How would you config this?

[Foo]

YAY new pc!

1 x Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 G0 Stepping (2.4GHz 1066MHz) Socket 775 L2 8MB Cache (2x4MB (4MB per core pair) Retail Boxed Processor 131950 Pick in Progress Track 139.56 139.56
2 x Corsair 2GB Kit (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 XMS2 Memory Non-ECC Unbuffered CL4(4-4-4-12) E.P.P. Heat Spreader Lifetime Warranty 111439 Pick in Progress Track 51.05 102.1
1 x MSI P6N Diamond Socket 775 8 channel audio ATX 129036 Pick in Progress Track 144.67 144.67
1 x BFG 8800GTS OC2 320MB GDDR3 Dual DVI TVO PCI-E Graphics Card 131673 Pick in Progress Track 165.94 165.94
1 x Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition w/SP2c - Licence and media - 1 PC - OEM - CD - English 128332 Pick in Progress Track 69.66 69.66
1 x Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate x64Bit OEM 1PK DVD 123047 Pick in Progress Track 90.96 90.96
4 x Western Digital WD1600JS Caviar SE 160GB 7200RPM SATAII/300 8MB Cache - OEM 94406 Pick in Progress Track 26.93 107.72
1 x ZALMAN CNPS 9500 AT Socket 775 CPU Cooler 116413 Pick in Progress Track 20.26 20.26
1 x LiteOn 20X SATA DVD±RW/RAM With Beige, Black & Silver Bezel + Nero - Retail 127442 Pick in Progress Track 20.33 20.33


Shipping £19.74
Subtotal £880.94
VAT £154.21
Order Total £1035.15
Payment Method Switch / Maestro
Order Status Pick in Progress

Not sure how I should do the RAID for this. I've got 4 x SATA drives to work with and a copy of XP pro 64 and Vista 64 Ultimate... If I do raid 0 in one huge stripe would I be able to install vista then xp pro and they would co-exist without needing to partition, or do I need to faff around?

[AmIdYfReAk]

i would be more tempted to do two Raid 0 array's ( 320gig each ) and one for XP wile the other is for vista..

they could both see/use the other array, but ya know

Somthing about partitioning a raid0 that seems a little bit of a waste..

anyone with a little more experance have anything to add?

[Foo]

I guess there's tons of ways I could approach this one....

2 x 340Gb RAID0s

1 x 340 RAID 0 + 1

4 x 160Gb

2 x 160Gb RAID 0 combined into a RAID 1 (no idea if you can cascade like this)

[AmIdYfReAk]

i'm not sure the Nforce 680I Can do a Compiled/cascaded array..

i didnt check when i set mine up, i'm doing two drives in Raid 0 atm off of it.

[AmIdYfReAk]

actually it turns out you can do 0+1 but you will need it as one Disk array, beond that you will need to partition it and etc as you see fit.

[obsidian]

I priced out a similar computer (see Mazda's thread) except with a 74GB 10,000 RPM raptor and a 500GB storage drive. That looks Ace, I'm jellus... I'm trying to let my computer live for another year before I get a new system.

If you have a backup external HD or file server or something, you could use that for periodic backups. Just do 2 RAID 0 arrays, one for each OS.

Otherwise the 0+1 array sounds promising suggesting your mobo supports it.