From Raid 0+dvd to ssd+raid0+external dvd:help xD

Let's start from the beginning...

My plan was to get a m17x with 64gb msata+500gb hdd, then add a ssd in the second slot and use the 500gb plus my external drive for storage.

BUt....things have evolved: http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...ration-questions-ask-here-49.html#post8592313

I managed to get a system with slighty different specs at an incredibly discounted price. While my wallet is extremely happy, there's now a couple of things that i'll need to take care of.

I'm happy with the 2x500gb hdd in raid0 but as I tend to travel a lot I'm always afraid a few extra bumps may have an awful impact on one of the hard drives. I'd prefer to have an ssd for startup anyway, so my current nplan would me something like this:

a) Remove the dvd player
b) Swap in a ssd and make a fresh w7 install
c) Use the raid 0 just for storage\programs

After all that is done, what do I need to reuse the dvd as an external device? just an external enclosure?
Also, I've hard that some ports in the m17 r4 have sata2, others have sata3. Is it viable\suggested to install the ssd in the dvd bay and keep the raid0 drives in their original bays?

 

First of all let me say, congrats on the tremendous deal. Secondly I believe the only way to reuse the optical drive is by an enclosure, just make sure it accepts slot load drives as i'm not sure if all will. You might even want to look into a full new external Optical Drive you can get them for under 20 at some places.

From what ive heard both of the HDD ports on the R4 are sata 3, depending on what SSD your getting I would imagine the ODD bay would be Sata 2 or less, so I would likely swith one of the mechanical drives into that and put the SSD into an actual HDD space. Thats the best I can help you.

But I do have a question for you in return, where are you getting your ODD caddy to place the HDD in, will most normal caddies work. I would think you would have to get a different one since it is a slot load drive and from what I saw most of them have the outter cover on the outside edge.

 

Thanx for your help!

As for your question, my answer is: i have no idea!
I've never planned this before as i've always thought about the msata+hdd+ssd configuration, along with the dvd. I don't really know what kind of caddy i may need to install a hdd\ssd in the spare ODD bay.

So basically if the ODD bay is sata2 I'll have to give up a bit of performance on the ssd or on the raid0....ahhhh >__<

edit: the dvd bay is actually Sata. I'm starting to consider the idea of ssd+single hd and sell the spare hdd, while keeping the dvd bay!