I'm looking at putting a Veloceraptor in my rig just for FSX, and have read some of Nick's info regarding the use of a PCI-e controller. I don't wish to buy something that will never see any potential due to other h/w limitations in my system, but am looking for something that can beat the SATA controllers on my mobo. Hardware is Q6600 on a GA-X38T-DQ6, 4GB of Mushkin XP3-12800, video card is an NV 8800GTX/768MB.Thanks, Bruce.

I'm looking at putting a Veloceraptor in my rig just for FSX, and have read some of Nick's info regarding the use of a PCI-e controller. I don't wish to buy something that will never see any potential due to other h/w limitations in my system, but am looking for something that can beat the SATA controllers on my mobo. Hardware is Q6600 on a GA-X38T-DQ6, 4GB of Mushkin XP3-12800, video card is an NV 8800GTX/768MB.Thanks, Bruce.

Bruce the drive alone will do the job but if you really want the highest transfer possible on single or multivolume arrays the 3ware 9650SE 4LPML is a great cardyou must have 2 PCIe x16 slots to use it (or a single PCIe 8x slot) and you will need to check to be sure the motherboard will support it. Most board that have dual x16 slots will even if many of them will limit slot2 to 8x if slot 1 is in use.What is really great about that card is in the future SSD hard drives will be the norm and the 3ware card mentioned will deliver the bandwidth to them without the need for motherboard SATAIII so owning one not only makes for better use in SATAII drives like a Vrap.. its great for future investments that will take full advantage of the bandwidth such a card allows without restrictions.But do be aware.. the single Vrap on motherboard SATA will do a great job without such a card in use

Bruce the drive alone will do the job but if you really want the highest transfer possible on single or multivolume arrays the 3ware 9650SE 4LPML is a great cardyou must have 2 PCIe x16 slots to use it (or a single PCIe 8x slot) and you will need to check to be sure the motherboard will support it. Most board that have dual x16 slots will even if many of them will limit slot2 to 8x if slot 1 is in use.What is really great about that card is in the future SSD hard drives will be the norm and the 3ware card mentioned will deliver the bandwidth to them without the need for motherboard SATAIII so owning one not only makes for better use in SATAII drives like a Vrap.. its great for future investments that will take full advantage of the bandwidth such a card allows without restrictions.But do be aware.. the single Vrap on motherboard SATA will do a great job without such a card in use

Thanks Nick, So, if I installed a VRap for FSX (this drive would not have the OS installed and would not need to be bootable), and I used the SATA ports on my motherboard for now, could I later fit a controller card and set up the drive to be driven from the card without needing to re-install FSX? I expect not, as I

Thanks Nick, So, if I installed a VRap for FSX (this drive would not have the OS installed and would not need to be bootable), and I used the SATA ports on my motherboard for now, could I later fit a controller card and set up the drive to be driven from the card without needing to re-install FSX? I expect not, as I

Hi BruceAs long as this is simply MOVING the FSX install to the drive on the card, and, the drive letters end up getting shuffled around, you can then enter the ADMINITRATOR TOOLS - COMPUTER MANAGEMENT - DISK MANAGEMENT area and right click the drives in the system and change their drive letters to reflect the correct location before the move. It sometimes requires going to the 'incorrect' drive now showing the old FSX drive letter and changing it first.. then assign the released letter to the moved drive and last get the rest of them in correct orderAlternately and as a last resort F1 makes a FSX registry repair tool which will get FSX back up and running but any addon that may have installed with registry support may not function due to the drive letter change... its usually best to just use the management console and get the drive letters back in order the way they were before the drive was moved.The only thing you can not do in that console is change the OS drive letter.

Thanks (again), Nick. :)Bruce.

I just wanted to add; that with Nick's help over the Holidays, I've added the above mentioned 3ware controller and a pair of VelociRaptors to my rig and absolutely love it :( I have since rearranged all four of my drives directly on the 3ware controller and continue to be amazed at the performance. Setup is as follows:C: 1 Raptop 150GB -> 3Ware Ch. 1 (fixed disk) / Windows XP x64 OSD: 2 Velociraptors (300GB) -> 3ware Ch 2 & 3 (Raid 0 - 256k stripe - 64k clusters) / FSX sp2E: 1 Caviar (320GB) -> 3ware Ch 4 (fixed disk) / ArchivesI now firmly believe that the investment of the card and VelociRaptors will take me years into other componnent and peformance upgrades.Thanks again for your help Nick :( :(

I just wanted to add; that with Nick's help over the Holidays, I've added the above mentioned 3ware controller and a pair of VelociRaptors to my rig and absolutely love it :( I have since rearranged all four of my drives directly on the 3ware controller and continue to be amazed at the performance. Setup is as follows:C: 1 Raptop 150GB -> 3Ware Ch. 1 (fixed disk) / Windows XP x64 OSD: 2 Velociraptors (300GB) -> 3ware Ch 2 & 3 (Raid 0 - 256k stripe - 64k clusters) / FSX sp2E: 1 Caviar (320GB) -> 3ware Ch 4 (fixed disk) / ArchivesI now firmly believe that the investment of the card and VelociRaptors will take me years into other componnent and peformance upgrades.Thanks again for your help Nick :( :(

Thnaks Al, sounds like a great idea. I second too, thanks for all the help that Nick provides.Bruce.

No problem Bruce. Also, here is the full discussion b/w Nick and myself over the course of my 9650se integration efforts and contains a wealth of information in the best setup:http://www.simforums.com/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=28350Regards,Al

I just wanted to add; that with Nick's help over the Holidays, I've added the above mentioned 3ware controller and a pair of VelociRaptors to my rig and absolutely love it :o I have since rearranged all four of my drives directly on the 3ware controller and continue to be amazed at the performance. Setup is as follows:C: 1 Raptop 150GB -> 3Ware Ch. 1 (fixed disk) / Windows XP x64 OSD: 2 Velociraptors (300GB) -> 3ware Ch 2 & 3 (Raid 0 - 256k stripe - 64k clusters) / FSX sp2E: 1 Caviar (320GB) -> 3ware Ch 4 (fixed disk) / ArchivesI now firmly believe that the investment of the card and VelociRaptors will take me years into other componnent and peformance upgrades.Thanks again for your help Nick :( :(

Ain't it cool?lol!Welcome to the 'pro' club :(

No problem Bruce. Also, here is the full discussion b/w Nick and myself over the course of my 9650se integration efforts and contains a wealth of information in the best setup:http://www.simforums.com/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=28350Regards,Al

Thanks Al,I have bookmarked this URL, thanks for the helpful info (and Nick, of course).Thanks, Bruce.