basic ssd question

[calaveraOC]

I'm a noob to SSD and had a few questions.

1. does 60GB really mean 60GB or is it that bit/byte scam that all HDD manufacturers use? i.e) 1Tb = 931 GB

2. I have 6 sata connections on my mainboard, what can I do if I want to add more HDD/SSD's? I currently used up all 6.

3. when you use RAID, does it only take up one SATA?

4. will I see big difference if I use vertex SSD over my current raptor 150g strictly used for O/S only? (I will go SSD anyways, just curious)

thanx for any help in advance. :D

[icebob]

I'm a noob to SSD and had a few questions.

1. does 60GB really mean 60GB or is it that bit/byte scam that all HDD manufacturers use? i.e) 1Tb = 931 GB

2. I have 6 sata connections on my mainboard, what can I do if I want to add more HDD/SSD's? I currently used up all 6.

3. when you use RAID, does it only take up one SATA?

4. will I see big difference if I use vertex SSD over my current raptor 150g strictly used for O/S only? (I will go SSD anyways, just curious)

thanx for any help in advance. :D

From your questions you have a lot of reading to do before you commit. Start here (http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=186) it will answer most of your question

[bz2klag]

I'm a noob to SSD and had a few questions.

1. does 60GB really mean 60GB or is it that bit/byte scam that all HDD manufacturers use? i.e) 1Tb = 931 GB

2. I have 6 sata connections on my mainboard, what can I do if I want to add more HDD/SSD's? I currently used up all 6.

3. when you use RAID, does it only take up one SATA?

4. will I see big difference if I use vertex SSD over my current raptor 150g strictly used for O/S only? (I will go SSD anyways, just curious)

thanx for any help in advance. :D

1) Like HDDs 60 GB = 60 billion bytes which in true GB would be slightly less then 60 GB.

2) You can add in a PCI-express or PCI sata card.

3) RAID takes 2 or more SATAs

4) Not sure, but theoretically I would think so.

[icebob]

1) Like HDDs 60 GB = 60 billion bytes which in true GB would be slightly less then 60 GB.

1 byte=1024bits so a 60g HDD will be in real life 5985600000 bytes, it's a way manufacturers have to play with math I'll let you do the math for a 1TB drive....

[MattNo5ss]

1 byte=1024bits...

1byte = 8bits

Short answer to number 1:

You'll have 55.879GB of usable space.

Long answer to number 1:

The problem with HDD manufacturers is that it seems like they don't know the conversions between byte/Kilobyte/Megabyte/Gigabyte...

In a Base-10 (10^x) number system it would be muliplying by 1000 (10^3):

60GB = 60000MB = 60000000KB = 60000000000B

But computers use Base-2 (2^x), and the closest number to 1000 is 1024, so it's supposed to by multiplication by 1024 not 1000...

60GB = 61440MB = 62914560KB = 64424509440B

They can get away with this b/c the average person is used to Base-10, and don't know or care about a Base-2 conversion...so when 60000000000B is used you'll end up with 55.879GB.

[icebob]

1byte = 8bits

Short answer to number 1:

You'll have 55.879GB of usable space.

Long answer to number 1:

The problem with HDD manufacturers is that it seems like they don't know the conversions between byte/Kilobyte/Megabyte/Gigabyte...

In a Base-10 (10^x) number system it would be muliplying by 1000 (10^3):

60GB = 60000MB = 60000000KB = 60000000000B

But computers use Base-2 (2^x), and the closest number to 1000 is 1024, so it's supposed to by multiplication by 1024 not 1000...

60GB = 61440MB = 62914560KB = 64424509440B

They can get away with this b/c the average person is used to Base-10, and don't know or care about a Base-2 conversion...so when 60000000000B is used you'll end up with 55.879GB.

Thanks for rectifying me. (too much wine with dinner) what I meant to say is 1kylobyte= 1024 bytes so with playing with math you end up with less in real world

[ou_phidelt]

I'm a noob to SSD and had a few questions.

1. does 60GB really mean 60GB or is it that bit/byte scam that all HDD manufacturers use? i.e) 1Tb = 931 GB
Been explained thoroughly.
2. I have 6 sata connections on my mainboard, what can I do if I want to add more HDD/SSD's? I currently used up all 6.
Add a card, either PCI or PCI-E
3. when you use RAID, does it only take up one SATA?
Takes up as many as it would just to run them. The still need to connect to the motherboard(or RAID card, whatever the case may be)
4. will I see big difference if I use vertex SSD over my current raptor 150g strictly used for O/S only? (I will go SSD anyways, just curious)
Depends on the SSD. Typically a bit better boot times but other than that it depends on the drive. It can be from faster read and write times to a stuttering mess that will make you want too chuck your system out the window.
thanx for any help in advance. :D

In short you get what you may for. I would no go lower end than an OCZ Vertex with the Intel X25-M being preferred. Also keep in mind a few decent SSD's can easily outperform on--board RAID, so make sure you consider the cost of a nice raid card depending on your plans.

[jstutman]

I think everyone has covered everything, but i gotta laugh at the so called "scam

[Know Nuttin]

In short you get what you may for. I would no go lower end than an OCZ Vertex with the Intel X25-M being preferred. Also keep in mind a few decent SSD's can easily outperform on--board RAID, so make sure you consider the cost of a nice raid card depending on your plans.

Add the Supertalent ME to that list also, it uses the same indilinx controller as the OCZ Vertex. It may be cheaper although I can't say how support with Supertalent is.

[ou_phidelt]

Add the Supertalent ME to that list also, it uses the same indilinx controller as the OCZ Vertex. It may be cheaper although I can't say how support with Supertalent is.

I didn't know that. You learn something every day...