Optimum Drive configuration

[gigabyte]

I am looking for some feedback on the optimum configuration for FSX (and other games with a multiple drive system. I have just installed a second terabyte HDD so I now have 3 drives, 250GB (C: Drive - OS boot, Most application programs, Data- Dcouments, pictures etc, and the page file. D: 1 TB currently CLEAN, noting on it at all. E: 1 TB, Most of my games (FSX included) and my main Media Centre data drive - currently at about 50-60% capacity. I also have 2 DVD Drives and an external 300 GB for backup.

OK Here are my thoughts, Install a dual boot Vista/XP on the C: drive, move the page file and user data files (My Docs, My Pictures, Media Center movies etc.) to the e:. Install my games to the D:, so the question is will this be worth the effort, or am I likely to cause problems with the page file on a seperate drive from the OS (and the data files off the system drive as well)

Any comments are welcome.

[txnetcop]

I am looking for some feedback on the optimum configuration for FSX (and other games with a multiple drive system. I have just installed a second terabyte HDD so I now have 3 drives, 250GB (C: Drive - OS boot, Most application programs, Data- Dcouments, pictures etc, and the page file. D: 1 TB currently CLEAN, noting on it at all. E: 1 TB, Most of my games (FSX included) and my main Media Centre data drive - currently at about 50-60% capacity. I also have 2 DVD Drives and an external 300 GB for backup.

OK Here are my thoughts, Install a dual boot Vista/XP on the C: drive, move the page file and user data files (My Docs, My Pictures, Media Center movies etc.) to the e:. Install my games to the D:, so the question is will this be worth the effort, or am I likely to cause problems with the page file on a seperate drive from the OS (and the data files off the system drive as well)

Any comments are welcome.

It'll work but I see the possibiltiy of unnecessary grief

[gigabyte]

That is what I thought, I have seen comfl;icting reports about the best place to keep the page file. It's time to reinstall FSX so I might just leave the page file alone install the games to a nice clean drive and move all the data to the other.

I did have another thought (dangerous when I get those thoughts...) Txnetcop have you ever spanned a volume over a couple of physical drives on a machine running FSX? How might that effect performance?

[FAC257]

Ever since the advent of SATA drives, I've been running a pair of identical HDs (Raptors) with a permenant page file on the D: drive.

I keep the operating system and all of it's required files on the C: drive as well as all actual programs. The only thing I use the D: drive for other than the perm page file, is back up and storage of extra files, pics etc.

During the years I've run many a test trying to see if the system with FS9 and now FSX, ran any faster or better with the page file on the C: drive, D: drive, perm , temp etc etc. It really doesn't seem to affect the performance much at all where ever I put it. In fact for kicks I've turned the page file off during a few test runs and it still didn't seem to make any difference in performance. I don't think I'd leave it off for very long though as just a gut instinct tells me that would eventually cause a problem of some sort.

I've never had a hint of trouble with the page file on the D: drive that I know of.

The one only real advantage I've seen in having it on the secondary drive is that it keeps XP from making a mess of the C: drive if it's running as a dynamic page file and it keeps that big blob of cr*p out of the middle of my operating system and program files when I defrag the system. The C: drive stays nice and tidy.

I think The important part to making this theory work is mainly in having the C and D drives identical. It wouldn't make much sense to have the page file on the D: drive if that drive is slower in performance than the main drive. Any advantage gained in better file managment/organization would be lost in the translation between the two mismatched drives.

[gigabyte]

Thanks FAC257, I think I am going to try some expirements, I have a good backup now of all the important stuff so I can always go back if I have to. What I really want to try is to have a Dual Boot Vista/XP system and see if I can run FSX and a few other apps from the erive from both OS's. I am not sure if this will work but it is an interesting idea and I love to mess around, I know I will have to install the apps twice once for the Vista Boot and once more for the XP, what I am wondering is if I can use the same drive and installed files for each OS as they will have seperate registries. I know I am asking for trouble, but I was getting bored and I feel the need to mess around.

Wish me luck, and if this works I might have some interesting comparisons to post later.