computer set up - where to store audio files & samples?

[paresh]

Hi, long question... I'm not new but certainly there are gaps in my understanding. I use Sonar on a laptop with 1 terabyte hard drive. I use the same computer for all of the rest of my needs, ie all of my files are installed in the same HD. It works fine so far but Sonar is getting slower. And 15 years of wav files add up.

My question - when I finally get a new computer, what is the best set up, especially if I go to a tablet? I know some people have an outboard HD for audio but some vsti's install their samples in different places on the computer and that's always been confusing to me. Even the switch from XP to Win 7 that has a different file tree dispersed some audio files into different folders.

I would rather not have a second computer just for audio - I'm just an amateur - but I've never understood what the best solution is and was afraid I would get confused. And now tablets are quite common for recording but their storage is limited - what do people do?

Is there a link or old post to explain? Thanks!!

 

[ecc83]

You have been living dangerously Paresh! 15 years is REALLY borrowed time for a hard drive!

I suggest that you retire the old machine but network the new one via Gigabit Ethernet (copper). I would also invest in a NAS* drive for back up. If you are building the new PC yourself (or can specc' it) get the OS on an SSD and put your DAW software on that also. Have another spinner in the new box to dump audio files to but back up regularly to the NAS.

It would also be prudent to make an image of both machines copy to each other, i.e. the new PC has the image of the old and V.V.

*In case you don't know? That is a drive attached to a network that can be accessed by any PC on said network without other PCs being powered up. You can get quite a big one for £120. They are not all that fast but not usually a problem for backup. You could attach a USB caddy and drive to the old PC (PCIe USB3.0 cards are quite cheap) they are quicker but of course you need the machine on to use it.

Dave.