2mb vs 8mb cache

[Aηdy]

So, i need a new hard drive, do i go for a 2mb or 8mb cache? is there a significant difference?

[Kiros]

The 8MB cache is more, right? Actually, it's 4x as much as the 2MB cache, right? :P Cache is kind of like a 'lookup' holder - by this, I mean that it reads data from the hard drive, stores it in the cache and then sends it out. The thing about cache is that it's sort of like a reverse on prefetch (which is more or less a prediction/prototype for already used executables). Now, this still brings up the question of which is better/faster and why. I'll save some of you the trouble of reading this entire post and spill it right now: an 8MB cache is better on a hard drive than a 2MB cache. As to why, keep reading :P So, cache stores data; we know this, but so does a hard drive. The cache, however, is similar to RAM, in that it's temporary memory that can be accessed quickly (more quickly than the normal way). Now then, just think if you had no cache on the hard drive: the drive would have to read one bit, send it to the motherboard, read another bit, send it to the motherboard, and so on. This would even make opening a simple text file take much longer than we're used to. Since cache stores the data (a buffer in other words) before it sends the data off, the hard drive can read/write to its heart's content until the cache/buffer is empty. The cache (once again, the buffer) accepts both input and output, so when the computer needs to write something to the hard drive, it sends it to the cache and the hard drive writes what is on the cache. If you didn't have this cache, guess what the process would be: motherboard sends a queue to the hard drive, the hard drive send request for data to the motherboard, the motherboard sends a bit, the hard drive writes the bit, the hard drive sends a request again, the motherboard sends another bit, and so on. All those requests and writing breaks would cause some serious load/save time.

Eh, in short, more cache, more better (excluding 500MB+ for web browser cache :P). Yet another long, long post that could have been shortened to less than 10 words :? Sorry...

[Aηdy]

Dont worry, i like a good technical read! thanks for taking the time to write all of that :D i have found the one im getting, i will probally order it either later tonight or tomorrow.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/dev/gui_web/common_dsp/popup_fiche_article_xhtml.php?article=46340043&from=caddie&&articleLibelle=Maxtor+DiamondMax+Plus+9+80GB+-+7200RPM+-+8+MB+-...%3C%2Fb%3E%3C%2Fa%3E%3C%2Fi%3E%3C%2Fu%3E%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3E

and i am also getting a new graphics card:
http://www.pixmania.co.uk/dev/gui_web/common_dsp/popup_fiche_article_xhtml.php?article=12070068&from=caddie&&articleLibelle=SAPPHIRE+TECHNOLOGY+Radeon+9550SE+128+Mb

and a new tv:
http://www.pixmania.co.uk/dev/gui_web/common_dsp/popup_fiche_article_xhtml.php?article=16100128&from=caddie&&articleLibelle=PHOCUS+LCD+TV+16%3A9+27

lol, so its all spend spend spend!! I will be getting some more money in about 2 months becasue we would have sold two houses by then, so i will get my room decorated really cool! anyway thanks for all the help kiros your the best!!

edit: for some reason those links are in french or something, they were in englsh when i visited lol, but you still get the idea!

[Kiros]

It's French by default. When you visited that site, you were probably asked (or it looked it up) what language you prefer (or your location). That gave you English views on everything, but since it's only a session cookie, the links give the default language, being French.

ANYWAY :P

Yes, that looks like a very good set of things. The hard drive should perform better than older ones because of the 133MB/s transfer rate and the 8MB buffer! :D And a graphics card actually does help overall performance - relieves the CPU of rendering all that video.

So... glad I could help and glad you're getting new things! :D

[Aηdy]

sorry kiros.. but its not the hard drive thats the problem, i had my grandmas computer because she wanted me to upgrade it, so i stuck my hard drive in to back her stuff up and it booted from mine no problem, so i put her hard drive in my computer and i still had the same problem, so i thing its got to be the mobo. i have flashed the bios... so, but at least a new mobo is like £15 but what could go wrong with the mobo!!

[Kiros]

Well, there are certain incompatibilities with things. If your hard drive works in another computer, then that computer is compatible with it, but obviously whatever happened to your drive made it have an incompatibility with your current motherboard. You can try and get a new motherboard, or you could try getting a new hard drive. Personally, to be on the safe side, I would get both. Though I'll leave that decision up to you, Andy :)

[Aηdy]

I will get the mobo first because thats the cheaper thing. But its confusing lol.