Should second hard drive be partitioned or not (for Cubase and GigaStudio3)?

Discussion:

(too old to reply)

fan

2005-05-12 00:37:05 UTC

I've just received a new Dell computer - WinXP, 3.4 GHz, 2 GB RAM, 250
MB hard drive - and am about to install a new Western Digital 320 GB
SATA hard drive. Then I'll install GigaStudio3 and Cubase SX3.

Should I leave the second hard drive (320 GB) as one partition, or
would there be an advantage to partitioning it into smaller sectors?

Thanks for all suggestions.

Rodger Raino

2005-05-12 01:55:06 UTC

Permalink

I'd highly recommend picking up a copy of May's Sound On Sound magazine. It
has a very extensive article on this topic that really demystifies it.
There are a whole bunch of considerations you'll want to think about - lots
of nuance. Partitioning can either help or hurt the performance depending
on how you arrange things. I'm currently migrating to a new PC that came
with 2 SATA drive (system & audio). Based on the SOS article I decided to
partition the audio drive into a section for currently active projects, and
the other for completed projects. I also added a third Ultra-ATA (only two
SATA ports) as a library disk, mostly to accommodate streaming samples for
BFD drums which creates large disk demands - just like your Giga will do.
At $99 for 250GB it really made sense to throw an additional spindle into
the mix. Since 250GB is way more than I need for a library, I partitioned
it too and use the other one for temp bulk storage and as a backup
destination.

Two key points from the SOS article.
- Data on the outer edge of the disk is accessed faster than the inner edge.
Partitioning lets you manage this.
- If the data on two partitions will be accessed at the same time (like your
audio tracks and streaming samples) then the two partitions should be on
separate physical disks or else the read head will have to move large
distances jumping back and forth between two partitions on a single disk
(degrading performance in the process). In your case this likely means
you'd want to put the Giga samples on your system disk (or treat yourself
and get a third drive).

Bottom line - check out the SOS article. He runs through a bunch of
different scenarios and the rational behind each.

good luck
rodger

Post by fan
I've just received a new Dell computer - WinXP, 3.4 GHz, 2 GB RAM, 250
MB hard drive - and am about to install a new Western Digital 320 GB
SATA hard drive. Then I'll install GigaStudio3 and Cubase SX3.
Should I leave the second hard drive (320 GB) as one partition, or
would there be an advantage to partitioning it into smaller sectors?
Thanks for all suggestions.

shuffle

2005-05-12 15:38:34 UTC

Permalink

For completed projects, wouldn't it make sense (for a lot of reasons) to
store those off of your machine? If you need frequent access to them
you could even store them on a USB hard drive for easy retrieval?

Post by Rodger Raino
I'd highly recommend picking up a copy of May's Sound On Sound magazine. It
has a very extensive article on this topic that really demystifies it.
There are a whole bunch of considerations you'll want to think about - lots
of nuance. Partitioning can either help or hurt the performance depending
on how you arrange things. I'm currently migrating to a new PC that came
with 2 SATA drive (system & audio). Based on the SOS article I decided to
partition the audio drive into a section for currently active projects, and
the other for completed projects. I also added a third Ultra-ATA (only two
SATA ports) as a library disk, mostly to accommodate streaming samples for
BFD drums which creates large disk demands - just like your Giga will do.
At $99 for 250GB it really made sense to throw an additional spindle into
the mix. Since 250GB is way more than I need for a library, I partitioned
it too and use the other one for temp bulk storage and as a backup
destination.
Two key points from the SOS article.
- Data on the outer edge of the disk is accessed faster than the inner edge.
Partitioning lets you manage this.
- If the data on two partitions will be accessed at the same time (like your
audio tracks and streaming samples) then the two partitions should be on
separate physical disks or else the read head will have to move large
distances jumping back and forth between two partitions on a single disk
(degrading performance in the process). In your case this likely means
you'd want to put the Giga samples on your system disk (or treat yourself
and get a third drive).
Bottom line - check out the SOS article. He runs through a bunch of
different scenarios and the rational behind each.
good luck
rodger

DAN MOXON

2005-05-12 13:05:35 UTC

Permalink

definately split into two partitions
keep all your programs on one drive , and all your files, temporary files
and stuff you erase and delete regulalry on the other.

the reason for this is that every time you save some thing on your hard
drive other stuff gets shunted around a bit, this ends up with inportant
fies like those that are part of programs being spread all around your hard
drive (fragmentation). This slows down your pc as it takes longer to read
files.

If you do it the way above the drive with your programs on will not really
have much written or deleted from it so you will avoid this and stop your
programs slowing down

as your other drive has all your files on this will get fragmented,
especially if you use the large data files involved with audio. But the
simple solution is to wipe this drive and re format it. you wont have to
reinstall windows or any of your programs because they're all on the other
drive/partition.

Laurence Payne

2005-05-12 15:41:32 UTC

Permalink

On Thu, 12 May 2005 13:05:35 GMT, "DAN MOXON"

Post by DAN MOXON
the reason for this is that every time you save some thing on your hard
drive other stuff gets shunted around a bit, this ends up with inportant
fies like those that are part of programs being spread all around your hard
drive (fragmentation). This slows down your pc as it takes longer to read
files.

What a strange idea :-) When you save new material, everything else
stays exactly where it was before. The new stuff may have to fit
into nooks and crannies between existing files. Hence fragmentation.

CubaseFAQ www.laurencepayne.co.uk/CubaseFAQ.htm
"Possibly the world's least impressive web site": George Perfect

DAN MOXON

2005-05-24 19:58:32 UTC

Permalink

not strictly true think of all those temporary files and system files that
are constantly being updated and re written all of that shit moves like a
worm on ecstasy cose it's pretty much like creating a new file every few
weeks - just happens to have the same name.

Post by Laurence Payne
On Thu, 12 May 2005 13:05:35 GMT, "DAN MOXON"

What a strange idea :-) When you save new material, everything else
stays exactly where it was before. The new stuff may have to fit
into nooks and crannies between existing files. Hence fragmentation.
CubaseFAQ www.laurencepayne.co.uk/CubaseFAQ.htm
"Possibly the world's least impressive web site": George Perfect

Laurence Payne

2005-05-24 23:22:51 UTC

Permalink

On Tue, 24 May 2005 19:58:32 GMT, "DAN MOXON"

Post by DAN MOXON
not strictly true think of all those temporary files and system files that
are constantly being updated and re written all of that shit moves like a
worm on ecstasy cose it's pretty much like creating a new file every few
weeks - just happens to have the same name.

Which is not at all the same as saying: "the reason for this is that
every time you save some thing on your hard drive other stuff gets
shunted around a bit"

CubaseFAQ www.laurencepayne.co.uk/CubaseFAQ.htm
"Possibly the world's least impressive web site": George Perfect