Best HD config in new MP

[iPapa]

10 days left until I get my new MP. Meanwhile I'm getting 8gb of RAM from OWC and I'm planning to grab 3 hard drives (Samsung F1, 750gb), to go with the stock 320gb.

I'm also getting two new external SATA based HD enclosures (FW800), to go with a couple of new Samsung F1s (750gb).

While waiting for my MP to arrive, I am trying to find the ideal HD solution. Obviously I will not use the slow stock 320gb drive as system disk. Instead I plan to use that one for Windows only (I won't use Windows that much anyway, just for the occasional game or app).

I'd like to get some tips as to how to get the most out of the HDs. For example, will this be any good:

#1: 750gb for OSX, apps, games
#2: 320gb for Windows & Windows apps/games
#3: 750gb for everything iTunes related (I have a huge collection)
#4: 750gb for photo/video work

And then Time Machine on a 750gb external HD (FW800)? (I have other external drives for backup purposes too, i.e. to backup my iTunes collection and to backup my photo collection)

Or would it be best to have the Time Machine drive inside the MP itself (and possibly have the iTunes stuff on an external)?

When not working (photo stuff and some video), I'll be using the MP for a lot of other things, including games. Is it a good idea at all to install the games on the OS X drive, or should I consider running the games off any of the other internal drives in order to not put too much strain on the system itself (games might run at the same time as I crunch video, for example)?

There are so many possibilities with this beast... Are there any other HD combo suggestions that I should consider instead of what I've outlined here? Different HD drive sizes? RAID (I doubt that I'll need it)? Thanks in advance for any help and input that you might offer.

 

[johny5]

Looks like you have everything sorted great for the usage you specified

Thing is, at the end of the day (god i hate that phrase) you have 3 x 750gb F1's and these are just great!!
Just dont put anything pressing on the stock 320gb, I just used mine as a downloads drive but then again if you are unzipping large files it would be better used as just a vanilla XP disk as you have specced out.

The only difference I have is with a 1TB Hitachi drive whereby I have it partitioned as 640gb and on this partition I setup Time machine and pointed it to just backup my F1 boot drive. I kept trying Time Machine with an external FW800 drive but got annoyed at the speed and noise. Now TM works great with an internal drive.

 

[JesterJJZ]

I wish there were more HD slots in the case. Six would be perfect. And yes...I already have a drive in the optical bay.

 

[kittiyut]

For external, I'd get an eSATA to utilize the ODD. It is faster than FW800 BUT not hot swappable (and there's no power over SATA)

 

[thedommer]

I went
drive 1 - OSX and programs
drrive 2 - windows
drive 3 and 4 - projects (2 750 gb F1s) except audio projects. also all drum samples etc on this one.
drive 5 eSATA - audio projects.
drive 6 USB - time machine (i dont back up everything here. just all important stuff and the full OSX drive.

 

[iPapa]

Thanks for the feedback, guys.

I might look into using eSATA externals instead of FW800. Newer Technology has got an eSATA extender cable for only 25 dollars, adding two eSATA ports to the MP. Now I just have to find some good external enclosures (silent and well designed).

I just realised that MaxUpgrades.com sells an optical drive bay disk mounting assembly for the MP, allowing for a total of 8 internal HDs in the MP. That might be overkill for my needs though, at least for now (also, I'm concerned about extra heat/noise/power consumption from such a solution). But it's good to know there are interesting solutions available to us