Performance boost??

[CaffeineMe]

As stated in a prev. thread, I have a new HDD on the way (120GB WDD, 8MB cache). My current HDD (18 months old) is a 40GB Maxtor, 2MB cache, 7200 RPM.

I will be rebuilding my system on the 120, setup as Master. I am thinking I will install the 40 as slave (after wipe of data), and make a 2-3 GB NTFS partition to be used only as my Windows swap file. The rest of the drive would be storage of one sort or another.

What performance boost, if any, can I expect from this arrangement? I will run W2K on an Athlon 1600, Soyo Dragon MoBo. If applicable, I have RIAD channels on the mobo, both unused.

[Reign]

Does Win2k support 120GBs?

I know that for my 200GB.. i had to install a controller to plug my IDE into for WinXP to even detect it.

[SimGuy]

You will see a performance boost by switching to the WDC1200JB drive from your current 40 GB Maxtor DiamondMax D740X-6L drive.

I just replaced my Primary Master HDD (a 40 GB Maxtor DiamondMax D740-6L drive) with a Western Digital 120 GB, 8 MB cache drive. Data transfer speed increased nearly triple what I was pushing before (57 MBps -vs- 19.8 MBps) and overall general system performance increased 15-25%.

I was so thrilled at the performance jump that I bought another WDC1200JB for additional storage capacity (really a great hard disk).

The Maxtor Drive is now utilized as another storage drive.

It is highly recommended that you place your swapfile on the "fastest" disk in your system, which will be the WDC1200JB.

Make sure that you update your BIOS to the latest version available. AFAIK, Windows 2000 SP3 will support 120 GB partitions, but only under NTFS.

[WuGgaRoO]

windows supports up to 133gigs...reign u should know that

[TheBaron]

*cough* WD Manual says 137 *cough*

[WuGgaRoO]

:respect: The Baron
you have pwned my skeelz

[dodo]

yeah, i'd agree with simguy. it seems the swapfile should be on the faster drive (you could still give it its own partition). Also then you would have an easier time getting back to windows if the WD hoses up on you and you have to remove it.

~dodo

[mmonnin]

I put it on my second drive even tho its a slower HDD. That way data transfer can be at its max when reading/writing to the swap and OS files at the same time.

What would be better is if they were on different channels. Or if they, HDDs and optical, had their down channels like on the RAID channels.

[profdlp]

...but I have heard from many folks in the know that if you are running any flavor of NT (including XP) that windows is actually happier (and faster) if the swap file is on the same partition as the OS. If I remember correctly, this is due to the way the swap file is utilized.

Anyone else hear of this?

Prof

PS: If you haven't done so already, please give us your input in the “Utilities Discussion – Week2” thread under General Software!!! This week we are asking for your recommended programs in these categories: HD Speed benchmark, CD Drive Speed Benchmark, Video Performance benchmark:nudge:

[MERRICK]

I will be rebuilding my system on the 120, setup as Master. I am thinking I will install the 40 as slave (after wipe of data), and make a 2-3 GB NTFS partition to be used only as my Windows swap file. The rest of the drive would be storage of one sort or another.


I can't speak for NTFS But I've always read/heard this to be good practice in FAT 32. In fact I'm slating that exact tweak for my next rig.

[RWB]

I only have one HDD, the same as the original poster, I have my SWAP on the OS partition.

I have found that the OS uses the fastest available SWAP, so I have multiple SWAP's through my partitions. MANY CLAIM that spanning your SWAP through multiple partitions is a bad thing, but like I said before, it uses the fastest available.

It is my advice to NEVER have a partition larger than 30GB, with the exception of a larger area in which you only put CRAP in it.

Example: programs and games, things your use alot in general is best in a partition less than 20 to 30GB; backups, downloaded files, and junk can be placed on any sized partition within limits of the OS.

My HDD is the Maxtor 40GB\2MB cache 7200RPM, just like the original poster. I have it setup as the following...

5GB OS/SWAP Windows 2000 Pro, and a 1GB SWAP

20GB Program Files w/ 128MB SWAP (all games and programs are installed here, I even have it as the defualt Program Files folder)

10GB Junk w/ 64MB SWAP (since this is the slowest area of my HDD, all my junk goes here, it is the "My Documents" area, I have a folder inside that holds the systems "Temp" and "TMP" files so that my OS never uses more than 1GB of space.

3GB is being use to learn Linux, the rest is used from the File system and such(it says 40GB, but of course never is...)

Afte reformatting and installing my OS LITERALLY about 500 or so times through the past 2 to 3 years this setup has given me the best performance.

[profdlp]

RWB said

Afte reformatting and installing my OS LITERALLY about 500 or so times through the past 2 to 3 years this setup has given me the best performance.

Assuming it's 3 years, that's a wipe & reload nearly every other day!

That would drive me loony...:mullet:


Prof

[RWB]

profdlp said
RWB said

Afte reformatting and installing my OS LITERALLY about 500 or so times through the past 2 to 3 years this setup has given me the best performance.

Assuming it's 3 years, that's a wipe & reload nearly every other day!

That would drive me loony...:mullet:


Prof

I found it as fun, and yes, sometimes I would reformat about 5 times in a day for a week straight. I have slowed down though since I have come to know it like the back of my hand. Not only have I done all this to my PC, but I have done it so many more times to other PC's for work and personal buisness.

Of course I have come to realize people are so computer illiterate that they refuse to realise it is very simple, so it is actually best tohave ONE partition for them, even if it is 60GB or so. My mom has Certifications and teaches Computer stuff, yet she is still ignorant of PC's. I had her 60GB HDD on her ****ty PC setup into just 2 partitions, all she had todo was install her programs to the D:\ and her PC would stay clean and effiecient.... but for whatever reason, she installed everything to the C:\ and it filled up quick! She now has 1 Partition, and all I have to worry about is Viruses becuase of my brother's idiotic porn browsing. You have 3 types of Computer People:

Computer Dictionary(like my mom, knows the books, but couldn't tell you what a South Bridge is from a Heatsink)

Computer Worthy(You, me, any other person who can actually fix their own PC)

The End User(those people we seem to hate, but becuase of their ignorance, keep us in buisness)

It is amazing how similar Computers are to Vehicles! Mechanics and Geeks are the same! We just have different ways of Hot Rodding the love of our life ;)