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5TB HDDs in the pipeline
Check these leaked roadmaps that show Western Digital's plans for its NAS-optimized Red and energy-efficient Green hard drive lineups. The slides reveal that we can expect the first 5TB HDDs about a year from now. A little earlier than that, the two lines will be updated with 4 TB variants, the WD40ERFX and WD40EZRX. All four drives feature 64 MB of cache, SATA 6 Gb/s interface, and are built in the 3.5-inch form-factor. Roadmap after the break.
The_Fool
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#4472294 Posted on: 12/05/2012 06:50 PM
I don't understand why people (not companies) need so much storage. I have only 500 GB on my primary drive and 250 GB on my backups and storage drive. I can't even fill these up more than half way. If I want to watch episodes of something I'll stream it. If I want to watch a movie I'll stream it or pop in a DVD. If I don't play a game I'll uninstall it. Now, 5 TB? That's just insane to me. I don't know what I'd do with all that.
I don't understand why people (not companies) need so much storage. I have only 500 GB on my primary drive and 250 GB on my backups and storage drive. I can't even fill these up more than half way. If I want to watch episodes of something I'll stream it. If I want to watch a movie I'll stream it or pop in a DVD. If I don't play a game I'll uninstall it. Now, 5 TB? That's just insane to me. I don't know what I'd do with all that.
John
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#4472326 Posted on: 12/05/2012 07:11 PM
Streaming video quality is still miles away from being good enough for any serious cinephile. I have Netflix and while it's "ok" for some things, I would never use it to watch a film (the PS3 app doesn't do framerate detection for example, forcing all content to be output at 60Hz) Using discs is cumbersome and quite passé as far as I'm concerned. Having all your media stored locally on your network which can then be streamed throughout your household via mediastreamers/HTPC's with nice onscreen libraries is how it should be at this time and age.
I still watch the occasional bluray disc if I haven't the time to rip it, but DVD's are completely dead to me.
Tl;dr: HD content takes up a lot of room which is why large HDD arrays are necessary for me.
Streaming video quality is still miles away from being good enough for any serious cinephile. I have Netflix and while it's "ok" for some things, I would never use it to watch a film (the PS3 app doesn't do framerate detection for example, forcing all content to be output at 60Hz) Using discs is cumbersome and quite passé as far as I'm concerned. Having all your media stored locally on your network which can then be streamed throughout your household via mediastreamers/HTPC's with nice onscreen libraries is how it should be at this time and age.
I still watch the occasional bluray disc if I haven't the time to rip it, but DVD's are completely dead to me.
Tl;dr: HD content takes up a lot of room which is why large HDD arrays are necessary for me.
Mufflore
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#4472334 Posted on: 12/05/2012 07:17 PM
^ this.
If you arent into HD audio/video (or major backups), I doubt you will see the need for large drives
^ this.
If you arent into HD audio/video (or major backups), I doubt you will see the need for large drives
TirolokoRD
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#4472358 Posted on: 12/05/2012 07:45 PM
Nice and useful setup there john.
I tought that with 600 movies in my current HD´s was to much!
Been reading a lot to try to change my config, currently have singles TB HD filled with ripped movies, but not RAID or even backup of those, that's why I need a new set up for my storage...
Nice and useful setup there john.
I tought that with 600 movies in my current HD´s was to much!
Been reading a lot to try to change my config, currently have singles TB HD filled with ripped movies, but not RAID or even backup of those, that's why I need a new set up for my storage...
Finchwizard
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#4472538 Posted on: 12/05/2012 11:18 PM
Only got WD Green and Spinpoint drives in my array, only had one failure, no problems other than that in the last few years
I avoid mentioning they are in a RAID array when i log a warranty call though, worried they would refuse it!
I don't think it's so much a problem on their end accepting it. As because they're Green drives they want to spin down when they shouldn't.
Which in say a RAID1 probably isn't an issue, but if you're moving up in the RAID's it's not an ideal place if one of them is trying to spin down all the time.
That's why it's always recommended to avoid Green drives in general.
Only got WD Green and Spinpoint drives in my array, only had one failure, no problems other than that in the last few years
I avoid mentioning they are in a RAID array when i log a warranty call though, worried they would refuse it!
I don't think it's so much a problem on their end accepting it. As because they're Green drives they want to spin down when they shouldn't.
Which in say a RAID1 probably isn't an issue, but if you're moving up in the RAID's it's not an ideal place if one of them is trying to spin down all the time.
That's why it's always recommended to avoid Green drives in general.
Kaleid
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#4472822 Posted on: 12/06/2012 07:51 AM
Do they really spin down or is the headparks the problem?
I just ordered another 2TB so personally I'm all for more space, but I'll stick to max 3 platters @ 5400rpm.
Do they really spin down or is the headparks the problem?
I just ordered another 2TB so personally I'm all for more space, but I'll stick to max 3 platters @ 5400rpm.
Finchwizard
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#4472830 Posted on: 12/06/2012 07:58 AM
Do they really spin down or is the headparks the problem?
I just ordered another 2TB so personally I'm all for more space, but I'll stick to max 3 platters @ 5400rpm.
I think it's both. I think they park the heads after a short period of time, and I think they tend to spin down more than they should to save power, because that's what they're designed for really.
Which is fine in most circumstances but in a NAS you don't want hard drives doing their own thing. And I think the WDs would do it's own thing regardless. Where other hard drives will at least accept commands to say. Don't spin down etc.
Do they really spin down or is the headparks the problem?
I just ordered another 2TB so personally I'm all for more space, but I'll stick to max 3 platters @ 5400rpm.
I think it's both. I think they park the heads after a short period of time, and I think they tend to spin down more than they should to save power, because that's what they're designed for really.
Which is fine in most circumstances but in a NAS you don't want hard drives doing their own thing. And I think the WDs would do it's own thing regardless. Where other hard drives will at least accept commands to say. Don't spin down etc.
PhazeDelta1
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#4472834 Posted on: 12/06/2012 08:04 AM
If your doing 1:1 (no compression) rips of blu-rays, you're looking at alot of space. Depending on the movie itself and how long it is, each file can be like 25GB or more in size. I just ripped The Dark Knight Rises yesterday and that movie was just shy of 37GB in size. But I'm in agreement when John said that DVDs are dead to him. I don't even bother with them anymore.
If your doing 1:1 (no compression) rips of blu-rays, you're looking at alot of space. Depending on the movie itself and how long it is, each file can be like 25GB or more in size. I just ripped The Dark Knight Rises yesterday and that movie was just shy of 37GB in size. But I'm in agreement when John said that DVDs are dead to him. I don't even bother with them anymore.
John
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#4472835 Posted on: 12/06/2012 08:09 AM
Hmm.. This spin-down thing is odd because I can't get any of my drives to spin down at all. Most of them are WD Greens, but I also have a couple of Seagates and one Samung. Neither spin down, even though I'd actually like them to. I figured it had to be a motherboard bug of sorts.
Hmm.. This spin-down thing is odd because I can't get any of my drives to spin down at all. Most of them are WD Greens, but I also have a couple of Seagates and one Samung. Neither spin down, even though I'd actually like them to. I figured it had to be a motherboard bug of sorts.
Mufflore
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#4476618 Posted on: 12/11/2012 06:18 AM
Well guys, I bought one of those Hitachi 4TB USB 3 hard drives, too good an offer to pass up.
Its very nice, well built, nippy, but seems to be incompatible with my motherboard in some way.
(Gigabyte P67a UD4 B3)
In disk manager, it presents the disk in 2 portions, 2TB and 1.7TB.
These appear to be partitions that can not be deleted, when I try and do anything with the second 1.7TB partition, there are no options, it cannot be used at all.
The first 2TB can be used without any problems.
My motherboards BIOS is an old style BIOS + UEFI hybrid for hard disk access and is supposed to fully support drives larger than 2.2TB.
But it doesnt seem to support them via USB.
No USB hard drive can be converted from MBR to GPT, so the drive can never be used as a single partition, but I cant use anything beyond 2TB.
I've upgraded all the motherboard drivers including USB 3 and Intels RST software.
There are no UEFI options in the BIOS other than for CD drives, that is enabled.
I was previously on BIOS F7a and updated to the latest F8, still no joy.
I've tried using a USB 2 port as well.
There is a Gigabyte tool called 3TB+ Unlock, this doesnt recognise the USB drive, it has no drives available to unlock.
Not sure if I've tried anything else, its been a long process.
The USB drive must be able to work otherwise it couldnt be sold, so I'm pretty confused.
It cannot be converted to GPT while in its USB caddy, and to remove it will damage the caddy and my warranty (I saw a youtube video on how to remove the drive, its not pretty!).
Can anyone help me get access to its full size while still on USB?
Thanks.
Well guys, I bought one of those Hitachi 4TB USB 3 hard drives, too good an offer to pass up.
Its very nice, well built, nippy, but seems to be incompatible with my motherboard in some way.
(Gigabyte P67a UD4 B3)
In disk manager, it presents the disk in 2 portions, 2TB and 1.7TB.
These appear to be partitions that can not be deleted, when I try and do anything with the second 1.7TB partition, there are no options, it cannot be used at all.
The first 2TB can be used without any problems.
My motherboards BIOS is an old style BIOS + UEFI hybrid for hard disk access and is supposed to fully support drives larger than 2.2TB.
But it doesnt seem to support them via USB.
No USB hard drive can be converted from MBR to GPT, so the drive can never be used as a single partition, but I cant use anything beyond 2TB.
I've upgraded all the motherboard drivers including USB 3 and Intels RST software.
There are no UEFI options in the BIOS other than for CD drives, that is enabled.
I was previously on BIOS F7a and updated to the latest F8, still no joy.
I've tried using a USB 2 port as well.
There is a Gigabyte tool called 3TB+ Unlock, this doesnt recognise the USB drive, it has no drives available to unlock.
Not sure if I've tried anything else, its been a long process.
The USB drive must be able to work otherwise it couldnt be sold, so I'm pretty confused.
It cannot be converted to GPT while in its USB caddy, and to remove it will damage the caddy and my warranty (I saw a youtube video on how to remove the drive, its not pretty!).
Can anyone help me get access to its full size while still on USB?
Thanks.
Finchwizard
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#4476628 Posted on: 12/11/2012 06:39 AM
I remember with my Hitachi drives there was a link on the packet to say where to download the Utility to format them properly at full capacity.
You may need to upgrade your Intel chipset drivers first though too. I remember that being a problem.
After that's done it should be right to go.
I remember with my Hitachi drives there was a link on the packet to say where to download the Utility to format them properly at full capacity.
You may need to upgrade your Intel chipset drivers first though too. I remember that being a problem.
After that's done it should be right to go.
Mufflore
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#4476655 Posted on: 12/11/2012 08:07 AM
Yeah I did update the chipset drivers, no joy.
Thanks for the tip, i'll look out for that util.
Yeah I did update the chipset drivers, no joy.
Thanks for the tip, i'll look out for that util.
Finchwizard
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#4476657 Posted on: 12/11/2012 08:16 AM
http://www.paragon-software.com/hgst/index.html
Thats the software I was talking about.
http://www.paragon-software.com/hgst/index.html
Thats the software I was talking about.
Mufflore
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#4476665 Posted on: 12/11/2012 08:38 AM
Thanks for the link
Thought I was home and dry, then it gave this message
"No ultra capacity device found"
The 2TB partition is usable, so its in the system.
I've dropped Hitachi a message.
Thanks for the link
Thought I was home and dry, then it gave this message
"No ultra capacity device found"
The 2TB partition is usable, so its in the system.
I've dropped Hitachi a message.
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Ah, ah I just bought some 2TB drives for raid1 on my main rig and already using 700GB for just games... I thought it was excessive! I guess not.
5TB drives sound nice. Now only if they had 1TB SSD.(reasonable cost)