IDE or FireWire hard drive?

[JMS40]

Never said I deserved respect...

Cheers.

[Sam Amato]

Sorry to be off topic but reading this thread brought two questions to my mind:

1) Svein Egil (SEBJOERG) - Can you tell me more details about your system? What Digidesign hardware, PT version, how much RAM?

2) Where can I find out more about these DaveC tests? I've searched a little but I just find results, I'd like to know exactly what the test is and how to run it.

Thanks,

Sam

[spkguitar]

PT Performance - Davec I & Davec II Tests

[SEBJOERG]

Sorry to be off topic but reading this thread brought two questions to my mind:

1) Svein Egil (SEBJOERG) - Can you tell me more details about your system? What Digidesign hardware, PT version, how much RAM?

Thanks,

Sam

Hello Sam!


I´m running a MacBook with these specs:

Screen: 13.3" (Connected to a 24" with dvi)
Cpu: Intel Core 2 Duo with 2+2mb L2 cache
Memory: 2 gig DDR2 667 Mhz
HD: Stock Internal 80 g 5400rpm
OS: OsX 10.4.8 and Windows XP Home Sp2 on the other partition.
Ptle: Ver. 7.1.1 (Both OsX and Win XP)
Digi 002R


As you probably know you can split the HD on these Intel Mac´s with a program called Bootcamp.
That makes it possible to run Windows XP Sp2 on the other partition on the same laptop.
I´ve done it, and it works great!
Check out the Best Laptops for PTLE topic. Then you´ll see how it performs under OsX compared to Win Xp
When it comes to the DaveC test, spkguitar has allready posted the link for you where to find it.


Best,
Svein Egil.

[Sam Amato]

Thanks guys (spkguitar & SEBJOERG).

Svein, I'm glad to hear about the good results you are getting with that Macbook, as I just bought the same model. I'm looking forward to getting it set up. I'm thinking about doing the Bootcamp thing too, but I don't like the fact that if I do it I won't be able to have a separate partition just for audio. My understanding is that Bootcamp won't work on a drive that has more than one partition. I would like to have 1 partition for OS X, 1 for XP, and 1 for audio. Does anyone know if this is possible? I know people will tell me I should just record to an external FW, something I'm very aware of and familiar with. For various reasons I would prefer not to do that in this case.

[SEBJOERG]

Thanks guys (spkguitar & SEBJOERG).
... I know people will tell me I should just record to an external FW, something I'm very aware of and familiar with. For various reasons I would prefer not to do that in this case...

I don´t know if Bootcamp will allow 3 (or more) partitions. You will not get any better performance by partitioning the Mac partition into one Os and one Audio partition because it´s still the same disc. Perhaps it will make the performance even worse. Just make a new folder on the OsX drive for ProTools. (for easier backup)

But a physical extra audio drive is a different story (Haven´t tried an external disc on my MacBook myself yet, but it will probably increase the performance by a track or too on the DaveC II test from 32-66 to 32-68 )

Yeah, guys I will try that some day and post the results her

But anyway, congrats with your new MacBook. As Allen told me: "You will not regret this decision...", and he got right
Happy ProTooling



Best regards from snowy Norway,
Svein Egil.

[Sam Amato]

Thanks Svein. The reason I like to have an audio partition is so I can not only backup easily, but also completely erase (and write zeros to) that partition without affecting the system partition. This way I can defragment my audio partition when I feel the need. I believe this helps with performance. I could be wrong.

Sam

[JMS40]

Just a FWIW... Digidesign recommends against defraging audio drives, or in your case, partitions.
They suggest you back up the data, format the drive, and copy the data back.

[SEBJOERG]

...is so I can not only backup easily, but also completely erase (and write zeros to) that partition without affecting the system partition. This way I can defragment my audio partition when I feel the need. I believe this helps with performance. I could be wrong.

Sam

I see your point and you`re absolute right.
It`s good to defrag the disc`s from time to time depending on how much they are in use and how big the disc`s are.
In a studio scenario when the disc`s runs in and out with audio 8-10 hours a day, a weekly defrag or two will do good.

But as I said, I really don`t know if it`s possible to split the OsX OR the WinXP partition with BootCamp or OsX with success. Send Apple a mail and ask them.
If you want to access and write to the WinXP partition from OsX (in case Bootcamp for some reasons allows just more WinXP partitions...), be sure to format the WinXP partition as a Fat drive and smaller than 30Gb.

Just keep one thing in mind: BACKUP YOUR WORK


Best,
Svein Egil.

[Sam Amato]

Just a FWIW... Digidesign recommends against defraging audio drives, or in your case, partitions.
They suggest you back up the data, format the drive, and copy the data back.

-----------

This is exactly what I mean when I say "defragment", except I don't always need to copy the data back.