I'm running out of space for games and i need a new HD -- any recommendations?

I wanna add a second HD that i can also dorp into a new system if i get one I wanna spend around $200-300, and i think i can get around 17-20 GB ultradma 66 ? any recommendations? Is buycomp.com reliable?

IDE sux. After you've seen a SCSI-3 you won't think of anything else. Forget the annoying "jumpiness" when you load something, as it only loads the processor about 10% compared to 90% when runnning IDE. (rough figures) Anyway, IBM and Fujitsu make decent HD's. Have had some problems with their 7200 RPM's though, but not with their 5400's. IBM's 7200 is also only 5% faster (benchmarked with WinBanch) than the 5400 on a UDMA33 system. With all other companies I've had problems in the 5400 range too (mainly with Mircopolis but also with Seagate, Maxtor and Quantum) Quality on some is horrible, such as the Quantum Bigfoot, having sent back 27 out of 200 in a year. Anyway all those were replaced no questions asked.

I have always had great success with Maxtor Diamond Max. I still have my trusty 2 year old 4.3 GB as my backup drive while I am now using my whopping 13.0 GB Maxtor Diamond Max drive. UDMA33 maybe isn't as quick as SCSI, but it sure as hell is a lot cheaper. For your high end you could probably add a smaller (6-8GB) SCSI drive because you'd have to buy the SCSI controller card, but that may be worth it in the long run. If you've been satisfied with IDE, get a Maxtor, otherwise go SCSI IBM Deskstar My $.02 > IDE sux. After you've seen a SCSI-3 you won't think of anything else. Forget > the annoying "jumpiness" when you load something, as it only loads the > processor about 10% compared to 90% when runnning IDE. (rough figures) > Anyway, IBM and Fujitsu make decent HD's. Have had some problems with their

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> 7200 RPM's though, but not with their 5400's. IBM's 7200 is also only 5% > faster (benchmarked with WinBanch) than the 5400 on a UDMA33 system. > With all other companies I've had problems in the 5400 range too (mainly > with Mircopolis but also with Seagate, Maxtor and Quantum) > Quality on some is horrible, such as the Quantum Bigfoot, having sent back > 27 out of 200 in a year. Anyway all those were replaced no questions

asked.

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> > I wanna add a second HD that i can also dorp into a new system if i get > one > > I wanna spend around $200-300, and i think i can get around 17-20 GB > > ultradma 66 ? > > any recommendations? Is buycomp.com reliable?

roger schreef: UltraDMA HD's don't always seem to work well with UltraDMA controllers according to some articles on www.storagereview.com. I have been running Quantum Fireball disks for a while and like them a lot... their new EX series seems very good. And their price is usually hard to beat too. Their CR series look great too, but as long as those UltraDMA problems aren't gone I'd hold back on buying them -- 3D Sims Archive maintainer | http://www.3dgamers.com

One thing you might be surprised about is the fact that SCSI is becoming such a viable option with the large number of Pentium II motherboards having built-on SCSI chipsets. You end up saving $100-$150 off of buying the controller this way, and then all you need to worry about is the higher price of the SCSI drive. Fortunately, you can keep your SCSI drives much longer (5 year warranty standard on 99% of drives, and no annoying 4-device limit) Besides, you'd never want to run programs off of an IDE drive after playing around with a 10k rpm monster. My $0.02 Dan

Holy cow...that's a lotta space :) I deal in the decidedly cheaper end of the market... One of my PCs runs an IBM Deskstar 8.4 GB, the other a Western Digital 6.4 GB Both are flawless drives; in fact, the WD is running on a PII 350 overclocked to 466 (which requires a 133MHz bus speed, a feat that not many hardware combos can stand up to). The IBM drive has been pushed to a 124 MHz bus speed, but since switching CPUs between motherboards (It used to be Basically, I would recommend either drive very highly. -- Kirk Lane ICQ: 28171652 >roger schreef: >> I wanna add a second HD that i can also dorp into a new system if i get one >> I wanna spend around $200-300, and i think i can get around 17-20 GB >> ultradma 66 ? >> any recommendations? Is buycomp.com reliable? >UltraDMA HD's don't always seem to work well with UltraDMA controllers >according to some articles on www.storagereview.com. >I have been running Quantum Fireball disks for a while and like them a >lot... their new EX series seems very good. And their price is usually hard >to beat too. Their CR series look great too, but as long as those UltraDMA >problems aren't gone I'd hold back on buying them >-- >3D Sims Archive maintainer | http://www.3dgamers.com

A good deal of helpful feedback on the drives, so I'll answer the other question... Buycomp.com is very reliable. They're one of the fastest growing e-commerce companies around. The operations are headquartered in Irvine, CA, and are full of friendly and helpful folk! Very impressive. Cheers! Marc > I wanna add a second HD that i can also dorp into a new system if i get one > I wanna spend around $200-300, and i think i can get around 17-20 GB > ultradma 66 ? > any recommendations? Is buycomp.com reliable? -- Marc J. Nelson SimRacing Online - http://www.simracing.com * No animals were harmed in the making of this e-mail *

A plug for a web site: Go visit www.storagereview.com, they have a drive comparison bit and a recommended drive bit too. My advice is that if you decide to go SCSI, then wait a few months until the new Barracudas and IBM drives come out, prices should drop a bit and they are quite a bit faster than previous models. As for IDE, I'd recommend an IBM, Maxtor or WD, but make sure its 7200rpm. BTW, if you want optimal performance from your games, its best to delete the old ones and defrag your disk to move the ones you play to the outer tracks of the disk. Also win95 won't then have to swap to the inner tracks too. Outer tracks can be almost twice as fast as inner ones. (I hope I got inner and outer round the right way, doesn't matter, point is still the same). Daniel.

> I wanna add a second HD that i can also dorp into a new system if i get one > I wanna spend around $200-300, and i think i can get around 17-20 GB > ultradma 66 ? > any recommendations? Is buycomp.com reliable? I just bought a WD 13gig Ultra ATA/66 EIDE drive for $250 today. That's with no tax (military perks....AAFES). There is also a rebate of $40 for 13gig WD drives, so I'm actually paying $210 (if I ever get the rebate funds back). I'm running a two drive system (another 4.3gig WD). I'm sticking with IDE for the moment. Everything is going down pricewise with computers except SCSI stuff. Maybe I'll purchase my next MB with SCSI controller built in. Then all I'll have to worry about is going into hock to get SCSI.

>I'm running a two drive system (another 4.3gig WD). I'm sticking with IDE for >the moment. Everything is going down pricewise with computers except SCSI >stuff. Maybe I'll purchase my next MB with SCSI controller built in. Then all >I'll have to worry about is going into hock to get SCSI. I just precluded myself from flying sims because of a couple work upgrades I needed, one of them was a scsi controller, and 2 bigassed canned hams....errrrr, I meant drives.. I wish I could remove the other *** device that is causing my heartache.... Anyone know how to disable only the midi on a SBLive!!!!! I have to use Win95 for now, and it hates multiple midi controllers, I have 11 channels out, Win95 dies after 10, The SBlive!! adds 3...... I need those DEAD... If you disable midi channels on the SBlive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, it also decides you are an *** without a clue, and if you want just some, you will have nothing instead.. I need the port... Anyone had any luck with that? Your Mother Sews Oats (thats "thanks in advance" in a really friendly way) =o) Pasha