I am spending (wasting?) so much time trying to get my EX485 back up after the system drive failed. The WHS Console takes 5-10 minutes to load... though once loaded it responds OK. I wonder if this has to do with the Seagate Barracuda drive I just used to replace the failed system drive...
I am looking for some advice! 
DETAILS:
I previously spent a lot of time researching and learning about AFT (the new 4K drives not being compatible with older OS) and ended up deciding the Seagate Barracudas 2TB (ST2000BM01) with their SmartAlign technology will help alleviate issues and not have to deal with alignment sw or using jumpers. So I stocked up on those Seagate Barracuda 2TB (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005T3GRN2/) to use as backups thinking that they will come in handy when any of the MediaSmart drives fail.
Recently my system drive (WD Blue 500GB - WD5000AAKS) failed. I replaced it with the Seagate and did a System Restore. But the system is now very sluggish to respond - logging in the Home Server Console gives me error (not being able to connect) and have to try a couple of times after bringing up the WHS Console window. After it finally takes my pwd and connects, sometimes it just ends up with a black screen, sometimes a blue screen and then it takes another 5-10 mins for the UI to completely display and for the UI to be responsive. Once it becomes responsive, it seems to operate normally.
My pool drives are:
Bay 2: WD Caviar Blue 1TB WD10EZEX - (I think specs say it is AFT but when I checked it with the Acronis tool it showed it as non-AFT; it is possible I used the Acronis tool to align it in 2012 when I got it - I just don't actually remember doing it or not...)
Bay 3: WD Caviar Green 1TB WD10EADS - (I see many people use this one though in my notes from my previous research I see it is not as good for external enclosures and also when I checked it in my eSATA dock it makes some louder noises as it ramps up/down)
QUESTIONS:
*** What can cause the WHS Console to be so slooow to load?
*** Is the Seagate ST2000BM01 (advertised to have SmartAlign and not need alignment for legacy OS) good to use in the MediaSmart as an OS drive or as a pool drive?
*** I also have some WD740GD (legacy Raptor series 10K RPM) from an older server - http://www.wdc.com/en/library/sata/2879-001069.pdf Will htese work better as a system drive?? (they're probably noisier, hotter and a lot smaller at only 74GB but may do for a system drive?)
*** Chuck the Seagates and Raptors I have and start buying the WD EADS Caviar Green to use as need be for pool or OS drives?
Thanks for any insight!