traditional hard drive vs solid state

[web]

Hello again I currently run four 250 GB drives in a raid 10 for windows 7 ultimate, doing a complete upgrade MB, Memory, processor etc. but Sata ports on new MB's are always few .... typically 6

been looking at Asus Maximus VI Formula which has ten Sata ports ..... but just found out only six are on the main board not sure yet what u could with other four ?

so I'm now thinking is it better to have 4 hard drives on raid ten, or one solid state drive which would mean I don't need as many Sata ports and look for better board for my needs

 

[Kaktussoft]

Why do you mix raid 0 (striping) and raid 1 (mirroring)?
Striping is for speed. Mirroring is for faster "read speed" and higher availability.
If 1 disk fails.... no problem. You have only 50% of diskspace... because of mirroring. You're talking about RAID1+0 so not about RAID ten.

With 1 SSD you have 100% disk space.... but if it fails you're having problems.

SSD's are very very fast. But also very expensive

 

[LMiller7]

Why are you using RAID?
RAID 0 is for performance. While benchmarks look good the benefits in real world conditions tend to be more modest. Usually not worth the trouble.

Other forms of RAID allow access to your data in the event of a drive failure. That is a big deal on a busy server but not usually on a desktop. But it's purpose is NOT to protect your data. It is not a type of backup. All important files need a backup and no form of RAID can provide that.

RAID is commonly used in servers. In a desktop environment RAID is usually more trouble than it is worth.

I have nothing against RAID when used for the right reasons and you understand the implications. Unfortunately that is often not the case.

 

[whs]

I only use SSDs since 2008 for my OS installations and HDDs for the data. There is no comparison in terms of speed. The access time of a SSD is on average 150 times faster than that of a HDD - raid or no raid. And data transfer is appr. 4 times the speed, but that is not an issue with the OS because it makes a lot of random access for very little 4K files.

And SSDs are cheap these days. You can get a 240GB model for around $100 and a 120GB model for appr. $70 - in 2008 when I bought my first 60GB model I paid $265.

Here you have a few examples. Prices in the UK may slightly vary (because of the VAT) but I have seen reasonable offers on Alternate, UK too.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Mirroring (RAID 1) provides redundancy to ensure continued operation should one of the drives fail. It's a somewhat inefficient way of getting redundancy since each drive requires the same sized drive to mirror to; it's also a bit slower than a single drive. RAID 0 is for speed however, if you lose one drive, you lose everything. RAID 10 is a nested RAID in which helps to make up for the speed loss and still provide redundancy. Keep in mind any form of RAID is not a backup. The same problems that can cause data to be lost from a drive—accidental deletion, virus or other malware, blown power supply, theft, etc.—can cause the same loss in the other drives. Only a discrete backup on media connected to the computer only during a backup can protect from data loss.

You didn't say what you use your RAID 10 for. If it is just for data storage, you don't need anything faster than a 7200rpm spinner; even a 5400rpm spinner is often fast enough for most people. The only thing you actually gain from replacing your RAID 10 with a single SSD is lower power draw, less weight, less heat and a bit less noise (todays spinners are pretty quiet). You will never notice the speed difference unless you frequently transfer huge files.

If you are running your OS and programs on it, you will definitely see a very noticeable speed gain in boot times and program loading with an SSD but your programs or games won't run any faster. SSDs aren't cost effective for data storage unless you are limited to only one drive, such as in a laptop.

I personally would get an SSD just for your OS and programs only and a single good HDD for your data storage, then use one or more external HDDs for backups. The size of the SSD would be determined by how much room your OS and programs. I fit all mine on a 128GB SSD with 58GB to spare. If 500GB is all you need for storage, I would just run two of your 250GB HDDs inside the computer (not in RAID; you really do not need it although it does have a certain Geek appeal) and back them up externally on the remaining two HDDs, using enclosures or a dock (actually, that is pretty much what I do except I have two local backups and two offsite backups for each drive I have in service). If you image the OS drive (aka boot drive) to a storage drive in the computer, it will be more convenient to access for restoration and will also get backed up externally when you backup the drive it is on.

Most people here use Macrium Reflect Free (here is a good tutorial on how to use Macrium Reflect) for imaging their OS and programs drives. I useFreeFileSync, a folder/file syncing program to backup my data drives on a daily basis.

 

[web]

Macrium Reflect Free[/URL] (here is a good tutorial on how to use Macrium Reflect) for imaging their OS and programs drives. I useFreeFileSync, a folder/file syncing program to backup my data drives on a daily basis.

will look up these programs I normally just copy can take some time

the 4 240GB drives on raid 10 are my win 7 installation is this not a good idea any more ?, also I have two 1000GB drives on raid 1 mirror I use for storage, also backed up to a external enclosure

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Macrium Reflect Free[/URL] (here is a good tutorial on how to use Macrium Reflect) for imaging their OS and programs drives. I useFreeFileSync, a folder/file syncing program to backup my data drives on a daily basis.

will look up these programs I normally just copy can take some time...

Copying will not protect your OS and programs. Imaging will allow you to restore your OS and programs should they ever go wonky on you (it's best to have your OS/programs on a separate partition or drive for that). Imaging is like a film camera. The camera creates a negative that then can be used to create a print. An image is like the film negative and can be used to recreate your OS/programs on your boot partition or drive.

Copying can be used to backup data but manually copying data is very time consuming and prone to human errors. Using a folder/file syncing program, once set up, will automate the process. Folder/file syncing programs, after the initial backup, will copy, change, or delete folders and files on the backup to reflect changes to the original drive when using the mirror setting. FreeFileSync can also be set to send discarded folder and files to a versioning folder for an extra measure of backup. Once the initial backup has been done, subsequent backups are much faster and put much less wear and tear on your drives.

...the 4 240GB drives on raid 10 are my win 7 installation is this not a good idea any more ?, also I have two 1000GB drives on raid 1 mirror I use for storage, also backed up to a external enclosure

Once upon a time, all HDDs were slow and small so various RAIDs were used to gain speed and/or capacity. All RAIDs other than 0 improved reliability but RAID still isn't a backup for reasons I've already explained. Today's HDDs are much faster and more reliable, negating the need for RAID in all but the largest volumes (over 4TB) or in situations that require continuous operation at all times (such as businesses).

RAID 10 for your OS is way overkill. It isn't going to be much, if any, faster, isn't really needed, and will not protect your OS as well as a separate backup will, such as imaging will (as long as the images are stored externally).

As I mentioned earlier, SSDs will run circles around HDDs, even HDDs in RAID 0. A single SSD for your OS/programs is more than sufficient as long as you back it up.

The RAID 1s your storage drives are in will ensure continuous operation if one drive should fail but is not really needed unless a temporary shut down will unacceptable (while highly undesirable, temporary shutdowns aren't really a problem unless you are a business). Again, RAID is not a backup. All you really need are one or more (preferably more) external backups for each internal HDD.

 

[web]

...the 4 240GB drives on raid 10 are my win 7 installation is this not a good idea any more ?, also I have two 1000GB drives on raid 1 mirror I use for storage, also backed up to a external enclosure

RAID 10 for your OS is way overkill. It isn't going to be much, if any, faster, isn't really needed, and will not protect your OS as well as a separate backup will, such as imaging will (as long as the images are stored externally).

As I mentioned earlier, SSDs will run circles around HDDs, even HDDs in RAID 0. A single SSD for your OS/programs is more than sufficient as long as you back it up.

The RAID 1s your storage drives are in will ensure continuous operation if one drive should fail but is not really needed unless a temporary shut down will unacceptable (while highly undesirable, temporary shutdowns aren't really a problem unless you are a business). Again, RAID is not a backup. All you really need are one or more (preferably more) external backups for each internal HDD.

Ok u got me convinced on the SSDs so wont need as many Sata ports ( are all Sata ports the same ? )

Bit confused with my raid 1, so my raid 1 mirror of two drives, if one fails, can I still access content on that one drive that survives ??? that's was the hole reason for doing it, have I got this wrong ? ps just data

 

[LMiller7]

Bit confused with my raid 1, so my raid 1 mirror of two drives, if one fails, can I still access content on that one drive that survives ??? that's was the hole reason for doing it, have I got this wrong ? ps just data

That is correct and is indeed why RAID 1 was developed. But many people wrongly interpret that as a safeguard for their data. The purpose is to maintain access to your data in the event of a drive failure and allow the drive to be replaced at a more convenient time. That is a big deal on a busy server but not usually for a desktop. But it's purpose is not to protect your data. That is what backups are for. RAID can only offers protection from drive failure and even that cannot be relied on.

Use RAID 1 if you think you need it but be sure you use it for the right reasons.

 

[Kaktussoft]

Bit confused with my raid 1, so my raid 1 mirror of two drives, if one fails, can I still access content on that one drive that survives ??? that's was the hole reason for doing it, have I got this wrong ? ps just data

Raid1 is mirroring.... two exact copies. Writing is a little bit slower. It has to be done twice by OS or controller. Read speed is faster. It can read some blocks from member1 and some from member2.

If one fails ... system still can access the disk. Unless the controller is faulty or the system burns for example.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

...Ok u got me convinced on the SSDs so wont need as many Sata ports ( are all Sata ports the same ? )...

If the pq5 pro you list in your specs is an Asus motherboard, then you only have SATA II (3Gbps) available on that board. While a SSD can take advantage of the increased speeds available with SATA III (6Gbps), you can still get significantly faster performance with SATA II, better than you are getting from your RAID10. From what I could find out about that board, use the six red SATA ports to the left of the right port first.

...Bit confused with my raid 1, so my raid 1 mirror of two drives, if one fails, can I still access content on that one drive that survives ??? that's was the hole reason for doing it, have I got this wrong ? ps just data

That is the fallacy of RAID1 (or any other RAID other than 0). Yes, if one drive fails, you will still have your data on the other drive. However, drive failure isn't the only thing that can take out your data. Anything that deletes or corrupts data on your primary drive will be reflected on the mirror drive. If you accidentally delete a file, it will be deleted on the mirror. If a virus deletes or corrupts a file, it will be deleted or corrupted on the mirror. If your PSU blows and sends a current surge or voltage spike to your HDDs or a surge or spike on the power lines blows through you surge arrestor (you do have one, right?), both your primary and mirror drives will be toast. If a thief steals your computer, there goes all your data. While it does not hurt to have your data drives mirrored and may allow your computer to keep running if a drive should fail, it's still imperative that you, at the very least, maintain one backup kept disconnected and away from the computer except when actually making a backup, and keep it updated frequently. Since backup drives can also fail plus it's possible for something to go wrong during the backup (been there, done that, didn't even get the tee shirt), more than one backup is an extremely wise thing to do. Doing so has saved my bacon data more than once in the past.

 

[web]

Bit confused with my raid 1, so my raid 1 mirror of two drives, if one fails, can I still access content on that one drive that survives ??? that's was the hole reason for doing it, have I got this wrong ? ps just data

That is correct and is indeed why RAID 1 was developed. But many people wrongly interpret that as a safeguard for their data. The purpose is to maintain access to your data in the event of a drive failure and allow the drive to be replaced at a more convenient time. That is a big deal on a busy server but not usually for a desktop. But it's purpose is not to protect your data. That is what backups are for. RAID can only offers protection from drive failure and even that cannot be relied on.

Use RAID 1 if you think you need it but be sure you use it for the right reasons.

I use to protect the data on the drives if one fails but also back up to external enclosure just recently but not done yet found out u can update my external enclosure instead of recopying

PS so are u saying I could if it came to it for instance, could I take the surviving drive and read it on its own ? in my set up or on another pc

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Deleted.

 

[web]

...Ok u got me convinced on the SSDs so wont need as many Sata ports ( are all Sata ports the same ? )...

If the pq5 pro you list in your specs is an Asus motherboard, then you only have SATA II (3Gbps) available on that board. While a SSD can take advantage of the increased speeds available with SATA III (6Gbps), you can still get significantly faster performance with SATA II, better than you are getting from your RAID10. From what I could find out about that board, use the six red SATA ports to the left of the right port first.

hi again u just answered something I posted, thanks about the "mirror 1" thing

but am upgrading my hole set up was looking at a (Asus Maximus V1 formula) mainly for the Sata ports that's not such a massive worry now but holds loads of memory 4 number 8Gb too most boards just two banks