RAID 0, scratch & paging file

[yabber]

I have the following setup: Core2Duo, 2GB RAM, Win XP, PSCS2, and 4 HDD's: 36GB raptor for OS, 2x 36GB raptor in RAID 0 for scratch disk and 320 GB HDD for storage.

For best photoshop performance (50Mb Nikon D200 files) should I:
1) put the scratch disk on a separate partition on the RAID 0 ?

2) put the windows paging file on a separate partition on the RAID 0 OR on the 320 GB storage disk (on separate partition)?

Thanks in advance

[Mike Boden]

I have the following setup: Core2Duo, 2GB RAM, Win XP, PSCS2, and 4 HDD's: 36GB raptor for OS, 2x 36GB raptor in RAID 0 for scratch disk and 320 GB HDD for storage.

For best photoshop performance (50Mb Nikon D200 files) should I:
1) put the scratch disk on a separate partition on the RAID 0 ?

2) put the windows paging file on a separate partition on the RAID 0 OR on the 320 GB storage disk (on separate partition)?

Thanks in advance
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=90649\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

From my experience, I've never seen the paging file actually utilized. So mine is on my main hard "C" harddrive. I increased the size a bit and have simply forgotten about it.

As for your scratch disk, I recommend using two of your 36GB raptors in RAID 0 as one partion and leave it be.

Then use your 320GB for your storage.

Another thing you could do is add an additional two drives as RAID 0 for your 'working' drive. This is how I work. I transfer files from 'storage' to 'working', do any Photoshop manipulations, and then save back to 'storage' at the end of the session/day. (In fact, my 'storage' is actually a seperate server running RAID 5.)

[theophilus]

I have the following setup: Core2Duo, 2GB RAM, Win XP, PSCS2, and 4 HDD's: 36GB raptor for OS, 2x 36GB raptor in RAID 0 for scratch disk and 320 GB HDD for storage.

For best photoshop performance (50Mb Nikon D200 files) should I:
1) put the scratch disk on a separate partition on the RAID 0 ?

2) put the windows paging file on a separate partition on the RAID 0 OR on the 320 GB storage disk (on separate partition)?

Thanks in advance
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=90649\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Your Windows paging file should have its own logical drive (i.e. D:\), but I do not see any performance increase if it is on a separate physical drive from the main OS installation.

The photoshop scratch disk should be on a separate physical drive from the Windows paging file.  The scratch disk partition should also be the first partition on that physical drive - It puts it on the inner part of the hard drive platter and the spindle does not have to move as far during use.

[theophilus]

Also, the paging file should be about twice the size of the max amount of RAM you will put in the system.  The main reason for it having its own logical drive is that the windows paging file is the primary culprit for OS performance slowdown because it causes your hard drive to fragment more quickly.

[yabber]

thanks for the tips Theophilus and bodenzord!..
Yabber