Which Hdd's

tech

Ok I going to buy 3 x 300gig or 3 x 320 gig to setup a RAID 5 volume to secure my data,

just would like to know what hard drives would you recommned ?

Western Digital Caviar SE16 320GB SATA2 16MB 7200RPM €120 each

Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 300GB SATA2 16MB 7200RPM €120 each

Maxtor MaXLine III 300GB SATA2 16MB 7200RPM €115

8T8

Well my choice if I was going to build a RAID 5 array and was using a dedicated RAID controller not the crappy software based ones integrated into the IDE/SATA controllers on motherboards would be the Western Digital RE2.

If you are using the integrated RAID 5 feature on your motherboard it doesn't really matter much which one you pick the performance penalty pretty much I would guess negates any advantage the drives had over each other. See Tech Report analysis on integrated RAID performance.

Go with however has the longest warranty.

sweno

What RAID controller are you going to use?

tech

looking at an Adaptec AAR-2420SA

astrofool

The seagates and the maxtors can have problems with nforce4 boards, a firmware update fixes it, but you can't guarantee you'll get that firmware.

The WD is probably the most reliable/robust option of the three.

Yook

Maxtors and Western Digitals may be slightly cheaper, but Seagates are better made drives. You're better off going for the Seagate especially if important data will be on them.

DemonOfTheFall

astrofool wrote:

The seagates and the maxtors can have problems with nforce4 boards, a firmware update fixes it, but you can't guarantee you'll get that firmware.

The WD is probably the most reliable/robust option of the three.

If they're going onto a controller card surely they won't be talking to the mobo ?

tech

correct I wont be using a mobo to setup da RAID, I'll use a controller

SeanW

Maxtor kicks tail.

I've been using Maxtor HDs for the last 4 years, and never had any problems. You'd have a bigger risk of getting a virus/hacker deleting all your files than a Maxtor failure.

Optikus

I find WD's to have the best preformance/reliability.. Maxtor are ok, iv'e never had any problems with them, although i do know other who have.. The only ever drive i've had fail on me was a Seagate and that was after having it for 3.5 years.

SouperComputer

Seagate FTW. They generate the least heat, are the quietest of the three (especially with AM) and are the most reliable.

Avoid the Maxtor. They are the least reliable in my experience. I deal with a lot of HD's over the course of a year. Maxtor are in the lead by far with failures. My HD returns this year so far (3.5" drives):

5 Maxtor
0 Seagate
0 WD
0 Samsung

I wouldnt go so far to say that they are REALLY bad, but if you have a choice, avoid them, at least in ATA\SATA config. The SCSI Atlas range is another kettle of fish altogether, they are excellent drives. Also, it has to be said that the advance replacement warranty from Maxtor(For single drive - end user only) is great.

Time will tell how the Seagate takeover affects Maxtor though.

Standard Toaster

Everyone's different. I've had all said drives at some point and the WD have never gave me any trouble. Have two in my box now that are over 5 years old. But ask the next man and he'll have a bad experience with them....
Have a x3 7 year old SCSI Seagates too....no probs from them.

Anyway. as 8T8 said, go with whatever has the longest warranty.