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Ideal WHS Setup

Question
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Hi all
After having failed at trying to get WHS to re-install I am trying to determine what the ideal hard drive configuration for the WHS is.
Also, I am currently using the 120 day trial, so I will have to get the Server Re-Installation working some time soon!
I have eight hard drives:
2 x 250GB IDE
2 x 250GB SATA
2 x 300GB SATA
1 x 160GB SATA
1 x 80GB SATA
Is it best to use IDE or SATA for the SYS drive?
Thanks.
Claus.- Changed type kariya21Moderator Saturday, January 3, 2009 6:24 AM technical question
Friday, January 2, 2009 10:54 PM
Answers
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If you're using older hardware, and planning to use the drive connectors on your motherboard, you may have to use an IDE drive as your system drive. This is because frequently an older MB with both IDE and SATA connectors will want to boot from an IDE drive if present. Other than that you won't see a great difference in performance.
I would recommend you consider either purchasing a WHS from e.g. Fujitsu-Siemens or HP, or buying new hardware to use for your server, though, since older hardware may have any number of issues (failing fans, HDD bearings, leaking or dried-out wet electrolytic capacitors, etc.). Martin is correct about using fewer, but larger, drives, as well; you'll realize a certain amount of power savings and noise reduction if you use a couple of 1 TB drives, instead of a large pile of small drives.
I'm not on the WHS team, I just post a lot. :)- Proposed as answer by kariya21Moderator Saturday, January 3, 2009 6:24 AM
- Marked as answer by Jonas Svensson -FST- Saturday, January 17, 2009 9:20 PM
Saturday, January 3, 2009 3:10 AMModerator
All replies
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SATA or IDE should not make a big difference.
Looking at your list I recommend that you don't use the old 80 and 160GB drives.
Better get a new 1TB drive, needs less power and should have a longer live compared to the older drives.
Regards
Martin
LightsOut - Power Management for Windows Home Server http://www.home-server-blog.de/add-ins/lightsout/#enFriday, January 2, 2009 10:58 PMModerator -
If you're using older hardware, and planning to use the drive connectors on your motherboard, you may have to use an IDE drive as your system drive. This is because frequently an older MB with both IDE and SATA connectors will want to boot from an IDE drive if present. Other than that you won't see a great difference in performance.
I would recommend you consider either purchasing a WHS from e.g. Fujitsu-Siemens or HP, or buying new hardware to use for your server, though, since older hardware may have any number of issues (failing fans, HDD bearings, leaking or dried-out wet electrolytic capacitors, etc.). Martin is correct about using fewer, but larger, drives, as well; you'll realize a certain amount of power savings and noise reduction if you use a couple of 1 TB drives, instead of a large pile of small drives.
I'm not on the WHS team, I just post a lot. :)- Proposed as answer by kariya21Moderator Saturday, January 3, 2009 6:24 AM
- Marked as answer by Jonas Svensson -FST- Saturday, January 17, 2009 9:20 PM
Saturday, January 3, 2009 3:10 AMModerator