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Jdub83

New Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2008
Hello! So just a couple weeks ago I’ve decided to build my first computer, until recently I didn’t even know what a PCI express slot was. After wracking my brain and learning as much as I could in the given amount of time these are the parts I’ve ended up buying (trying to keep a total budget around/under 1k). I’m planning on using this computer to play a few high end games, do video recording and editing, photoshop, & CAD work.

-Core 2 E8500 3.16ghz
-X38-T2RB DFI Lanparty DK Series
-8 GB G.Skill RAM (2gbx2)(x2) DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)
-Radeon HD 4870, 512mb
-Corsair CMPSU-650TX
-Windows Vista Ultimate b4bit
-Case, CD drive, speakers, mouse, keyboard, cable modem (typical)
-I have 2 external hard drives I use for storage

With this build in the future I can add a 2nd GPU w/ crossfire & a larger CPU. With the 8GB RAM I should be set for a while.

Now I’m having problems determining what I should do for my HDD options. Even after extensive reading I’m still undecided. I’m not sure the best way to partition your drives even. My original thoughts were to buy (2) WD 500GB / 7200 RPM drives and set them to RAID0, while also having a 3rd 80GB drive dedicated to solely the OS and pagefile. Will this work, what do you suggest?

Anything I’m missing for build & bootup? Like what about that cooling paste stuff that you lather on your unit? What guide’s should I follow for a first time builder (also for a first time vista 64 user).

Thanks, and any tips or links are appreciated!!! (especially with the HDD issues).
 
Have you looked into a quad? From your uses it looks like you would really benefit from one.

For your HD's I would pick up a couple 640GB WD's and put them in either RAID 0 or matrix.

For cooling a Xigamatek S1283 gives a lot of bang for the buck. For TIM I like Arctic Silver 5 but that is a pretty debatable topic.
 
I second the mention of quad core by ou_phidelt

you don't really need a third drive for the OS etc. Just throw it on the raid 0 array and it may actually be faster.

Arctic Silver 5 is probably the most popular option for thermal paste. Just put a pea sized amount in the center of the processor then put the heat sink on top. Many modern CPUs come with a thermal pad from the manufacture though the performance of these are subject to debate
 
The Xigmatek S1283 is great bang-for-buck, especially if you use Arctic Silver 5 ;)

For HDDs... I'd say don't even bother with a pagefile / virtual memory, since you have 8GB of RAM. Now, for RAID... that's a personal preference thing. If you got a really high performance but small drive (say, a WD Raptor) you could use that for your OS and then use a RAID array or just a large drive for storage (especially since you want to do video editing.)
Personally, I'd do that and go with a nice redundant array... two 500GBs or two 1TBs. Just in case.
Get maybe a 120GB drive that performs really well for the OS.

Oh, and, :welcome: to the forums ;)
 
From a gamer's point of view the C2 was winning the debate compared to a Q4. If I get heavier into video then an upgrade would be an interesting comparison (being a gamer also.) Besides my cat is already on the kitchen table playing with the C2, done deal!


Would this work? or is it overkill/redundant?

Rosewill RC-211, Sata2, (S2x2) - RAID 0/1 JBOD
to
(2) 320's, 500,' or 640's WD harddrives
&
Vista64 U. on a WD740ADFD


Thanks for the recommendations! I just ordered the Xigamajic and AS5, cool engineering to say the least. Where is the attachment that converts it into a homemade still?
 
depends on what your definition of overkill is XD

what RAID were you thinking?
0 ~ (2 drives) essentially makes two drives into one that is twice as large and twice as "fast"
1 ~ (2 drives)Only storage of one drive as the spare is completely backing up the first
1+0 ~ (4 drives) speed of 0 and reliability of 1
3 ~ (3 Drives) 2/3 the space of 3 disks but if any one fails, the other can rebuild the data.

Any way you go is going to be a gain in some aspect be it reliability or performance or both but they all come at the trade off of price.
 
depends on what your definition of overkill is XD

what RAID were you thinking?
0 ~ (2 drives) essentially makes two drives into one that is twice as large and twice as "fast"
1 ~ (2 drives)Only storage of one drive as the spare is completely backing up the first
1+0 ~ (4 drives) speed of 0 and reliability of 1
3 ~ (3 Drives) 2/3 the space of 3 disks but if any one fails, the other can rebuild the data.

Any way you go is going to be a gain in some aspect be it reliability or performance or both but they all come at the trade off of price.

I was thinking RAID0 with the 2 big drives. Will that RC-11 controller do me justice?

If I can't figure out the installation and raid bios or what have you at least I will have 3 hard drives to work with. I just wish I could get a super fast drive but under 40 GB (and reasonably priced IMO), the recommandation for Vista64 U. is 40+15GB, I find that hard to imagine.
 
wow! I never knew WD stopped selling the 36gb raptor, that's embarrassing
You could go with the 74gb raptor and put your most played games on it as well as the OS. $120 is a little steep though.

Honestly I would just put everything on the 2 RAID0 drives. With the platter density so high in addition to RAID, it will be plenty fast. You can always decide to add a 3rd drive in the future if you are not satisfied
 
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