Another Hard Drive Question

by **Ralph Wiggum** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 11:32 am

After a few technical difficulties I have finally got my new computer up and running. I have set up an SATA Raid 0 array with two 120 GB Seagate hardrives. Once I installed them, the bios screen shows that they are 240068 MB (240 GB). But Windows XP only sees 228.9 GB.

Should I be concerned about this? Frankly that is more disk space than I am likely to ever need, but I just want to make sure everything is set up correctly.

by **Doyle Hargraves** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 11:40 am

Windows and everything else does take up space. That might be part of it.

by **Bullhead** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 11:41 am

Ralph, windows will always misreport this number. What;s happening is two fold, really. First, the SATA bios is showing you the true drive size, whereas windows is showing you the drive size AFTER the file tables (i.e. partitions) have taken some space. Second, windows likes to round poorly

So, no, nothing to be concerned over.

by **Murgatroyd** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 11:46 am

While on the subject, what's the difference between a RAID array and a regular IDE connection?

by **Bullhead** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 11:53 am

RAID = Redudant Array of Independent Disks. There are different types of raid, most used in corporate/server level PCs. For home users, there are only really 2 types in use, Raid 0 and Raid 1.

Raid 0 is when you take two drives (usually identical), and using the software/hardware for the raid controller you create a "virtual" hard drive that is the combination of the two drives. This allows programs (i.e. windows) to write to both drives simultaneously as though it were only writing to one drive. This significantly speeds up system performance, as HD's are one of the worst bottlenecks in system performance. the downside to raid 0 is that it risks data loss, b/c if you have a failure of either drive, all data is gone (you need both to get the info, can't do it with one).

Raid 1 is like the above, but instead of merging the two drives, it clones one drive to the other, so you have a constant, perfect, backup of the one drive. This way, if either drive fails (but not both) you've got a perfect backup copy, 100% up to date. This offers no speed increase, but does allow for data security.

**note** We'll discuss my consulting fees later

by **BallBuster** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 1:19 pm

The problem with a mirrored array on a local windows machine
is that is is constantly makng a full mirror of drive #1 on #2

The problem with a Striped array is that is breaks up data
across all your drives, so if one drive goes most of the
data on both drives is screwed

So....
1. If you get a virus on the 1st - it is on the second
2. If you over write a file by accident - it is toast

What I did was set up Raid 0 with 2 SATA drives
The first is my primary drive and the second is
only activated when I run Norton Ghost to do a complete
system back-up. That way if drive #1 takes a dump I
just swap out drives and my system is up and running
exactly as it was up to my last back up

by **yaDad** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 1:23 pm

STAND BACK!..............I'm a scientist.

Originally posted by Bullhead
RAID = Redudant Array of Independent Disks. There are different types of raid, most used in corporate/server level PCs. For home users, there are only really 2 types in use, Raid 0 and Raid 1.

Raid 0 is when you take two drives (usually identical), and using the software/hardware for the raid controller you create a "virtual" hard drive that is the combination of the two drives. This allows programs (i.e. windows) to write to both drives simultaneously as though it were only writing to one drive. This significantly speeds up system performance, as HD's are one of the worst bottlenecks in system performance. the downside to raid 0 is that it risks data loss, b/c if you have a failure of either drive, all data is gone (you need both to get the info, can't do it with one).

Raid 1 is like the above, but instead of merging the two drives, it clones one drive to the other, so you have a constant, perfect, backup of the one drive. This way, if either drive fails (but not both) you've got a perfect backup copy, 100% up to date. This offers no speed increase, but does allow for data security.

**note** We'll discuss my consulting fees later

by **yaDad** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 1:25 pm

further somewhat related to this subject....what is needed to add another ide channel in a box...
i need to run more than 4 ide devices...aint there a pci car that i can add to do this?

by **Ralph Wiggum** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 1:26 pm

Thanks Bullhead. I figured everything was ok since it was working fine. As soon as I get my internet access working on it and install the AV and router I will be ready to see if it helps me kick even more BF ass.

Ballbuster, aren't you describing a Raid 1 array?

by **BallBuster** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 1:33 pm

Yadad...

You can just string them along in a chain
Remember, all IDE drives will be as slow as the slowest drive

by **BallBuster** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 1:34 pm

RAID 0 is Striping
RAID 1 is Mirroring

by **Bullhead** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 2:54 pm

Ballbuster. You are describing a raid 1 array (mirror), but calling it raid 0. There is no such thing as master/slave in regrads to raid, unless the 2 drives are on the same cable (which they usually aren't, for best performance regardless of array type).

Yadad, yes you can get a PCI IDE controller, usually will give you 2 more channels, or support for 4 more ide devices. You can even boot of of it with windows, although this is a smidge trickier than a standard install.

Max # of devices an ide channel supports is 2, primary and slave.

by **Ralph Wiggum** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 3:11 pm

Here's a basic question I shouldn't even need to ask, but here goes. The motherboard I have used on the new computer is the p4c800-e. It includes what is described as an onboard "Intel Gigabit LAN." My question is do I need an ethernet card to connect to my DSL, or is this enough. I ask because it does not appear that the CAT-5 cable I have been using will fit into the new motherboard's Gigabit port.

by **BallBuster** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 3:24 pm

Bullhead...

You are mistaken my friend

I have a new ASUS P4C800-E Delux card. This card has 2
SATA Raid plugs on the card RAID1 and RAID0

This card also has the capability to run in an "Extended" raid
mode as I have described in a previous post

you think technology remains constant bro ???

by **Murgatroyd** » Mon Apr 05, 2004 3:28 pm

Uh-oh.. techno-geek fight! The sparks will be a-flyin!

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