Help, i'm overwhelmed.....

[UrbanFreestyle]

TLDR: I have too many HDD, which should i use?

 

Hi family,

So i'm hoping that someone can help me out with my dilemma.

 

I have just acquired a nice PC that i intend to use as my workhorse, I have hidden the specs below:

Spoiler

Motherboard: Asus Z97-K

Processor: Intel Core i7 4790K

CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U14S

RAM: 32gb 2133 Corsair Vengeance Pro DDR3

Graphics: EVGA GTX 960 SCC

PSU: Corsair CS550M 500w

Case: Carbide 330R Titanium

Fans: 2x Front 140 Corsair (OEM) 1x Rear 120 Corsair (OEM)

Now the issue i have is storage... In a way i think i have too much choice as i have collected a lot over the last year.

Below is my list of drives:

Spoiler

3x 3tb Seagate Constelation es.3 HDD

6x 2tb Seagate Baracuda HDD

2x 256gb  Samsung M.2 NVME

2x 256gb Samsung 840 Evo SSD

 

I guess what i am trying to work out is what can / do i use in this build?

I know that it's not a simple answer as there are so many combinations i could use.

As i said it is going to be my workhorse so by this i mean that i will be using it for the following:

• 3d CAD using Fusion 360
• Photo editing using Lightroom and Photoshop
• Video editing using Sony Vegas
• VM testing (i work in an infrastructure team to want to be able to try / break things before going into a live environment with it)
• Normal shiz like iTunes, web browsing, blah blah blah
• NO GAMING

 

My current thoughts are:

Spoiler

Boot drive: 256gb m.2 

Scratch: 256gb SSD

Photo & Video storage: 3x 3tb Seagate drives in RAID 0

Backup (i also own an empty 4 bay NAS): 4x 2tb Seagate RAID 6

 

Final passing thought. Could i RAID 0 2 of the SSDs for scratch storage / current projects?

[dgsddfgdfhgs]

you mobo support 6 sata and ignore m.2slot ( m.2 shall disable 2x sata ports)

you should choose 840evo as OS and program, 2nd ssd for frequent access files & 4x other drives (5x large HDD 2x m.2 left)

buy and install a pci to 4x sata adapter (for 4x HDD)

then another adapter pci> 2x m.2

something like that

 

or buy a usb dock to swap them out

 

 

[UrbanFreestyle]

Thanks for the reply.

I only have 4 3.5 drive bays available and 2x2.5 bays 

 

So you think it would be better to use the SSD rather than the m.2 for OS?

 

[Slayer3032]

I filled up my case with disks at one point, while it was only 5 I realized when I started looking at 8TB drives to replace aging drives that I should just build a NAS/home server. Much of what you have might be better left out of your build. Most newer cases are severely lacking drive bays and almost never include the extra drive cages you'll want/need to stack.

[UrbanFreestyle]

I have 4x 3.5 bays and 2x 2.5 bays available. Also have a 3d printer so i can make brackets if need be.

 

[dgsddfgdfhgs]

4 minutes ago, UrbanFreestyle said:

I only have 4 3.5 drive bays available and 2x2.5 bays 

 

So you think it would be better to use the SSD rather than the m.2 for OS?

yes you got to be creative to steal some space or mod the case if needed.

 

(you can use 1x m.2 as OS on mobo and sacrifice 2x native sata, so you may need another adaptor(s) for 2x sata+ m.2, anyway nvme drives & sata ssd are similar perf in os)

I dont know how well your mobo handles pci adaptor m.2 as OS, but it is mostly fine with ordinary storage.

[UrbanFreestyle]

Ok thanks, 

Seems that finding a pci card that supports 2x m.2 is quite tough here in the UK as most use one over pcie and the other turns into a sata connection

[dgsddfgdfhgs]

8 minutes ago, UrbanFreestyle said:

Seems that finding a pci card that supports 2x m.2 is quite tough here in the UK as most use one over pcie and the other turns into a sata connection

randomly found a orico adaptor,,,at taobao, 

FYI there are always some strange / interesting off brand stuff there

https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?spm=a230r.1.14.13.71f77649Ys5yyC&id=582156493630&cm_id=140105335569ed55e27b&abbucket=15&skuId=4068189882420

[UrbanFreestyle]

another thought i had was using a 2x nvme m.2 to sata adapter (thus giving me raid 0 and only using one slot)

[dgsddfgdfhgs]

4 minutes ago, UrbanFreestyle said:

another thought i had was using a 2x nvme m.2 to sata adapter (thus giving me raid 0 and only using one slot)

lucky enough you should have enough slots for that

[star_pilot475]

Instead of using ALL of those drives, you could buy one (or two) of these and just clone all your other drives to it. They’re a bit chunky in price though...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H557CHQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_vtq8CbEYSYEX1

 

 

 

 

 

[UrbanFreestyle]

6 minutes ago, star_pilot475 said:

Instead of using ALL of those drives, you could buy one (or two) of these and just clone all your other drives to it. They’re a bit chunky in price though...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H557CHQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_vtq8CbEYSYEX1

 

 

 

 

 

ahhh yeahhhh..at over $600 a piece..... i don't think i'll be doing that.

[UrbanFreestyle]

re-considerations made now i think this might be best:

Boot drive: 256gb m.2 
Scratch: 256gb m.2 in PCIE adapter
Photo, Video, Data storage: 3x 3tb Seagate drives (Labeled drives - Photo, Video, Data)
Backup (NAS) - 4x 2tb Seagate RAID 5