VDI placement - fast but same OR slow but different disk

[poutnik]

Hi,

I am not sure, if to store VM files

on fast , but the same physical disk as the system,
( on data partition - system one does not have enough space,
SATA II AHCI 7200RPM, 250GB, 50GB system+200GB data,
typical max steady transfer speed 60-80 MB/s)

or on slower, but separate PATA IDE disk 5400RPM, ATA mode not handy, transfers about 30 MB/s.

Speed speaks for the former, but there can be "fight" over disk operation between host and guests.
The fight cound be mitigated by NCQ AHCI feature.

[poutnik]

As far VirtualBox forum did not provide any advice,
I have asked at virtualPC usenet group.

The opinion was to leave VMs on separate, even slower disk,
not to cause the drop of performance of both a host and a guest.