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Resolved Question

RAID help

Jun 1, 2014 12:36PM PDT

1. Are there any issues with mixing brands in RAID10?
2. Any HDD driver conflicts to worry about?
3. Only if you have a RAID10, what's the average life of one of your drives?
4. Is BIOS the best stable way to setup and maintain RAIDs? Right now my RAID0 is setup in BIOS.
5. Any way to throw in a SSD as cache for the HDD in RAID10, or should I just go with one of these WD2500BHTZ as a SSD will undoubtedly live a short life.

Currently RAID0 has two WD10EZEX, will be adding three SeaGate with same specs for the RAID10, and two more WD later on. They'll all be 1TB, 7200RPM, & 64MB cache.

Thanks to the genius out there who can help me.

Discussion is locked

ilikerhinos has chosen the best answer to their question. View answer

Best Answer

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Partial answers as best I can
Jun 1, 2014 7:54PM PDT

RAID is not the determining factor in HD life. Heat, activity, user habits and just plain luck will have a greater affect. As I understand it, RAID works best when all drives are as identical is possible. You may also read that it's better to use drives designed for RAID use rather than those for basic desktop use. I'd say read about the differences. One that I've heard suggests that drives which periodically "recalibrate" are to be avoided. This means that if a drive within a pair takes a rest break to realign the pair may break. I gave up on RAID long ago. It may have its purposes in the enterprise arena but I doubt the regular user gets more benefit than they do headaches from employing RAID. If you really need it, do it. If it's just to impress yourself or be cool, I think there are better ways to accomplish that.

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Answer
1. What is RAID10?
Jun 2, 2014 1:32AM PDT

I could take that as "RAID 10" as well as 1, 0 so the answer varies with the controller. Since I can't tell which RAID controller I can't find a manual to see what's supported.

My advice is to stay inside the lines. That is, only go with what the manuals tell you will work.
Bob

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RAID 1+0
Jun 2, 2014 6:51AM PDT

looking to setup a RAID 1 + 0. quick question, do you prefer a thermal compound or thermal pad for a CPU?

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The thermal pad or compound question
Jun 2, 2014 7:28AM PDT

Has tomes on the web. Which means to me it's your choice. Intel ships with compound so that's what I use.
Bob

PS. RAID 1 + 0 is without any link to the RAID controller so I can't add more.

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Answer
Ssd as cache for hdd
Jun 2, 2014 11:09AM PDT
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readycache
Jun 2, 2014 4:06PM PDT

ahh so thats what those are for. I see why they're called readycache. Happy
can i add the readycache to just the three seagates? thinking just doing raid0 for the SeaGate drives and a backup on each of the WD drives.
can readycache be used with a ssd alone on a laptop with ssd? it has a 2nd empty hdd caddy instead of the cd/dvd.

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Readycache
Jun 3, 2014 12:29AM PDT

can i add the readycache to just the three seagates?

I see no way to specify cache 'this' disk but don't cache 'that' disk.
If the cache software 'Express cache' sees the disk it will cache it.


can readycache be used with a ssd alone on a laptop with ssd?
Yes....but you will be going backward in perf......see goggle.
The Readycache unit was designed to be a 'hdd helper'.
By ssd standards it not exactly speedy.

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LAPTOP? How did you get those drives into a laptop?
Jun 3, 2014 1:02AM PDT
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reply to 'LAPTOP?'
Jun 3, 2014 10:52AM PDT

To be more clear about things, any sort of RAID is in the desktop.

The laptop is a completely different story. What I had in mind was SSD + ReadyCache for the laptop.

All the other drives are going in the desktop. RAID1+0 with the ReadyCache, and an SSD only for the OS.

Sorry for the confusion. It'd be truly amazing if one could indeed fit nine drives into a laptop.

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Well there is this odd thing.
Jun 3, 2014 11:06AM PDT
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Ssd + Readycache
Jun 4, 2014 1:07AM PDT