Reformat, seeking guides for optimum performance

[grocs]

Does anyone have any or know of any guides for installing Win2k on a freshly formated drive so it runs at maximum performance. I just want to tweak it to the max without OC`ing

I need it for using maya primarily and some video work

Specs:
Dual AMD MP 1900+
PNY Geforce 4 Ti4400
1GB DDR RAM
2x 30 GB HDs on RAID
2x 30 GB Drives on IDE
1 CD-RW
1 DVD Drive

[mnhan32]

the basics of what has been done in the studios I've been with:

Low Level format the HD. Format the HD as NTFS and install Windows 2000 w/ Service Pack two (or SP3 if you don't get around to this with in the next month or so) already applied to the CD (it works wonders that way). Then you are good to go there. Other things would be to disable the services you don't need and any other processes you want to kill. I personally recommend partitioning the drive if you don't have another so that you have a temp space. Set all your env variables to point to there (in maya as well for example) and that can speed up things as well. Of course after that install it is all just minor tweaking which is different for every system.

Hope that helps

[grocs]

somewhat... theres stuff I didn`t already know which is helpful thank you

[k-hofler]

Never!! Ever Do Low level format cuz it will burn you hard know that your hard disk come formatted from the manufacture and low level format done only when your hard is near death and filled with bas sectors and also may be end with death. ONLY SCSI hard drives can hold such format.
So you have to format from DOS using normal format, then use fdisk to partion your hard and i suggest not to use large partions because smaller one is easilly to mantain and defragmented and this will decrease the amount of lost of space.

Now when you start installing windows 2000 it will ask you what do you want and displays many options choose Convert FAT partion to NTFS ( network file system ) or something like that ( note that NTFS partion can not be recognized by nither windows 98,ME nor DOS anymore) but the benefits of NTFS is they are secure decrease hardspace clusters lost and faster and better performance then FAT32.
Don't forgat to get the latest updates for your GPU card

[mnhan32]

In reply to:Never!! Ever Do Low level format cuz it will burn you hard know that your hard disk come formatted from the manufacture and low level format done only when your hard is near death and filled with bas sectors and also may be end with death. ONLY SCSI hard drives can hold such format.

chocobo2k is kind of right. I took for granted that this machine would be a SCSI hard drive setup since we are dealing with higher end PC setups in these forums. If you are using IDE you most likely will not have to low level format. IDE does get tricky and a lot of it is by experience in knowing when to low level format the hard drive. I've never ran into any problems low level formatting any drives (IDE or SCSI) of the hundreds of machines I've maintained in my jobs but once again that is by experience and technically there could be issues w/ the IDE drives.

Performance wise you shouldn't covert a file system to another (FAT->NTFS). Just start off w/ NTFS. Most of this stuff can be done when you stick in the Win2k CD. Just delete all the partitions there then create the new ones and format them as NTFS and install Win2k. Pretty easy

[grocs]

ok I read somewhere that the best way to setup if you have say a 60 GB drive is to split it into 3 partitions. 2 15 GB and 1 30GB. the first 15GB you format as NTFS and use it only for running your software and OS from... then you format the other two partitions as FAT32 one partition for Project work the other for general stuff like video capture rendering output etc etc...

I curious what you guys think of that type of solution?

[k-hofler]

Well IT will works fine but you should now know the difference between the two systems you should take your move and decide whether performance and reability of NTFS or compatibility with older versions of windows 98 and millinuim by the FAT32 system.

but be aware not to install to much of not needed programs because they will slow your machine in way or another during seeking of the hard and if you can't offer SCSI hard you'd better take IDE plus i.e 7200 RPM with motherboard that can support Ultar DMA 100 or higher because it is very speedy when compared with 5400 RPM and don't forget to do Defragment from time to time and have good luck

[k-hofler]

Can you tell me what is the benefits of low level formatting for SCSI interface hard drives because as I can see that you have a good experience with that and wouldn't be the hard manufacture sufficient?

[mnhan32]

In reply to:Can you tell me what is the benefits of low level formatting for SCSI interface hard drives because as I can see that you have a good experience with that and wouldn't be the hard manufacture sufficient?

Well the simple answer is that everything is gone and you start as fresh as possible.

I have frequently found that it is the best way going about starting anew again. All the Boot Record stuff and other first sector information is knocked out. Granted if you are starting with a brand new spanking drive there is no need for this but as you go back and reinstall your OS (as is recommended every 6-9mo) it is a good place to start. Does that answer you question or do you want more technical info?

[grocs]

ok sound I found this other guide for installing win2k/XP related to my last post... I am curious again if the things mentioned in there are pointless trying.. I mean is it really worth the time to go through that?

http://discuss.madonion.com/forum/showflat...amp;o=&vc=1

[mnhan32]

for the most part that seems good advice. 1-8 are basically common sense. As far as how you partition the drive and such if you are doing a RAID setup you would be doing something completely different. SCSI and IDE are also different when it comes to partitioning for system performance.

I personally wouldn't do XP though, at least not yet. XP is just slower then 2000 b/c of all the added crap and Maya isn't certified yet for XP. Stick with Win2k running SP2 or SP3 (keep your fingers crossed).

[k-hofler]

Any addition will be a great help thanks in advance for all info you tell me about it and I am wondering why you said that I have to format from 6-9 months

[mnhan32]

In reply to:Any addition will be a great help thanks in advance for all info you tell me about it and I am wondering why you said that I have to format from 6-9 months

The 6-9mo thing is just what is recommended with a computer. Any user realizes that just over time lots of stuff (software) gets installed on a machine and bogs it down. Formatting and starting fresh again allows you to remove all that stuff. After all not every uninstall program removes everything, the registry gets loaded with excess information, and often you have patched patches (in MS and Apple terms). If you have never done in when you format your machine and start installing software you will be amazed at how much faster everything runs. Plus when you download patches you will have the newest version. For example you may have install Win2k, downloaded SP1 then later SP2....however on a fresh install you would just download SP2 now and patch it (since it has all the SP1 info and more in it). This is just a good rule of thumb to start fresh every 6-9mo. Depending on how heavily I am using my workstation depends on how often I re-do the machine. During heavy usage I re-do it about every 6mo. Lately I've been using other machines so my workstation gets re-done every 9mo.

Another when I first starting working as a Computer Techie (around 6 years ago) I learned a very valuable piece of information; Never upgrade an OS (Solaris and some Unix varieties may be the exception but as far as Windows or Mac this applies). This is the same principle as patching a patch.

If you are working with Windows 2000 I'd recommend following tutorials on integrating a service pack into the Windows 2000 install CD. This allows you to do an install from the CD with SP2 already installed. I've seen this fix many problems that SP2 caused when added to an existing install (most of these seem to be w/ Wildcat cards). An example tutorial is here; Making a Bootable Windows 2000 CD with Service Pack Integrated.

I've been administering 3d workstations at two different locations and these techniques have always served me well there and on my home machines as well.

Feel free to drop me more specific questions. It is hard to pour out the brain all at once on this

[k-hofler]

Thank you a lot you have been a great help for me.

Cheers!

[grocs]

you`ve been a great help to me aswell... I use my 2 identical 30GB drives with RAID and the other two with IDE as they are just for storage purposes. You mentioned installing with RAID is different from IDE... in what way?

[pacman2k1]

Make sure you set your Raid 0 to a higher stripping (512 or higher)

keep the Windows Swap file on a different disk from the OS ie.. w2k on raid , swap file on ide..

(Keeps HD activity seperate, system won't have to
compete with swap file for disk access.)

I wouldn't worry about services, they won't impact your system enough to bother.. and keep it up to date with software update.. and be aware of programs loading at startup (they will quickly mount up and steal alot of cpu time)

[grocs]

in win2k how can I keep a check on what programs load stuff at boot cos I have a feeling some are loading junk I don`t need until they are open?

[k-hofler]

Go to Start > Run then type msconfig and press ENTER a window will appear click on the tab start and check or uncheck the programs that runs on system start up and this will work on every windows version because I have try it on my computor with different operating systems.

[grocs]

hrmmm the window doesnt appear and I get an error message popup saying it cant find msconfig Apparently win2k doesn`t have it but I found a program that you can download that can do it you can get it from www.tweak3d.com the link can be found in their Windows XP / 2000 Startup Tweak Guide