Hard Drives - Positioning Help

[kctia]

Hello! On newegg there is currently a discounted WD Black 1TB HDD http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136533

I already have an HDD and would like to ask how do i position them? I have read people combining separate HDDs into one using a "RAID array," what is this?

I read that having them separate reduces lag and etc., and my current HDD is different than the one i am going to buy so is there going to be anything weird going on? Like having two different RAM cards?

Finally, do i just plug it in and use it? Never have had more than one HDD so far. Would appreciate fairly quick answer as the discount ends on March 14, 2012

 

[rolli59]

Just stick it in and it is pretty much plug and play, this is if windows does not recognize it straight away http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/265764-32-guide-installed-disk-system

 

[kctia]

Just stick it in and it is pretty much plug and play, this is if windows does not recognize it straight away http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/265764-32-guide-installed-disk-system

Okie Doke! So that pretty much means i dont have to go into BIOS, no configuring, installing, or anything? How about partitioning what is that?(Only if i have to )

 

[inzone]

You can add as many hdd's as you have sata ports to plug them into , there is no limit. It is a matter of just connecting the hdd to the sata port and then going into disk management and initializing the drive , formatting it and giving it a drive letter and away you go it all set to use. It might sound like a lot but it will take about 5 min. to do. You can have several different size hdd's and from different manufacturers.
You can set up a raid array with two or more hdd's to make one large drive but that is for experienced users and you would have to do some research on what raid is and how to set it up before you attempt it. That also is not that hard and once you get the knowledge it onlly takes a short amount of time to set up. There are several different versions of raid setups so you have to find which one would suit you.

 

[kctia]

You can add as many hdd's as you have sata ports to plug them into , there is no limit. It is a matter of just connecting the hdd to the sata port and then going into disk management and initializing the drive , formatting it and giving it a drive letter and away you go it all set to use. It might sound like a lot but it will take about 5 min. to do. You can have several different size hdd's and from different manufacturers.
You can set up a raid array with two or more hdd's to make one large drive but that is for experienced users and you would have to do some research on what raid is and how to set it up before you attempt it. That also is not that hard and once you get the knowledge it onlly takes a short amount of time to set up. There are several different versions of raid setups so you have to find which one would suit you.

How would i use programs? For instance if i want to use an editting program for videos. Could i play video games on one drive and render on another? Or does it not work like that?

 

[rolli59]

You can install programs on which ever drive you want! It is not actually on the drives that the work happens.

 

[kctia]

You can install programs on which ever drive you want! It is not actually on the drives that the work happens.

Oh My Goodness. Well that solved a bunch of questions, thank you! Ill be glad to finally have more than 70GB left in storage. Thank you both for your answers.

 

[kctia]

Best answer selected by kctia.