Need advice on setting up new computer

[batzilla]

Hi everyone!

I hope someone can give me some advice on what is the best way to setup my new Mac Pro.

here is what I plan to get as far as spec wise.
Mac Pro 3.0 Ghz Dual-Core Intel Xeon
8GB ram
x2 500GB HHD

So, what I am wondering is where to install or how to configure this machine optimally for audio recording. In other words, where I should install the programs ( I'll list what I have next) and where to put the sound librarys,samples,etc.

The software I have:
Logic Pro 7
Spectrasonics- Atmosphere, Stylus RMX & Trilogy
Native Instruments Komplete 4 (Reaktor, Absynth, battery, etc...)
Synthogy Ivory
Amplitube 2
Applied Acoustics Systems AAS collection

So, if you had the same setup as I am about to get (how i'm going to pull this off without my fiancee finding out is still a mystery LOL!) how would you set it up? What should go where type of thing is what i'm wondering. I want this machine to be extremely organized and setup to perform as good as it can.

Also, I know NOTHING about RAID. Is this something I should consider? I understand (I think) that there is different RAID setups and am curious as to how this works and if I should set this new system up that way (?) If so, where do I put the sound libraries and programs, etc.

Would that mean getting 3 or 4 500GB HHD's?

Any insight/suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated!

I hope to return the favor someday!

 

[Freudian Slip]

No mac here I don't know if mac offers the "core 2 duo" instead of the normal dual core, but you may want to consider it if they do.

Sorry not much help.

Best advice I can give is to try to dedicate it as much to audio as possible and keep other things off of it.

F.S.

 

[Tifstorey]

First of all.. You lucky lucky git!

Second, that kind of spec is going to pretty much speed through anything you throw at it (I only have dual 1.8, 3Gb RAM and it's still damn fast for audio/video editing).

Now, to be totally honest i'm not an expert in this area, but the mac we use in the studio sounds alike to yours. They have a dominant HD which obviously has the main programmes on and sound banks, this is used just for programmes and banks etc. Any other files/folders are created on the other HD and wiped quite regularly.

If you want to go that extra step, you could remove unwanted programmes, but like i said - with a machine of that spec, you wouldn't notice anything anyway.

Hope that helped a little... Good luck, and enjoy the crazy time your going to be having very soon! (Hope she's not too harsh on you buying the mac )

 

[Freudian Slip]

Take a look at this link for basic raid types.


http://www.raidweb.com/whatis.html

The kind that I have thought about (because I have been burnt) is a raid 1 or raid mirror. It writes your data to two drives at the same time so that if one dies you have it all backed up with out having to think about it.

For now I picked up a external 120gig hard drive for $90.00 that I copy my project files onto, but if I forget and something happens I'm screwed.
Have a coupel songs I'm screwed on right now from some years back.

F.S.

 

[cusebassman]

A RAID setup is going to be a little tricky, but Im sure doable. Is it entirely necessary? Depends on how much storage you really need...

If you are doing recording for yourself, I'd say set up the secondary 500 GB drive as the main drive for dumping projects to, just so the OS isn't constantly accessing the disk you are doing a lot of work with in terms of audio file processing. Then, use all that extra space on the OS install drive to back up the projects in case the main workhorse drive for recording fails for whatever reason. If need be, install a 3rd drive if possible for backups, or get an external.

RAID just seems like a big step in terms of complexity as well as expense if you are only using this for your own personal stuff. I read as far as the specs you listed, so maybe you said you are looking to set this up for commercial purposes, but if not, I'd say go without if possible (RAID, that is )