Go to Windows 7 Insider Guide
Storage: Is 2 hard drives better than 1?
Is 2 hard drives better than 1?
by abcd3fg - 4/24/06 10:04 AMOther than the obvious storage advantage, is it better to have 2 hard drives internal rather than just 1 hard drive with 2 partitions? I can either do 2 internal and 1 external or 1 internal and 2 external. I would personally rather have a 2nd external one, but if someone can give me a reason to have 2 internal hard drives I will consider it. The internals would be 1 250gb SATA (which I will partition into 2 parts) and 1 120gb IDE. So if I go for the single drive solution it would just be the 250gb SATA. Thanks!
..aside from the obvious...
by jackintucson
- 4/24/06 10:57 AM
In reply to: Is 2 hard drives better than 1? by abcd3fg
you will have a working drive should the other fail. With proper backups, it's fairly simple to make the d: drive a c: drive until the other is replaced.
There is also a throughput advantage to two drives. Rather than have the heads looking for data and using Windows resources at the same time, you can see an improved seek time using two drive. This is especially true with multi-media operations.
and life goes on...
Jack
I really like the idea of 2 hard disk drives and have ...
by VAPCMD - 4/24/06 8:51 PM In reply to: Is 2 hard drives better than 1? by abcd3fgmade it work for me and those I help since 2001. I sleep well 
First hard drive has two partitions ....
- 1 ...the OS and the Apps
- 2 ...all data, downloadsm updates, etc.,
Second hard drive also has two partitions....
- 1 small partition for a swap file
- 2 large partition for image files of both C: and D:
In the event C: becomes corrupt and cannot be quickly fixed...I just get out my Ghost floppy disk and restore C: from one of the images stored on the 2nd hard drive. If the first drive dies mechanically ...I get a new drive, install it and restore the inages again from the second hard drive. If the original HDD is still under warranty ...I send it back
To take it one step further...I copy images of drive C: and drive D: to an external HDD that I can keep safe in my desk at work. I also protect the system with a good UPS that prevent the unanticipated outages, data loss and potential corruption.
VAPCMD
Extra Storage
by lizwilliams - 4/28/06 2:54 AM In reply to: Is 2 hard drives better than 1? by abcd3fgI think so. I sometimes use my 2nd drive for programs I am not sure I am going to like or find too hard to use. I also have an extrnal hardrive which I use to store my photos and music, so as to save space on my main drives. When you think about it I am sure you could find a lot of uses for a 2nd hardrive.
So your only copy of your photos and music is on ext HDD ?
by VAPCMD - 4/28/06 5:27 AM In reply to: Extra Storage by lizwilliamsYou'd be a lot better proteced if you had the data on one of the internals with an extra copy on your external HDD.
For all intents and purposes...it sounds like you have 2 internal HDDs and one external HDD but ZERO backup ...is that right ? Have you read the posts in this forum re problems accessing external HDDs ? Scares me.
Two Internal drives
by skycatcher - 4/28/06 3:58 AM In reply to: Is 2 hard drives better than 1? by abcd3fgPutting together what previous people have said plus a bit more....
A partitioned drive still has the same amount of heads and is NOT two (or more) drives with their own heads. Add a second HDD and - FIRST JOB - put your Windows swapfile on there, use a 'fixed minimum' size of about twice the size of your RAM... this means that you have two drives working with separate heads, it will speed up Windows and also won't have to stop and increase the swap file size when it needs more space. Also try putting your Browser Temporary Files on the second drive and even your Temp Folders.
Ideally, you would use three separate drives... (1) for your OS and Programs, (2) for Data & Backups and (3) for Swap Files (virtual memory) and Temporary stuff. All three can move stuff at the same time instead of having one set of heads going crazy.
How is it a backup if data and backup on the same drive ?
by VAPCMD - 4/28/06 5:09 AM In reply to: Two Internal drives by skycatcherI always use two internal HDDs (three including an external HDD for a second copy of my backup) and it's worked for me and those I help since 2001. I sleep well
First hard drive has two partitions ....
- 1 ...the OS and the Apps
- 2 ...all data, downloadsm updates, etc.,
Second hard drive also has two partitions....
- 1 small partition for a swap file
- 2 large partition for image files of both C: and D:
In the event C: becomes corrupt and cannot be quickly fixed thru restore points or other...I get out my Ghost floppy disk and restore C: (the first physical hard drive) from one of the images stored on the 2nd physical hard drive. If the first drive dies mechanically ...I get a new drive, install it and restore the images again from the second hard drive. If the original HDD is still under warranty ...I send it back and put the warranty replacement on the shelf when it's replaced. Actually have several spare HDDs so the restore is very quick and as easy and painless as a drive failure can be.
To take it one step further...I copy images of drive C: and drive D: to an external HDD that I can keep safe in my desk at work. I also protect the system with a good UPS that minimizes data loss and potential corruption from unanticipated outages, .
VAPCMD
Two Hard Drives
by nomadd74 - 4/28/06 9:41 PM In reply to: Two Internal drives by skycatcherI have had two internal hard drives for about three years. However, I have not made full use of same. Originally, I was using W98se and decided to update to Home Edition XP. Before I did so I had another drive installed. My idea was to use the smaller drive 10gb for W98se and the larger drive 40gb for XP. Not having any experience with XP I thought I was being smart in case XP crashed, then I would have access through the separate drive to the internet.
I have never had XP crash and consequently never used my smaller drive with W98se. Also I discovered that I could not switch over from one hard drive to the other, without closing down and rebooting in the other drive.
Later I wanted to delete W98se and install a 2nd XP copy on the smaller drive. M/soft advised that I could not do this. Ever since I have not used my 2nd drive, even though I have updated my PC. I did think of using it for backups, but never seemed to get around to it, since it is just as easy to use floppies or discs.
If I had a store-bought-system with one or two
by VAPCMD - 4/30/06 10:56 AM In reply to: Two Hard Drives by nomadd74restore CDs and minimum additional software and no data I cared about, drive corruption or failure wouldn't be a big deal.
However, since my PC is something built from components and I have a lot of software...it is very very time consuming to locate the original compact discs and the key codes, reinstall the OS, the drivers, the OS updates, all the appplications and their updates, reregister any of the SW (if required), etc., a complete rebuild from scratch is far far too time consuming and out of the question for me.
The imaging SW and images essentially replicate what the major mfgs do except I always have a good UPS, two hard drives, and additiional backup images on an external HDD. So I have the original data, complete images of the primary drive partitions (C: and D:) plus spare images on an external HDD. Makes for quick backups and restores should that become necessary.
VAPCMD
how to get my two hard drives to work "together"
by B366ALIVE - 8/4/07 4:20 PM In reply to: Two Internal drives by skycatcherMY SECOND HD IS A 20GB & IT IS PARTICIONED. 15 ON ONE & 3 ON THE OTHER.I'M RUNNING XP WITH A 40GB FACTORY INSTALLED HD. [ HP 510C ]I WANT TO PUT MY SYSTEM ON ONE, MY PROGRAMS ON ONE , AND ALL MY MEDIA ON ANOTHER.AND HAVE THEM ALL WORK TOGETHER.....
IS THIS POSSIABLE????????PLEASE HELP.........THANKS
Are 2 hard drives better than 1?
by edbrady - 4/28/06 6:00 AM In reply to: Is 2 hard drives better than 1? by abcd3fgI use 2 hard drives. The C drive (40 gigs) holds only the operating system and programs that I use. The second drive (120 gigs) holds all my files.
I make updated images of the C drive in case I have a drive failure, and make copies of my personal/saved files from the D drive on CD-Rs.
I feel that, since the main drive is used constantly just to run the computer, it is more subject to eventual failure.
Just my way of doing things.
Yes, 2 are better than one.
by UndrgrndTw2 - 4/28/06 6:29 AM In reply to: Is 2 hard drives better than 1? by abcd3fgObviously, 2 HDDs will give you more space, but the best thing is that if you store all your files and documents on the hard drive that DOESNT have windows, you run less of a chance of loosing your data if windows starts to do its stuff (failing, deleting rando files, uhh, causing fatal crashes...).
But, my favrot thing about 2 har drives is that if your doing video editing or 3D work, if you store all your media and prodject files on the harddrive that your system/app isnt installed on, it goes a whole lot faster.
Hope that helpped,
Chris
two hard drives
by BrianO5 - 4/28/06 6:37 AM In reply to: Is 2 hard drives better than 1? by abcd3fgWhen i first pushased my PC i stored a lot of information on it the i could not replace, the something went wrong with the hard drive and i lost the lot, two drives are all right if you want space and a copy of important documents, but you can also store these on data disc's, which is the best option antway, if you know how to do it, i would now only use a second hard drive as a back-up.
L Clark
Two Hard drives
by BrianO5 - 4/28/06 6:44 AM In reply to: two hard drives by BrianO5Remember this. The more you add to your PC you more presure on the single moter that is powering the PC and fans, get yourself a good hard drive with about 80 GB of space and save your important documents, whatever to disc. DONOT OVERLOAD YOUR PC, IT ONLY LEADS TO TROUBLE AND MORE EXPENCE.
L Clark
YES!
by andrewrm - 4/28/06 9:25 AM In reply to: Is 2 hard drives better than 1? by abcd3fgI use my first hard drive to install programs and the OS/boot etc.
I use the second drive to store my important data such as tax records, mp3s, pictures etc. So if the first drive becomes corrupted by viruses etc I have the vital data on a drive that hopefully will survive an disaster. I also use a portable usb drive to dump all the data to in case the entire system fries!
| Forum legend: | |
 |
Locked thread |
 |
Moderator |
 |
CNET staff |
 |
Samsung staff |
 |
Norton Authorized Support team |
 |
AVG staff |
 |
Windows Outreach team |
 |
Dell staff |
 |
Intel staff |
