BleepingComputer.com: Installing new HDD

I'm looking to dual boot Ubuntu and Win something, though this thread mainly concerns the installation of the new HDD. I couldn't post this all in the Linux section because it gets so little viewers...

Computer: HP a6700f
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...7-861-_-Product

Current HDD: Seagate SATA 500 GB @ 7200 RPM, whatever came with the computer above

Looking to add on: Seagate Barracuda SATA 160GB @ 7200 RPM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16822148397

Just making sure everything is compatible (I'm nearly certain it is)

It should work, but the new hard drive has only 8MB cache. This one would be better, and only $8 more: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16822136161

.. And 90 GB more, put that's a plus. I'm not to concerned about space- I'm using 9.4% of my 500GB HDD now, and that's with re-syncing all my media. Although I don't have CS4 anymore, I don't have any really big programs I used to use with Windows.

Now that I've realized I am only using 9.4% of my drive, I may just sacrifice some weekend to reinstall Vista. My current HDD is 7200 anyway, so there would be no difference. I found a nice Ubuntu backup manager that backs up everything, so I should be set. I was just trying to stay with Seagate HDD's because that's what I have now- the one in my comp and my 1TB external are made by Seagate.

You don't need the 2nd drive. You have plenty of space. You can use virtualbox to run another operating system on your Windows machine. It's just like VMware and then you don't have to partition the drive.

Virtualbox.org

Yeah, the main reason I was going to get a new HDD was for the Win OS and faster load times, but the speeds are the same (7200)

As for virtual box, I would be running it from Linux. Linux is my main OS and there are some Direct X issues even in Virtual Box. Plus, I'm not sure how to use my current copy of Vista (3 CD's, not currently installed) with Virtual Box. If you can help me out there, I would be able to run iTunes off of that.

Just an FYI. Hard drive speeds, performance depends on more then RPMs.

Read\write\seek and cache size all come into play.

Yeah, but I'd have to be at my computer to find the specifics.

All that you need to know is make and model of the hard drive(s) in question. The specs are available online.