Adding a 2nd Hard Drive and cache question.

[LiquidX]

I am thinking about getting a 2nd HD, not as raid just a secondary.

My drive now is a 80 gig Seagate Barracuda 2MB cache, the secondary I have my eye on is a Special Edition Western Digital 120 gig 8MB cache. I have a lot of files on my 80 gig and making a back up of all my "stuff" to CD will be a bitch, but I will do what is best.

1. Does it matter that I am mixing drives with different caches?

2 Will XP automatically recognize It has a new 2nd HD and do what is necessary or do need a clean install of XP?

3. There is 175 gig non-special edition by WD for just $25 more than the 120 but without the 8MB cache......which is the better choice?

Thanks.

[Rampant CL]

1. It does not matter that you mix different size cahe drives, as the cache will only affect the performance of the drive associated with it.


2. XP is excellent at recognising new drives, but I would suggest the following:

a) Set the WD as the primary master using the jumpers on the back of the drive and plugging it into IDE1, and unplug the seagate

b) Use the XP CD to boot and do a clean install on the new disk

c) when it's finished set the seagate to secondary master by checking the jumpers and plugging it in to IDE 2

The above would maximise performance, and then you could just shift over the files you need from the seagate, then format it (if needed)


3. Well, its either 55gigs more or better performance, take you pick. (but by the time you actually get to the point where you need the extra 55 gigs you'll be able to get an 8 mb 60 gig disk for that much)

[LiquidX]

Thanks Rampant CL , but I have another question. Being that I will be making the drive which was previuosly my primary the slave would such things as my modem and network still fuction as if they were before?

[Rampant CL]

You would have to set them up again, unless you do the following.

With the old disk (before you do anything) use the windows backup utility and make a backup of your files and system files. I think there is an option to backup up system files, and save the backup to the 80gb disk.

Then do the disk swap, etc

Install xp fresh on the 120gb disk.

Go to the windows backup utility on the new install of xp, then simply restore the files and set it so it restores to the orignal location, and all your old settings will be back after you reboot.

[LiquidX]

Thanks Rampant CL, I am doing the upgrade today and will do just as you say down to the dot.

[Rampant CL]

eGGcellent, let me know how it goes