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Thread ID: 88441 2008-03-27 10:19:00 HDD configuration Nomad (952) Press F1
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653330 2008-03-27 10:19:00 Just thinking of my desktop PC new computer .
At the mo, I am using a old laptop .

Just the few games, mostly its for normal admin work and photography (Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom and Nikon Capture NX) . I will be using RAW files off digital cameras and scanning film to sizes of say 120MB or larger (4x5" sheet film scanned) .

Its just going to be a odd $300 video card, 64bit CPU above avg but nothing flash with maybe 2x 2GB (or 1x 4GB if available and possible) ram sticks . Probably a motherboard with latest chipset and FSB . Running not sure, probably Vista 64 bit since I am getting the PC at this current time . .

So . . what HDD configuration? Which way would beneift Photoshop scratch disk or whatever they are called?

I thought of say 2x SATA standard HDD in a RAID format where 2 HDD become 1 HDD but increases the risk of data loss and have a (3rd) HDD as external for offline backup .

If I am using that RAID setup, if together they are one HDD, putting my OS and my photographs there and the scratch disk etc . . would that come at a cost? I don't want to invest in 3 or 4 HDD internally . . . . .


Thanks! 		Nomad (952)
653331 2008-03-27 10:21:00 Probably irrelevant but... make sure you get a quad-core :D. Definitely worth the extra $.

The Intel C2Q Q6600 is great value. 		jwil1 (65)
653332 2008-03-27 21:10:00 Yup ... been some years from my last computer so want to get something that is not too $$ but can swiftly do my stuff.

That Intel chip looks alright .. the other is AMD Phenom at 2.2Ghz they call it.
Hopefully if I wait a bit longer the QUAD motherboards would be more affordable.

Probably go for 1x 4GB or 2x 4GB if they work singuly or in pairs so I max the capacity .. motherboards tend to support up to 16GB.

Any idea of the HDD layout?

Edit, seen the HDD dropped in prices just a bit more - like $100 for 500MB, get a pair of them :D 		Nomad (952)
653333 2008-03-27 22:01:00 So . . what HDD configuration? Which way would beneift Photoshop scratch disk or whatever they are called?

I thought of say 2x SATA standard HDD in a RAID format where 2 HDD become 1 HDD but increases the risk of data loss and have a (3rd) HDD as external for offline backup .

If I am using that RAID setup, if together they are one HDD, putting my OS and my photographs there and the scratch disk etc . . would that come at a cost? I don't want to invest in 3 or 4 HDD internally . . . . .


Thanks!

The cost would start at decreased reliability . Then you would have everything sharing access to the same drive where RAID 0 only benefits large file transfers not multiple accessing . Most desktop use is comparatively small files . Even if you scan film the resulting files can use lossless compression so they don't need to be huge .

If you plan to buy 2 drives, keep them separate with PS scratch on the disk not used for Windows & programs . 		PaulD (232)
653334 2008-04-04 03:52:00 phenom is not as good as intel also i agree on the sata/raid config VISTA PRO (13532)
653335 2008-04-04 04:01:00 This is what I thought of:
2x SATA for RAID 0.
1x SATA (old HDD from other computer) as itself - Photoshop Scratch Disk.

1x External HDD eSATA.

Is that a better setup? For the occasional game and mostly with film scanning and Photoshop/Lightroom work. Most work are going to be RAW and TIF and PSD files. Scanned film are TIF and PSDs. From the sized of 120MB and up .. prob up to 500MB per photograph if I get into sheet film.

Thanks. 		Nomad (952)
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