Mixing GPT and MBR drives in one PC

Topic

New Reply

I am contemplating a new PC (Win 8) and am thinking about one with a 4TB drive and a boot SSD. The big drive will obviously be formatted as GPT so I assume vendor (Dell) will also format SSD as GPT as well. I have 2 questions:

Is there a real-world difference in reliability or other factor that says get 2x2TB drives instead of 1x4TB drive?

If not, and I get the 4TB GPT-formatted drives, can I add another drive to the system that is MBR formatted. It would only be used for data. Can these two differently formatted HDDs co-exist peacefully or does it have to be all-or-nothing?

Thanks.

Reply | Quote

Replies

It’s a per hard drive type so it’s no problem co-existing in the same system, the OS just has to understand GPT, which 8 does and yes, a factory installed SSD with 8 will come as GPT.

4 terabyte drives are fairly new and as yet not tested over the long run so it’s difficult to say if the reliability is as good as 2 TB drives. I haven’t heard of anything specific, yet. As long as either is backed up go for either. When there gets to be that much data I like to go with NAS devices instead of individual computer storage; they have to be backed up as well, but it is very effective way to share very large data sets over a mixed network (32 bit systems, various OSes, media players, etc.). If you have no such compatibility considerations go for exactly what you want.

Reply | Quote

I’ve got 7 drives in my setup and the only ones that need to be formatted for GPT are the drives that are 3TB and greater.

I assume vendor (Dell) will also format SSD as GPT as well

Don’t assume anything, always check specs or ask the vendor.

Is there a real-world difference in reliability or other factor that says get 2x2TB drives instead of 1x4TB drive?

Yes, GPT is less prone to corruption and will allow for drives greater than 3TB

If not, and I get the 4TB GPT-formatted drives, can I add another drive to the system that is MBR formatted. It would only be used for data. Can these two differently formatted HDDs co-exist peacefully or does it have to be all-or-nothing?

As I have mentioned earlier in my setup, they can co-exist.

Reply | Quote

I assume vendor (Dell) will also format SSD as GPT as well
Don’t assume anything, always check specs or ask the vendor.

It would be a revelation if Dell can get away with sending out an OEM Windows 8 system without the GPT requirement (for UEFI integration).

Reply | Quote

The big drive will obviously be formatted as GPT so I assume vendor (Dell) will also format SSD as GPT as well.

On an OEM system with Windows 8/8.1 preinstalled, the system will be UEFI, all drives will be GPT. No worry about mixing, although Windows has no problem with GPT drives used for DATA storage. Windows can’t boot directly from a GPT drive, hence the EFI System partition (~100MB) on GPT boot drive.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

Reply | Quote

There are two possible advantages to using 2TB drives. First, they are usually quieter than a 4TB drive. Second, they are often available on sale for less than half the cost of a 4TB model.

Reply | Quote

All good points. The odds of a single failure is higher with two drives vs. one drive, assuming (!) the underlying drives are equally reliable. Twice as many moving parts, as it were. Unless the larger drive is doubly unreliable, you’re more likely to experience a failure with the two-drive setup (where a failure of either drive will spoil your day).

OTOH, only half of your data is at risk for unrecoverable failure on a smaller drive.

Reply | Quote

All good points. The odds of a single failure is higher with two drives vs. one drive, assuming (!) the underlying drives are equally reliable. Twice as many moving parts, as it were. Unless the larger drive is doubly unreliable, you’re more likely to experience a failure with the two-drive setup (where a failure of either drive will spoil your day).

OTOH, only half of your data is at risk for unrecoverable failure on a smaller drive.

If you follow a regular backup plan as advocated by many on this board, no permanent data loss is at risk with either setup.

Jerry

Reply | Quote

Frank,

Slight problem with your math as an SSD has no moving parts. :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

Reply | Quote

Frank,

Slight problem with your math as an SSD has no moving parts. :cheers:

I assumed that it was the 4 TB vs. 2×2 TB being discussed and, to my knowledge, no civilian can afford a 2 TB SSD drive 🙂

Reply | Quote

Of course, complete and current backups should be routine practice. Corollary to bbearren’s rule: “Only two kinds of people: those who have lost data, and those who will.” I would not wish on my worst enemy the experience I had when my laptop, backed up nightly to my desktop, lost its hard drive, and the desktop’s drive crashed as I started to restore. One backup is one backup too few.

My remark was simply intended as a factor for consideration when choosing between one large and two smaller drives. Even given a perfect backup, it’s still a pain that’s more likely to occur if more drives are involved. With MTBF up to one million hours, let’s hope this discussion remains theoretical.

Reply | Quote

I have one cardinal rule RE hardware failure. It is not a matter of if, it is a matter of when. Be prepared with a current backup.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

Reply | Quote

I use two drives to enhance performance. I use multiple logical drive/partitions to further separate files of similar types, I keep current backups on everything, but there’s lots of stuff that doesn’t change much over time, in which case an older backup is just as “current” as a new backup.

I backup only 3 logical drives on a regular basis; OS, Program Files, and Users. These are relatively small logical drives, and so the backups don’t take very long. See this thread. My methods work well for me, but they’re not necessarily for everyone.

The one thing I would emphasize to everyone is to develop a drive imaging regimen that works for you, and make regular and frequent images. In addition to my drive images I scatter multiple copies of important files across multiple logical drives, and backup my financial data to DVD everytime I balance my checkbook.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

Reply | Quote