Windows 7 SSD Setup Info

[shmiffy24]

Hi.

First off im sorry if this has already been asked.

I Currently have two WD 320GB HDD's raided into one large drive ( raid 0 i think) and have ordered an OCZ Vertex 2 60GB SSD.

I Intend to use the SSD as a Boot drive and for the most used applications- The other apps can go onto the storage HDD's.

I Require Help with the following:

1) Should I raid the two HDD's into one storage drive as I have at the moment? Or use one drive for the applications and the other for files like My Documents, Photos, videos, music etc.., would this way reduce the risk of me losing my files?

2) Should I do a clean format of the storage drives?
Ideally I would like to install windows 7 onto the SSD for the boot drive purpose and onto the freshly formatted HDD's incase the SSD breaks, I can then remove the SSD and just use the HDD.

 

[Golden]

Hi,

My suggestions is to have:

1. The OS and most applications on the SSD.
2. Your data/storage drive on the mechnaical HDD's in a RAID0 configuration
3. Use an external USB drive to backup your RAID0 storage drive

This is the system that I currently use (see my System Specs).

I install large game files to the RAID0 storage drive instead of the SSD.

Whilst its true that if one HDD of the RAID fails then the entire contents of the stoarge are lost, you can offset this loss through the backup on your external USB drive. With a RAID0 you are sacrificing redundancy for speed, and its a question of whats more important to you. Using something like Macrium Reflect Free (http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.asp) to image/backup offsets the risk in my opinion, so I choose to take advantage of the speed that the RAID0 configuration delivers.

I'm not sure that having a duplicate boot installation on one of the mechnical HDD's serves any purpose. If the SSD is new (which in your case it is) and well maintained (see link later on), it has no more probability of failure than a mechnical HDD. I would use both mechnical drives, either in RAID0 or separate, as storage/data drives. Again, you can use Macrium images to recover very quickly in the worst case scenario.

Since the SSD is brand new, you don't need to perform any alignments during Windows installation : the OS takes care of that for you.

Here is a useful guide to optimising your SSD once you decide to get your system setup, and have installed the OS and applications to that drive:

SSD Windows 7 Tweaks
Guide * Windows 7 Ultimate Tweaks & Utilities *

Let us know if you need further help. There are many experienced people here that will help you get things nicely sorted out.

Regards,
Golden

 

[shmiffy24]

feedback

Thanks very much for your reply, i think i will go for your suggestions as its the best i can see ( surprised i didnt think of the benefit of raiding the HDD's)

In response to the boot drive on teh HDD's- it was a thought just incase teh ssd broke leaving me without a b oot drive. i could simply boot from the HDD instead as i am doing so now.

Thanks again for your quick response.

 

[Golden]

No problem. As I said, the HDD has just a good a chance as dying as the SSD.

Regards,
Golden