Possible upgrade after having PC in shop, need advice.

[Blín D'ñero]

[...]
Would it be crazy/overboard to get a smaller HDD later on (maybe just 250GB) just for an OS, system files, drivers and virtual memory?

[...]

Well it's not sensible. For the OS, the drive should be as fast as possible. From any hard disk drive, the first ¼ is the fastest part, in the second half of the disk you see a sorrowful decline, it's simply the nature of the device.

So, on a fast 1 TB drive (like the WB Black Edition), creating a first partition of say 200 ~ 250 GB and designating it to Windows 7 x64 and all programs (also including pagefile.sys [automatic virtual memory], hyberfil.sys [sleep mode] and a System Restore set at a generous 10%) makes perfectly sense.

Getting a 250 GB harddiskdrive would make sense if you'd dedicate it totally (100%) to the system's virtual memory. Otherwise, you shouldn't buy it at all, as it's very inefficient and relatively way too expensive. A 1 TB drive is the sweet spot now, and WD's Black Edition scores very high with price/performance ratio.

[rditto48801]

Ah, okay. That answers that question pretty well.

So 200 GB would be good for the first partition?

What would be a good size to select for virtual memory? I was thinking maybe 8 or 16 GB. Would that be enough, is it to much, or would more be better?
Is virtual memory size something I can designate while installing the OS, or will it be something that has to be setup after the OS is installed?

[Blín D'ñero]

Ah, okay. That answers that question pretty well.

So 200 GB would be good for the first partition?

What would be a good size to select for virtual memory? I was thinking maybe 8 or 16 GB. Would that be enough, is it to much, or would more be better?
Is virtual memory size something I can designate while installing the OS, or will it be something that has to be setup after the OS is installed?

Yes. I have that... 215 GB on my "workhorse" machine with Adobe Master Suite, Microcoft Office suite, and many programs. That machine has 7 x 1 TB hdd's, one of which has a "Scratch-disk" partition of 350 GB for Photoshop and such programs alone.

The paging file (virtual memory): about the same value as the system RAM size, for both minimum and maximum. More isn't needed.
What happens is: when you install Win 7 x64, the paging file size gets automatically applied (based on your RAM size), "system managed size". When you have 8 GB RAM installed it will look like this: minimum is 0, maximum value about 8000 MB. Not exactly, but something like 8123 MB. You just radiobutton "Custom Size" and put that max value in the "Initial size (MB)" box and the "Maximum size (MB)" box equally, then hit button "Set". That's all.

Or more exactly: you first radiobutton "No pagingfile", and then reboot.
Then defragment.
Then apply the custom sized paging file described above.
Because if you don't do this, you get a large pagingfile that consist of many broken pieces (because after installing Windows and updates, the whole harddiskdrive is usually heavily fragmented).
After you have done this though, the pagingfile will be (and stay) one contiguous chunk.

[rditto48801]

I called the computer shop to get some estimates.
Their minimal bench fee is $45, and would cover getting the parts installed. For also installing the OS, it would be $60 total. Not a bad price for having them install the PSU, RAM, HDD, Video Card and OS at once.

In other news, Steam has started to torture me with autumn sales...
I might get a thing or two for $2.50. My estimates show I will have $78 leftover, which could easily cover the $60. They will likely have the same basic sales come Christmas time.

I got to again debate just how much I want to try and get done myself, since I could save $15 by getting the HDD/OS at least installed myself. Got my eyes on an indie game... although, having some of my present games play on more than minimal graphics or sidestepping the 2GB memory wall would likely also keep me busy once I get stuff done.

[Blín D'ñero]

"Getting the parts installed" is that in Windows XP? So, the physical assembling, plus the driver installation, and the quality check?

If they install Win 7, is that including the chipset drivers, windows updates, latest drivers?
Windows 7 x64 installation itself takes 20 minutes. You could do it yourself, make sure to check on Memory Remap in BIOS (so the full 8 GB RAM gets recognized), possibly a few other things. But they probably know exactly what to do. The dual-bootscreen is created automatically.

[rditto48801]

I think they said the OS instillation would include getting the OS updates. I don't remember if they mentioned other drivers and such being installed.

Due to the PSU 'cable vine' in my case, I might need to have them do everything if I cannot easily get the HDD in place myself.
And now that I think about it, I need to check if there is an extra HDD power cable or not. if not, I can just backup what I need off of the old 80 GB IDE and remove it for the time being.

Isn't the option to format/partition the HDD included with the OS install?
Also, will it show HDD sizes, so there isn't a risk of something like accidentally formating a 500GB instead of a 1TB HDD?

Would the Memory Remap thing to fully utilize the full 8GB cause any issues when I need to boot up XP for older games and such? Or would XP basically just 'ignore' the other 4GB?

[Blín D'ñero]

I think they said the OS instillation would include getting the OS updates. I don't remember if they mentioned other drivers and such being installed.

Due to the PSU 'cable vine' in my case, I might need to have them do everything if I cannot easily get the HDD in place myself.
And now that I think about it, I need to check if there is an extra HDD power cable or not. if not, I can just backup what I need off of the old 80 GB IDE and remove it for the time being.

Isn't the option to format/partition the HDD included with the OS install?
Also, will it show HDD sizes, so there isn't a risk of something like accidentally formating a 500GB instead of a 1TB HDD?

Would the Memory Remap thing to fully utilize the full 8GB cause any issues when I need to boot up XP for older games and such? Or would XP basically just 'ignore' the other 4GB?

-XP will be totally ignorant of the other 4¾GB.

-The new drive is empty. The Win 7 installation procedure will quickformat and create 1 giant partition called C:\ and install Windows.
[when you boot up Win XP it sits on its own C:\... From XP's perspective, the Win 7 partition is a D:\ (or another letter)]
The whole 1TB drive is one partition C:\ at first;
You shrink C:\ to a normal proportion from within Win 7 'Disk Management': shrink C:\ (to say 180 ~ 200 GB), then create new partition E:\ (or whatever first letter is available, and when you want to switch letters, this is the best time to do so)
This is all very simple and easy you don't want to pay a shop for doing that.

-On most PSU's, certainly the modular Corsair, the sata power cables are split into 4 plugs, so with 4 cables you'd have at least plugs for 16 hdd's. Additionally, it has at least 2 probably 3 IDE powercables, also split into 4 plugs.

[rditto48801]

A quick question.
Would it be worth also purchasing a 2 year warranty plan for the HDD and RAM?

[Blín D'ñero]

A quick question.
Would it be worth also purchasing a 2 year warranty plan for the HDD and RAM?

Umm.. what for? If the RAM suddenly dies within the 2 year warranty period, you get replacement anyway? Isn't it? Why pay extra for that?

I personally never did. I had a few failing devices, shop(s) took them back, i got replacement, or repair without cost. All were within the normal warranty period. But Netherlands is different maybe...

[rditto48801]

Well, I got up a little bit ago, checked Amazon, and I see several sellers are out of the WD 1TB Caviar Black Sata III HDD, the ones that offer free shipping through Amazon are $90+ and are from companies/groups I am not familiar with...
So I moved Windows 7 from the 'save for later' list (where the HDD is now) to my cart (still about $90) and and got it while the RAM was still available (-20%, at $68).
I'll just get the HDD later.

I get money tomorrow, so if I catch the HDD from Amazon again (or one other high rated company shipping via Amazon's 'Fulfillment Centers' and apply for free shipping), I will snag it. ($90 with free shipping and tax included is more appealing than $90 before shipping and tax...)
Even being Cyber Monday, the other sellers don't seem to care about large sales/good discounts (or not in the US and not caring for 'Cyber Monday' sales)... in fact... one poorly rated seller is selling them for a bit over $1,700... no mention of it being a bulk/bundle package, so I assume that is per unit...