WHS V2 OS Drive Question

[ImTheTypeOfGuy]

I bought two WD Scorpio Black (WD2500BEKT) 250GB drives to use in the IcyDock raid cage for V2. I just noticed that these are advanced format drives. Can I use AF drives for the OS, or even for data, in V2?

[pcdoc]

I bought two WD Scorpio Black (WD2500BEKT) 250GB drives to use in the IcyDock raid cage for V2. I just noticed that these are advanced format drives. Can I use AF drives for the OS, or even for data, in V2?

 

Sure can. No problem with V2

[timekills]

Is there an advantage to the Black vs Blue or vice versa in a WHS2011 RAID-1 setup? The sustained reads and writes for the Blacks are about 10MB/s more across the drive (90 to 40 MB/s for the black, 80-32 MB/s for the blue) but access speeds for the Blue are supposedly faster (per WD, not sure how that is possible IRL given the 1,800 RPM advantage of the Blacks.)

 

Do I take the speed and 5 year warranty of the Black vs. the power and noise savings of the Blue? Does the small performance increase really matter given the use as OS drive for WHS?

 

Recommendations? Thanks.

 

P.S. Would these be a viable option as the 2008R2 OS drive for a virtual setup (WHS2011 and WMC) if I went that route rather than dedicated WHS2011?

[ImTheTypeOfGuy]

I went with the blacks for two reasons. First, they were $50 each, thus cost wasn't a factor. Secondly, because of what I have read about WD. Quick summary, Greens are just blacks, that didn't make the cut so they were downgraded and sold for less. So I extrapolate that to blue falling into the same category, just they didn't fail as bad as a green. So a black is the only WD that meets first pass quaility requirements in my mind. Good luck in your selection.

[JediTim]

I went with the blacks for two reasons. First, they were $50 each, thus cost wasn't a factor. Secondly, because of what I have read about WD. Quick summary, Greens are just blacks, that didn't make the cut so they were downgraded and sold for less. So I extrapolate that to blue falling into the same category, just they didn't fail as bad as a green. So a black is the only WD that meets first pass quaility requirements in my mind. Good luck in your selection.

 

Sadly the 2TB drives on Newegg are:

- $79.99 for the Green Drive with Free Shipping

- $149.99 for the Black Drive plus $7.86 in shipping

 

I plan on getting 7 new drives for a WHS build...an additional $545 in cost. I will go with the Green drives.

Tim

[timekills]

Sadly the 2TB drives on Newegg are:

- $79.99 for the Green Drive with Free Shipping

- $149.99 for the Black Drive plus $7.86 in shipping

 

I plan on getting 7 new drives for a WHS build...an additional $545 in cost. I will go with the Green drives.

Tim

 

I meant specifically for the OS; for data I'd stay away from the Blacks, especially if you're outting that many in one case, and certainly the speed icnrease would not be helpful as a data pool. But for an OS, the speed might be beneficial. Not sure.

[ImTheTypeOfGuy]

Sadly the 2TB drives on Newegg are:

- $79.99 for the Green Drive with Free Shipping

- $149.99 for the Black Drive plus $7.86 in shipping

 

I plan on getting 7 new drives for a WHS build...an additional $545 in cost. I will go with the Green drives.

Tim

 

 

With everything I previously posted, it is hard to argue with that logic. Except, you can get a top quality drive from another manufacturer. Even one that trashes a drive if it doesn't pass first pass quality requirements.

[jmwills]

I can agree to a point. You are configuring a RAID Array (1 I hope) so the chances of losing both drives is a little remote. I would never go with Greens for the OS but Blues could cut it in a RAID array. Black Drives are like Ron Popel..."set it and forget it".

[Guest no-control]

Quick summary, Greens are just blacks, that didn't make the cut so they were downgraded and sold for less. So I extrapolate that to blue falling into the same category, just they didn't fail as bad as a green. So a black is the only WD that meets first pass quaility requirements in my mind. Good luck in your selection.

 

So I take it you only buy the top end stuff like $1000 CPUs, Dominator GTX RAM, etc...? Otherwise all the other items in your build are "binned" as well. I think the use of fail is out of context. It fails to meet the specifications for a WD black drive, but does meet the lower spec of a Green drive. It's not a failed drive. you make it out like there is something insidious going on at the WD plant.

[ImTheTypeOfGuy]

So I take it you only buy the top end stuff like $1000 CPUs, Dominator GTX RAM, etc...? Otherwise all the other items in your build are "binned" as well. I think the use of fail is out of context. It fails to meet the specifications for a WD black drive, but does meet the lower spec of a Green drive. It's not a failed drive. you make it out like there is something insidious going on at the WD plant.

 

 

I like theories of relativity. So I compare what WD is doing to other manufacturers andI Have never seen anything similar to what WD is doing with the other vendors. The others seem to produce to a standard. It is a yes no decision. If no it is scrapped. WD produces to a standard with "what if" statements.

 

Would you buy a car with a V8 that only has 6 cylindars that work and they called it "green"?

 

I also look at personal use. I have had numerous drives die or hae problems (don't recall exact number but would guess it is around 5 or 6). All but one, has been a WD product.