HDD configurations - suggestions please...

Hi everyone,

I'm currently running Win7 64bit RC1 with a 3.2Ghz P4HT and 8Gb RAM.

I have the following (important) drives:

1x WD74GD Raptor 74Gb/10000rpm SATA @ 1.5Gbs
1x WD1600JS Caviar 160Gb/7200rpm SATA @ 3.0Gbs

Currently Win7 is installed on a 50Gb partition on the Raptor, and the 160Gb used for the system profiles and user data, as like many users I prefer to keep my data on a separate physical disk whenever possible.

I'm interested to hear what others would do to optimise my setup. I'm wondering if installing Win7 on the 160Gb/3.0Gbs drive (in a 40~50Gb partition) would increase operational speed? The problem then though, as I see it, is maximising my storage space as I would have 100~120Gb on one disk and 74Gb on another. Would it be worth my while converting the disks to dynamic so I can utilise the spare space on the Caviar and add the Raptor's 74Gb.

I have NAS for achived data/backups; I am just thinking about speed of the OS and applications. I do a lot in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.

I will upgrade the CPU to dual core soon, but would like to optimise what I currently have.

All (drive) suggestions welcomed!

Cheers,

Andy.

 

Thank you for your input Pete.

The system is a Dell Precision 380, with a socket 775 motherboard (Intel 955X chipset), and I think it will only support a dual core processor.

 

See... now you've got me shopping!

I refer to my opening post: "All (drive) suggestions welcomed! "

I've just lashed out on a Precision laptop, so a quad core CPU for the desktop will have to wait... I've not even had a holiday since May '08, so that's where my next expenditure's going!