I'm running a RAID 5 array in my HTPC with 4 1TB Samsung Spinpoint F1 drives (and about to add #5). I originally bought a 1 TB WD GreenPower drive to move all the data off my old RAID array when I went to the new one and I did have a problem with it. It never died, but it was flaky enough in the BIOS detection and in the SMART reporting (for what that's worth) that I steered away from those completely. I also went with a good quality hardware RAID card (Areca 1220) instead of the onboard ones and it is well worth the investment.
One very important thing to keep in mind if you are going to be building a RAID array with these puppies - how long does it take your array to rebuild itself? Because if you're running RAID 5 and a drive fails and another drive fails in the middle of rebuilding the array, you're screwed. So you need to do some calcs with your RAID adapter card specs to see if that's a concern or not. Going to RAID 6 may help because it allows for 2 failures, but then you have 2 1TB drives in the array just sitting there. And while the drive may still be under warranty so you can get it replaced easily, that doesn't help you get your data back if it broke your array. If you are going with regular SATA drives, you may want to consider getting the enterprise model instead of the consumer model. Or perhaps the WD Caviar Black which is $20 more expensive but has a 5-year warranty and has really good reviews: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136284 Links to reviews and roundups: http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/storage/display/1tb-hdd-roundup.html http://www.thetechlounge.com/article/597/1TB-Hard-Drive-Roundup-Update/ --------------------------- Brian Weeden Technical Consultant Secure World Foundation <http://www.secureworldfoundtion.org> +1 (514) 466-2756 Canada +1 (202) 683-8534 US On Fri, Jan 30, 2009 at 9:05 PM, Bino Gopal <binogo...@hotmail.com> wrote: > What are your guy's thoughts on buying HDs nowadays? You can get 1TB SATA > HDs for <$100 (sometimes even $80 on good sales) so the price/storage ratio > is so-sweet it's almost a no-brainer to buy like 5-10 and go into some > crazy > RAID setup! > > > > But I keep seeing reviews on Newegg and other sites about these things > FAILING all the time (across all manufacturers), and that makes me worried. > I'd rather spend more and get something good that will definitely last and > be reliable.so if I buy SAS drives, will they definitely fit that bill? > Problem is they seem too expensive: > > > > http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE > < > http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010150014%2010 > 35917796&name=Serial%20Attached%20SCSI%20%28SAS%29<http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010150014%201035917796&name=Serial%20Attached%20SCSI%20%28SAS%29> > > > &N=2010150014%201035917796&name=Serial%20Attached%20SCSI%20%28SAS%29 > > > > (A guy at work was going to give me the adapter to use these btw, since > they > don't seem to sell them as much. :P) > > > > Or do you have to hunt and find the enterprise class SATA drives that are > better quality than the general consumer ones, like this one? > > > > http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136313 (WD RE3) > > > > I've been looking at storagereview, but they don't seem to break down the > more reliable class as a whole vs the cheaper stuff.thoughts? > > > > > BINO > > > >
