(Slightly OT) Hard Drive Q's - Suggestions Please

I'm currently running a 300GB WD Velociraptor. I've had it since I got my MP last year and I love it, fast and reliable. It's backup is an exact twin. It only stores programs, no footage what-so-ever. My footage is stored elsewhere.

My dilemma is always keeping this boot drive only half full to keep it running top notch, that means I really only have 150GB. I'm always fighting it and am growing tired. I'm also a program and filter-a-holic and why it keeps crossing over that border. I just received a new 600GB WD Velociraptor figuring that this would solve all my problems. The one I received has the click of death and will probably be dead in a few days. No biggie as I know NewEgg well enough for an exchange or refund.

All this got me thinking and wondering what is a better solution? So I'm here asking what most of you are running for a boot drive. I can't afford an SSD, especially at this size, so please don't go there. I mainly use my system for video, so I'd like something that will support FCP Studio really well and at-least 600GB.

What should I consider as an alternative if the next 600GB Raptor fails.

Thanks for any help.
Tony

If you've got that much data on the system disk of your edit system, you are doing something wrong.

Plugins and software don't take up much space. So I suspect you've loaded too much support media -- audio, video clips, backgrounds, textures -- onto your system drive. Store that stuff somewhere else.


www.derekmok.com

If someone here could help me shave this down I'd appreciate it.

I just ran Daisydisk and found a lot of support media 26gb alone is Apple Loops and Impulse Responses. Can I store that on my Video Storage drive?

My Application Support is 37.7gb. Is that normal? Of that FCP is 18.2gb and LT 11.8gb. The rest are reasonably small.

Parallels is 29.4gb. How can I cut that down?

Music, which is actually Podcast Downloads is 5.4gb. This I can shave down myself easily enough.

Mobile apps take up 3.7gb. Can I move those?

System is 2.4gb

Apps are 18.1gb

Thanks,
Tony