Should I make the WD500GB C:?

Hi,

We're getting my daughter a new WD 500GB drive for her laptop (an HP DV7-something)for Christmas. This is the drive:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136314

The laptop can support 2 drives, and came with a 320GB drive (not sure of the brand/model), so I was originally planning to just put the new drive into the 2nd slot (I already bought a extra caddy from Ebay) so she had extra storage (she has LOTS of audio and video files), but then I saw this:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=307430

so now, I'm thinking that it might make more sense to make the new WD drive the boot drive.

What are your all thoughts on this? Would that be a good idea?

Thanks,
Jim

 

if u want a really fast boot drive, get the Hitachi 7K500... its available for newmegg in 250GB and 500GB size... its more expensive than the Western digital one but it gives about half the performance of an SSD so its worth it.

 

Like sean473 said, use a fast hdd (or ssd if you can afford it) for the OS and a big but slower hdd for storage.

 

Jim, could you find out the model of drive she has in there now? If the drive is 7200RPM then I would continue to use that as the C:\ drive (it will be faster than the WD), but if not then the WD5000BEVT will be faster. I use a WD5000BEVT in my HP and it is an excellent drive.

If you want to make the WD the primary drive, you will naturally have to reload the OS/drivers and all that stuff.

 

Hi,

Sorry, but my daughter hasn't brought her laptop over for awhile. I just checked and the original drive is a WD320BEVT, which I guess is the same "series" as the new WD500BEVT?

Assuming that's the case, I'll probably add the new 500GB drive in as the 2nd drive.

Jim

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but especially if they are the same model line, wouldn't the 500 be faster due to higher platter density? Thus making itself the prime candidate for OS drive?

Then again, there's a lot to be said for just plugging it in to the second slot and letting it go. No cloning/reinstall required.

Then again, there's a lot to be said for a clean install, as well. Especially if she can move her data from the second drive to the new install, no cloning required, then format the original drive for storage use. <--That's what I'd do, if it were me.

My multiple $.02's...

 

jeremysdad,

I just upgraded her laptop from the original Vista to Windows 7, using a Win7 upgrade CD, which took like a whole night. She only had a Win7 upgrade, so a clean Win7 installation isn't an option for her laptop.

I hadn't thought of what you mentioned, but I'll check into it.

Thanks for the $.02 !!

Jim

 

You can clean install with the upgrade discs.