How To Decide On How Big A Hard Drive To Buy!

[HarryWild]

Hi all!

Just purchased a new computer a Lenovo ThinkCentre M58p SFF! My current computer is a IBM ThinkCentre model 8183 - it a small form factor like my new one. I had purchased it with a hard drive. I been using the Western Digital high end server type drive and been very happy with it. I like the speed and it has been very nice in that it seems to no fragment much and no corruption of data.

Prices have gone down a lot on hard drives. I need to decide go with a 70, 150 or 300gb drive. Currently, I have a Raptor 70gb with only 23gb left free. My plan is to clone my existing drive into my new drive, place it into the M58p and used the Windows Upgrade Install procedure to make the clone drive work with the M58p. I was going to go with the 300gb but at my rate it take 6 years before it reaches 2/3rd of the hard drive size. I'm planning on getting a SDD(Solid State Drive) in two years to migrate to Windows 7 when the SSD prices come down. I keeping the original M58p hard drive to use as my upgrade option since it has Vista on it. The 150gb is around $160 while the 300gb is around $200. So for $40 you basically get double the size.

The question is should I go with the 150gb or 300gb. I fear the maintenance of the larger drive size since the utilities will take longer to run because of the size - disk frag, optimize, etc... while the corruption might be easier to obtain on a larger drive size.

I plan on using a portable or external drive for storing so call "crap". Movies, photos, stories, etc...

Any thoughts on the Blu-Ray to be consider in an optical drive. Burners are $200, Combo package read Blu-Ray, but burner DVD/CD are around $135 and multi-burners are $50. Is Blu-Ray needed and which type would you buy? Kind of scare off by the Blu-Ray disk price of $5 a disk but like the 25gb. 50gb is very nice too but disk are very pricey. Even the Blu_Ray drive is costly even at $200 when compare to multi-burners.

Please tell me your thoughts on what I should buy and what you would do!

Thanks.

Harry

 

[HarryWild]

Okay since nobody wanted to stick their neck out to offer an opinion; her what I have tenatively decided to do.

Purchased the large size drive - 300gb drive and get the most expensive DVD multi-burner. Will replace the multi-burner at the time I change over to the Windows 7 OS with a Blu-Ray burner - should be the same price I paid for the DVD multi-burner at this moment. I will also switch to the 4th generation SSD too! So I going do another change in 2-3 years time.
I will at that time add in a USB 3 access card too for USB 3.0!

As a matter of fact; I will do all me notebooks with SSD too!

Am I insane or what?

 

[BadBigBen]

I don't think you are insane, but if the money burns then by all means go for it...


Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[kjv1611]

As Ben said, if you want to spend the money, then go ahead.

On some specifics:

Is Blu-Ray needed

If you can't answer this yourself, then I say you don't need it.

As for the diff in hard drive size and defrag and all that, with modern tech, it really shouldn't matter too much - especially on the Velociraptors. The things are very fast, and you're not going to notice any performance lag based on hard drive size. If you see any lag on size, it'll be based on how much data is on your hard drive... so if the data is the same, no real difference.

By the way, what is it that you're doing with these systems? Hard drive size, speed, other component speed, etc, all depends upon usage. Honestly, for most people, currently anything made will suffice, since most people just browse the web, read email, look at pictures, read/edit/create docs, etc..

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[HarryWild]

Hi kjv1611, BigBadBen,

Thanks for all your replies!

"As Ben said, if you want to spend the money, then go ahead."

Well to be honest, I thought that it was time to upgrade my desktop unit since it is getting old technology - Pentium 4 3.2ghz. Just one of those things I guess. Impulse - after reading a lot about new cpus and performance, etc...

I am having thought that maybe it the right time now to do it with Windows 7 after all with the new machine. Talked with a couple guys that are running Windows 7 and they think it "nice". They said it loads almost as fast as XP and nice graphics; no major bugs as of yet! So I am tempted to go all the way! I going purchase the full install and retail version of Windows 7 Pro or Ultimate if I do so!

Anyways, the way I look at it is, I am going to help the economy get back into shape! My donation to the cause so to speak! It not like I just threw the money away! I will be learning about Windows 7 and buying more 64 bit apps, etc.... Sooner or later, you will be upgrading too; just because society demand it; and by then I will be familiar with the new OS and will you be the beginners! So that the way I see it!

Harry

 

[kjv1611]

Okay, I can see I must have wasted my time. What part of our comments made you think that either of us hadn't tried Windows 7? Or some new tech?

From the sounds of your posts, you're just tossing money to the wind, in my opinion. If you want the latest tech, that's great, but you don't have to do it as carelessly as you're doing. That's why we're saying, it's your money, of course.

Well, whatever you want to do. At least nowadays, things don't cost as much as they used to, so it isn't as bad as if you were handling things this way say 10 or 15 years ago.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[BadBigBen]

Harry, we work with this new tech, day in and day out, and mostly what we do here is troubleshoot for people that encounter problems with new tech and old, because we love new tech (most of us are geeks at heart)... ;-)


Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[HarryWild]

we love new tech (most of us are geeks at heart)..."

So you understand the impulse for trying out new things. It not a bad thing unless it turns out to be a dirty ball item like Vista. But Windows 7 seems to be holding up and the report on the street is very few bugs in it other then drivers for some peripherals, printers and older software. I guess to be safe you waiting for the first patch SP1 to come out huh?

So you do think it is right thing to do but just want to make me suffer for fun.

Okay! You done it!

Thanks.

 

[BadBigBen]

No, we do not make people suffer... much...

joke aside, I truly believe that W7 is better than it's predecessors, at their release time, meaning that you should not have to wait til SP1 comes out...



Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[HarryWild]

Well to follow up on this;

I just purchased the full retail box version of Windows 7 Ultimate. Kind of expensive. I need to know if Windows formats the hard drive automatically during the install process or do I have to do the formatting of the new hard drive before. I heard that there are formatted drives from the box but I do not think WD VelociRaptor is one of them.

If Windows does the formatting, I may purchase an OEM bare bone VelociVaptor instead of the retail box version that has the formatting tools. Also, there is a model of the hard dirve that is encloses it in a backplane-ready enterprise-class mounting frame work. Will it work with a Thinkcentre or normal desktop bay opening or will it be awkward to do the connections? I trying to buy NewEgg's $199 version of the VelociVaptor instead of the normal one that has a G instead of the H in the model number.

Thanks again guys!

 

[BadBigBen]

Windows 7 will format the drive for you, so getting the bulk version of the drive should suffice...

I just noticed that the PC you have, only supports SATA 150, so you may not get the full speed out of that raptor...

Now as to the Connections, the only difference between the G and H model is where they are located, but that does not complicate things in a normal desktop...

That PC is getting pretty old, if you ask me, and I would put the money towards a new system, instead of beefing up the existing system... something along the i5 processors or a good Core2Duo with a good GFX-Card (DirectX10), and you will be happier with W7...



Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[HarryWild]

Hi BadBigBen,

"I just noticed that the PC you have, only supports SATA 150, so you may not get the full speed out of that raptor..."

It the current Lenvono model! My computer is ThinkCentre M58p Small Form Factor (SFF) PC with Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Processor (3GHz); Integrated Gigabit Ethernet; Windows Vista Business 32; 8 GB/8 GB max. RAM; 160 GB (Serial ATA II) Hard Drive; Intel High Definition Audio; PCI/PCI Express Graphics subsystem with Intel Integrated Graphics 4500; DVD Recordable:40X Max Optical Drive; Fax/modem.

I think a SATA 2 is the current technology. There are not a lot of boards for the SATA 3 yet and USB 3 is still a way to go.

Harry

 

[BadBigBen]

Sorry, ignore my ramblings, I checked on the old system (IBM ThinkCentre model 8183 that you listed above) and totally missed that you got a newer system... my bad...

that will teach me to answer threads half a sleep...



Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[HarryWild]

I was getting concern BadBigBen1 Thanks for the clarification!

 

[HarryWild]

I am trying to find out how to go about installing the new drive with Windows 7! Especially configure it into the systems bios. In the good old days; you need to format the drive and then go into the bios and set the drive up based on the number of sectors, etc... Has that changed?

Below is my concerns:
After installing the new drive into the bay; do I go to bios after loading Windows 7 or before? or does the ThinkCentre automatically read the drive and configure itself? It will be installed it in a Lenovo ThinkCentre M58p.

Thanks again.

 

[BadBigBen]

Harry, that is no longer so...

these days, you install the HDD and the BIOS recognizes it... the only thing you have to watch out for, is that if they are IDE (getting rarer these days), that the MASTER SLAVE jumper settings are correct... if they are SATA (which it most likely is in your new PC), then it is PLUG&PRAY...



Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[HarryWild]

BadBigBen,

Thanks for the info! Plug and play, no formatted too! No more CMOS setup routine. No more disk sector entries and then drive formatting. How sweet! I thought this only happens on Star Trek but this is 2009; a year before the Vulcans come calling on us. I've decided to wait till the last week of before Christmas to see if the seller will lower their current price on the VelicoRaptor more. I will get it if NewEgg makes it one of the deals of the day too. I will keep you and others up to date as to what is happen with the new purchase and upgrades.

Thanks for your help.

Harry

 

[kjv1611]

Harry, that's been the case for a pretty good while now, with computer hard drives. Yeah, it's much nicer. I've told many folks that if I'd of had to mess with what computers were like even back when Windows 95 was coming out, I probably woulda just quit - ESPECIALLY if I had to mess with them pre-Windows 3.1! I mean, that stuff has come a LONG way in a short time, historically speaking.

As for the velociraptors, you can often get them cheaper on eBay, in an OEM format, much like with NewEgg. I know, b/c I've picked up a couple raptors like that in the past, and at least one velociraptor that I can recall, actually just a couple months ago.

I'd definitely go as cheap as possible on those, since the value of those vs the SSDs is shrinking pretty rapidly... if you go with the good SSDs, I mean - such as Intel or some OCZ drives for instance.

Many days I've wished for the perfect excuse (and the extra dough) to be able to pick up one of the Intel X-25M ...G2.. drives to try out myself. They just seem too good to be true, but yet they're getting stellar reviews from practically everybody who does anything with them.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[BadBigBen]

Harry, yes keep us posted...

Kjv1611, awhhh, you missed the fun part of the computer era (late 70's, the 80's, and early 90's), lots of fun, specially if you had a system, that was never designed to have a HDD, and you created an interface (or made one from instructions found in various GEEK mags) to hook up an HDD (then 10mgegs was HUGE)...



Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[HarryWild]

....you missed the fun part of the computer era (late 70's, the 80's, and early 90's), lots of fun, specially if you had a system, that was never designed to have a HDD..."

Believe it or not; I was involve with the first IBM PC at a major bank using VisiCalc follow by Lotus 1,2,3. I think Wordperfect was the king of the hill in wordprocessing using all the "F" keys. Modem were a hoot too at dial up connection times hitting 38 kps.

To update you; I thinking about spending an additional $150 to by a SSD with TRIM on it! I not sure what I need to consider in buying a SSD. I looking into hold to defrag and such. Lenovo ThinkCentre does sell and support the SSDs so I think I am in good shape??? No sure if I want to buy directly from Lenovo however but I considering it since any help would be from IBM support which is top of the line. I have not use them for a while however. But since IBM is into services now; I think their quality is just as good or even better then 5 years ago.

Google's Chrome OS is going to not support hard drives!

Will post when I know more!