Expandable Storage Solutions Media Center PC ? JDJ <jj[ at ]invalid.invalid> 30.06.2007 16:28:08 Expandable Storage Solutions Media Center PC ? Always running out of disk space (music files). Already own 300gb USB/Firewire and already installed 500GB in HP PC Windows XP Media Center Edition in addition to 300GB that came with machine. No more expansion slots in PC. Was wondering about a better approach than USB or Firewire external drives (slow & expensive). Something I could easily migrate to new faster PC on next upgrade, like some sort of RAID or disk array where I can buy cheap 500GB and up hard drives and simply buy a new drive when I run out of space. Ideally multiple drives would look like one logical drive, so if I want to use Windows Explorer to look at folders in alphabetical order, I don't have to bounce to another drive when one drive can't hold everything I have A to Z. Also looking for ideal database application to track music collection on hard drives and/or CD. -- "J. J."

RE: Expandable Storage Solutions Media Center PC ? Byte 30.06.2007 16:56:02 You must be a Disk Jockey. Take a look below. Up to 7.5 Terabytes. MP3 Brings High Capacity Disk Drives Into The Home - Product Information Computers http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BRZ/is_8_20/ai_65513209 -- XP - WNP Today is the first day of the rest of your life. "JDJ" wrote: [Quoted Text] > Expandable Storage Solutions Media Center PC ? > > Always running out of disk space (music files). > > Already own 300gb USB/Firewire and already installed 500GB in HP PC > Windows XP Media Center Edition in addition to 300GB that came with > machine. No more expansion slots in PC. > > Was wondering about a better approach than USB or Firewire external > drives (slow & expensive). Something I could easily migrate to new > faster PC on next upgrade, like some sort of RAID or disk array where > I can buy cheap 500GB and up hard drives and simply buy a new drive > when I run out of space. > > Ideally multiple drives would look like one logical drive, so if I > want to use Windows Explorer to look at folders in alphabetical order, > I don't have to bounce to another drive when one drive can't hold > everything I have A to Z. > > Also looking for ideal database application to track music collection > on hard drives and/or CD. > -- > > "J. J." >

RE: Expandable Storage Solutions Media Center PC ? Andrew E. 01.07.2007 01:16:00 Try adding a RAID controller to youre pc,thier under 50.00 Then create a RAID set,the SATA hd will cost though if over 250gb,a 250 SATA Seagate runs only about 100. while a 500gb cost about 250.each,also seagate carries a 5yr warranty while wdc,maxtor,etc carry a 1yr.If you need more than 1 or 2 RAID arrays ([ at ] 1 terabyte each),look at server boards that can host more hds using RAID 5 "JDJ" wrote: [Quoted Text] > Expandable Storage Solutions Media Center PC ? > > Always running out of disk space (music files). > > Already own 300gb USB/Firewire and already installed 500GB in HP PC > Windows XP Media Center Edition in addition to 300GB that came with > machine. No more expansion slots in PC. > > Was wondering about a better approach than USB or Firewire external > drives (slow & expensive). Something I could easily migrate to new > faster PC on next upgrade, like some sort of RAID or disk array where > I can buy cheap 500GB and up hard drives and simply buy a new drive > when I run out of space. > > Ideally multiple drives would look like one logical drive, so if I > want to use Windows Explorer to look at folders in alphabetical order, > I don't have to bounce to another drive when one drive can't hold > everything I have A to Z. > > Also looking for ideal database application to track music collection > on hard drives and/or CD. > -- > > "J. J." >

Re: Expandable Storage Solutions Media Center PC ? JDJ <jj[ at ]invalid.invalid> 02.07.2007 19:43:55 On Sat, 30 Jun 2007 18:16:00 -0700, Andrew E. <eckrichco[ at ]msn.com> wrote: [Quoted Text] > Try adding a RAID controller to youre pc,thier under 50.00 Then create a RAID > set,the SATA hd will cost though if over 250gb,a 250 SATA Seagate runs only > about 100. while a 500gb cost about 250.each,also seagate carries a 5yr >warranty $250 for 500 gig is acceptable if I can just spend $250 to add another 500gb. The RAID will be in an external enclosure with empty drive bays I can add too? There are no empty drive bays in my PC. How does the external box talk to the PC and/or my LAN? Is it limited to 1 terabyte, i.e. 2 x 500GB hard drives? I filled up this last 500GB hard drive pretty quickly. > look at server boards that can host more hds using RAID 5 This is different than the $50 RAID controller you mention above? Where is the server board, in my PC or in its own enclosure? -- "J. J."