# Question about partioning two drives in RAID-0



## PieceOfMind (Dec 6, 2007)

This is probably a dumb question but here goes...

If I set up 2 two HDDs in RAID-0 but want to have two separate partitions still (eg. Windows and Storage partition), in which order should it be done (if it can be done at all!) and can it be done either way.

In other words, having two partitions which are both striped across two physical drives, would you partition the two hard drives first and then set up the array or would you setup the RAID first and then make partitions?

Do you get any real performance hits by having two partitions on a RAID-0 system like this?

I ask because for my next (and first) build I want to have 2 HDDs in RAID-0 but I still want to be abe to reformat a Windows partition when I want to, or I might make a partition for a future Vista upgrade for example.

Thanks!


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## geek73 (Mar 29, 2007)

Howdy Piece of Mind..

It is possible and makes the Raid actually a little faster..

Like I have a 50 gig partition for windows...The I made another 50 gig partition for all my program files.. Like my burning software anything that runs etc..See pic below

What stripe do you have it in? 128k or 64k?

Look at my partitions.. I get a faster IO with 5 or 6 partitions that if I only had one.. A couple things to speed up raid..

1) if you have an extra hard drive put your paging file on the separate HD..
2) Turn of System restore and *Indexing*
System restore slows down Raid 0 a little as it is constantly reading the HD
to turn off indexing...Right click your C drive and click properties.. Untick the box that says "index my drive to make searching faster" Click apply.. It will the ask if you want to do this to your sub folders click yes.

Anther thing to make it faster is to move your* Documents on to another partition*...This way it does not frag up as fast
Also move your Internet temp files to the same partition as your docs

Just open IE and click settings and click move..Then if you documents are on your E partition move it there.. Click apply log off and it is done..

I have seen (by turning off indexing and moving my Firefox temp files) my Raid perform much faster.
If you do not want to turn off System restore thats ok but it will give you a good 30 extra IO points on some benches and you will notice the speed.


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## PieceOfMind (Dec 6, 2007)

Hmm actually it would be good if you could recommend a stripe size. I was thinking 32 or 64k but I'm not sure which to go with. The system I want to build is a moderate-performance PC with the main goal being quiet operation. The specs I think will be:

Abit IP35 Pro Motherboard
Antec P182SE Case
Intel Core2 Duo 6600 CPU
Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme CPU cooler (completely passive)
2x 1GB Kingston DDRII 667MHZ RAM
Gigabyte GeForce 8600GTS (a passive VGA)
Corsair VX-550 PSU
2x Western Digital Caviar 160GB 7200rpm 8MB SATAII HDD (in RAID-0)
ASUS 20xDVD+-RW,14xDVD-RAM,32xCDRW,SATA,Lightscribe DRW-2014L1T
1x Antec Tricool Case Fan (front intake fan)
Scythe Kama Bay 5.25" System Cooler Black (extra front intake fan)

It will be for some gaming, movies etc., but also on occasion I need power for brute-force programs I make (for example in java). eg. processing images 6000x8000 using raster formats like bitmap. (on these occasions I may need to deliberately under-volt the CPU, if it's possible, since it will be running possibly near 100% load.)

Turning off indexing and system restore I've heard once or twice but I'd never thought to move the paging file - I'm not very sure how that works. Maybe once I have the PC built I'll be asking you for advice! 

I've never set up a RAID before you see... not even a mirror. I'm sort of familiar with the different array types and pros/cons etc... just not the actual setup involved in forming the partitions and RAID together.


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## geek73 (Mar 29, 2007)

For that I would recommend the 128k stripe..

As for adfvice..No problem we are here to help..

To make your RAID0 one beast (what I usually do) is when installing windows install it on the D partition and your program files the C partition (no wont mess anything up) and you think your os boots up fast now lol..

From the time I press the button (after BIOS check and all) it take 3 seconds to boot into windows when I have Windows on the D partition..

To make the most out of it as well. I would get a third smaller (maybe 80 giger) hard drive.. Then what you do is put the page, documents and temps files on the separate hard drive.. That is when you will see your Raid shine and fly..

Edit: ANd do not get Hard drives with only the 8 meg cache..

Get the 16 meg cache.. Same price little faster


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## PieceOfMind (Dec 6, 2007)

Can you recommend a good hard drive two set up a 2xHDD RAID0 then? My main priority is low-noise, followed by performance and lastly efficiency (low power consumption when idle etc.). (I've been lurking in the spcr forums too.)

I was looking at the Western Digital Caviar SE16 250GB for the two drives. But I heard somewhere that this drive gets very hot. It has 16MB cache. I don't want to blow the budget completely though so I wouldn't use two drives bigger than 320GB each.

Given that low-noise is my main priority, how would I decide on a good 80GB drive? On which drives is speed more important - the RAID0 drives or the drive with the paging file? Would a 5.4k RPM 80GB drive be ok? Is the 16MB (as opposed to 8MB) cache more important on the RAID drives or the paging file drive?

Thanks!

EDIT
If the RAID drives and the paging file drive were the same, which would contribute most to noise do you think? If it's the paging file drive I could consider buying a low capacity 2.5" drive and suspend it to lower noise and keep a minimal obstruction to airflow in the top part of the case. (I'm designing the PC around the Antec P182SE and keeping the two RAID HDDs in the lower chamber with the PSU.) I should emphasise again my main priority with nearly everything is _low noise_, or ideally, _inaudible_ noise.


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## blackduck30 (Sep 7, 2004)

maybe look at 2 of these

*Seagate ST3250410AS
SATA 250GB SATA II 300Mbps 7200rpm HDD 16Mb Cache Barracuda w/NCQ
*
http://umart.net.au/au/product_info...06478&osCsid=90b4352b3ac3ec81890dfe81bdc11f39

or 3 or 4 of these

*Seagate ST380815AS
SATA 80GB Sata II 300Mbps 7200rpm HDD 8Mb Cache Barracuda w/NCQ
*
http://umart.net.au/au/product_info...=1334&osCsid=90b4352b3ac3ec81890dfe81bdc11f39

I wouldn't even consider a 5400rpm drive , if anything I would look toward a 10,000rpm unit 

EG: 3 of these

*Western Digital WD360ADFD
WD Raptor® 36 GB, 1.5 Gb/s, 16 MB Cache, 10,000 RPM*

http://umart.net.au/au/product_info...06191&osCsid=90b4352b3ac3ec81890dfe81bdc11f39

or 2 of these

*Western Digital WD740ADFD
WD Raptor®: 74GB , 1.5 Gb/s, 10,000 RPM, 16MB Cache, SATA I*

http://umart.net.au/au/product_info...06192&osCsid=90b4352b3ac3ec81890dfe81bdc11f39

EDIT: looking at your specs tho a power supply upgrade to a nice quality 450/550W unit may be in order as well, the eagle 350W may be struggling and is more than likely a very low efficiency unit ( which means you are paying for electricity that just gets converted to heat and wasted )


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## PieceOfMind (Dec 6, 2007)

Oh sorry I didn't specify earlier but this is not an upgrade for my current system. It is an entirely new build (in design at the moment). The specs are listed in an above post.

In fact, here is where my initial ideas were:
http://www.silentpcreview.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=45068

The power supply I have in mind is a nice one.


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## PieceOfMind (Dec 6, 2007)

Anyway, I think I have my parts list mostly finalised now. Now I'd just like some tips on how to partition my drives. Feel free to critique my idea below (particularly on the relative/appropriate sizes of the partitions):

*Physical Drive 1*: 2x Western Digital Caviar SE16 250GB in RAID-0.
Partitions:
Windows 60GB
Programs 80GB
Media 340GB
Data 20GB (for regular backups to Physical Drive 2)

*Physical Drive 2*: 1x Samsung HD403LJ
Partitions:
Paging file 10GB
BackupWindows 60GB
BackupPrograms 80GB
BackupData 20GB
Docs 50GB (My Documents, temp internet files)
Storage 180GB (general purpose)

Does that all sound sensible? geek73 is there any particular reason you use 10GB for the page partition - seems like overkill. If it is way overkill I would reduce mine to maybe 5GB in that above list.

And my parts list now...
Antec P182SE Case
Intel Core2 Duo 6600 CPU
Corsair VX-550 PSU
Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme CPU cooler
2x Western Digital Caviar SE16 250GB 7200rpm 16MB SATAII HDD
ASUS 20xDVD+-RW,14xDVD-RAM,32xCDRW,SATA,Lightscribe DRW-2014L1T
1x Antec Tricool Case Fan
Scythe Kama Bay 5.25" System Cooler Black
Abit IP35 Pro Motherboard
Already owned:
2x 1GB Kingston DDRII 667MHZ RAM
Gigabyte GeForce 8600GTS
1x 400GB Samsung HD403LJ 400GB 7200rpm 16MB SATAII HDD


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