Documents(D:) << you can name it what ever >>
Here you put things like music , Pictures , what ever you want , you can put a whole folder full of uninstalled  programs /drivers ect for back up

this way if the OS (Maindrive C ) crashes or catches a bug you just reformat the C: drive and do a quick reinstall of everything .

Or you can use the second partition for "AS Example" a Movie storage .
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Now for the second Hard drive ... if you have saved goodies or things you want saved dont hook this drive up until you have the Sata/Raptor drive all set up installed and runnin .
Now set this drive to Master and hook it up on your primary ide cable

start pc jump into bios and beshure its enabled , you also have to set the Raid up as the 1st booting harddrive .

now you can  go to My Computer and see that the drives are reconized and swap all your wanna save goodies to the Raptor D: partition ....  and then reformat and clean your Maxtor drive ...


here this will give ya an idea what they look like...  i have Dual 80 gigs with bolth set up in two partitions  (dont laff i know there getting Full )


I can call ya if need (Cont U.s. only )   sometimes getting the Sata enabled and booting in the bios can be a pain ..(some mb's need a cd/floppy booted to get it working also)

[Clutz]

I za think itza starting to sink in now. *(knocks head with 2x4)* Thank you for your time and help Roscoroo. Thank you also whels. Having only ever used one drive/partition at a time, it was kind of hard to grasp hold of understanding multiple partitions/drives. I should get the new Raptor HD Monday or Tuesday. I'm pretty excited. If all works out well all I will have left to do is get another gig of ram. Thanks again.  Clutz

PS, I had a feeling u might mention something about that bell south crud, Roscoroo.

[JTs]

if you d/l any music or ummmm adult entertaintment (from limewire and the like)off the net put them in a separate folder and and scan them before using it will save you a lot of time and trouble.
  also try fsauto start do a seach on the forums. works good for shuting down processes