Creating a Gaming SSD

[wheelswilly]

Hey guys, so I purchased two MX100 SSDs and a Seagate Barricua 1TB HDD for my gaming build. When everything came in, I was short in SATA cables by two, so I had to use the two SATA cables that I had for one SSD for the OS and all my initial stuff and the optical drive. Today the two additional SATA cables came in, and I have the other SSD and the HDD up and running without a hitch. So here's my question:

So since I've been on this computer for a few weeks before all my other storage devices were put in, I have program files and stuff on the first SSD. But I would like to have one of those SSDs fully committed to my games, and nothing else. And the rest of everything will stay on the original SSD, and I'll start using the HDD once both SSDs are filled. So is this even possible to do? I don't want to screw anything up and ruin my PC or anything.

*Most of my games are on Steam, Origin, or Uplay. The only game that is by itself is GW2.

 

[TechyInAZ]

Easy, just install all the games on that SSD.

Or, if you could do it an even better option would be to put both mx100s in a raid 0 so you not only don't have the hassle of 2 drives, but you get faster boot times. So basically raid 0 turns both SSDs into one faster and bigger drive (it also doubles your space because of the 2 ssds).

 

[wheelswilly]

Easy, just install all the games on that SSD.

Or, if you could do it an even better option would be to put both mx100s in a raid 0 so you not only don't have the hassle of 2 drives, but you get faster boot times. So basically raid 0 turns both SSDs into one faster and bigger drive (it also doubles your space because of the 2 ssds).

Oh so by doing a raid 0, the computer will display one big SSD? That's pretty neat, I'll definitely consider that. Is that possible to set up even with one SSD half filled? The other one that I connected today has nothing on it.

 

[USAFRet]

Easy, just install all the games on that SSD.

Or, if you could do it an even better option would be to put both mx100s in a raid 0 so you not only don't have the hassle of 2 drives, but you get faster boot times. So basically raid 0 turns both SSDs into one faster and bigger drive (it also doubles your space because of the 2 ssds).

Oh so by doing a raid 0, the computer will display one big SSD? That's pretty neat, I'll definitely consider that. Is that possible to set up even with one SSD half filled? The other one that I connected today has nothing on it.

Do not do that. There is absolutely no reason, and many reasons not to.

Applications can be installed on whatever drive you chose.
The Steam and Origin clients can have several install locations.

RAID 0 brings the added deficit of, if any drive dies, or the RAID controller dies...all is lost from both drives.
With SSD's it is not any faster, and it is exactly the same space size.

2 x 256GB drives in RAID 0 is 512GB.
2 x 256GB drives as individual drives is 512GB.
No difference, other than they both exist as the C drive.

 

[USAFRet]

And no, you can't do it with a half filled drive. You must start over with a new install.

But don't do it.

 

[TechyInAZ]

That's true i forgot about all the problems. with raid 0.

So, you can do raid 0 and get all the features of raid 0, but it could fail faster than a single drive layout. However, I'd say this is easily fixed by doing constant backing up every day (which is what i do).

 

[USAFRet]

That's true i forgot about all the problems. with raid 0.

So, you can do raid 0 and get all the features of raid 0, but it could fail faster than a single drive layout. However, I'd say this is easily fixed by doing constant backing up every day (which is what i do).

If it brings no benefit, why do it?

In a desktop environment with SSD and RAID, there are basically two words to consider:
Don't bother.

 

[TechyInAZ]

That's true i forgot about all the problems. with raid 0.

So, you can do raid 0 and get all the features of raid 0, but it could fail faster than a single drive layout. However, I'd say this is easily fixed by doing constant backing up every day (which is what i do).

If it brings no benefit, why do it?

In a desktop environment with SSD and RAID, there are basically two words to consider:
Don't bother.

Well, speed wise you get nearly 2x faster boot times with RAID 0.

Now i'm not saying i'm for it or against it, it's a personal preference.

 

[USAFRet]

Well, speed wise you get nearly 2x faster boot times with RAID 0.
.

Um, no.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/ssd-raid-benchmark,3485.html

Single 256GB is 0.5sec faster than 2 x 256GB in RAID 0.